11 Years 3 Months and 11 Days

Our total time together in the physical world was 11 years, 3 months and 11 days. I know that there was never ever going to be enough time together, but this was particularly cruel since it came out of nowhere. You were chasing a mouse at full speed on Dec. 31st, 2025 and then the next day didn’t want to move. You deserved so much more time. More time with your mommy, more time to be spoiled, more time to argue with me, more time to love all humans in your path. More walks, more swimming, more drives with mommy. More visits to grandma’s house. More visits from your aunties and uncle.

You were doing so well overall. We had your conditions handled. We were aiming for perfection, but overall compared to other dogs, your conditions were so well managed. You didn’t have the extreme symptoms or lab values that I read about other dogs with your conditions having. You were running circles around mommy. You always had so much more energy than me, I did my best to rally my strength to meet you at your level. We played with your toys for hours every day, we hunted bugs for hours every day. We snuggled, conversed, and just overall existed so happily together.

We had it all planned out. You should have easily had years left. A forth of your life left to live. We were going to fight your conditions and continue to win as we had been. You were going to very slowly over the years slow down due to age only. And we were going to assess your quality of life together, no outside influence forcing our hand. You were going to let me know when it was time and mommy was going to help you break all the rules pup cups, chicken nuggets, burgers, everything and anything you wanted in that last bit of time. Then on our terms when you were ready, you were supposed to leave peacefully in mommy’s lap in your home. You were robbed of these golden senior years. I have so much more love and care to give you that it is suffocating me.

You were never ever a burden. I embraced and felt privileged to be your caretaker, no matter what form that took on. Mommy, nurse, hairdresser, chauffer, bank, chef, elevator, no matter the role you needed, I was there and eager to provide it for you. I never felt that caring for you was a burden in anyway, even when we had to restructure our lives for a new condition. It was always my honor and privilege to care for you. I wanted to continue to care for you no matter what else was added for years to come. And despite your chronic health conditions, you had an amazing quality of life. People asked me how old you were and were so very surprised by your age. They told me they were so sure you were a puppy. Because in your heart and the way you lived, you were that youthful, carefree, happy puppy. Your joy for life is inspiring. You never let the little things get you down. You were so very sweet and loving and no one could question your amazing quality of life.

11 years, 3 months and 11 days was not enough. Your mommy misses you so much. The world is so wrong without your light in it. My little sunshine.