Farewell to Duke……. our handsome bubble bath Boy With sadness in our hearts, Ears helped Duke our precious boy to crossover to be with his beloved Elka that we recently lost to old age. Duke had been fighting a battle with cancer for the last couple of months, but once his lifelong friend and companion passed just two weeks ago it was obvious that Duke gave up the will to fight any longer. Each day we would watch him grow weaker and weaker and eat less and less. Last night he was on my mind most of the night and I went to the sanctuary knowing that if it was time Duke would let me know. I put a blanket down next to his den and I lay down with him and sang the song that I had sung to him a few years ago when he was so sick, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Duke pulled himself over to the side of his den so that I could rub his little face as I sang to him. When I stopped singing two reddish colored tears fell from his eye and I knew it was time. He was ready to go and asking me to please help him to cross with dignity. Letting him go was one of the hardest things that I have had to do in a very long time. I loved him so much. But our Vet said the cancer had entered his lungs and he was suffering and that we needed to let him go. In all of my years of animal rescue I have not seen a more peaceful crossing. We sedated him first so that the euthanasia would go smoothly for him. As he fell asleep he was looking past us as if he saw something and I do believe in my heart that it was Elka, Daunte and Judy waiting to take him home. I have to believe this for any of this to make any sense to me. There truly does have to be a better place for the animals to go where they can run forever free and be happy. And one day when it is my time to pass, I will go in peace and with joyful anticipation of being with all of the wonderful animals that I have had the pleasure and honor of walking this world with. If you remember, Duke was bitten by a black widow spider a few years ago and I air conditioned his den and slept there with him for six weeks and four nights. During that time, I bonded and became best friends with a 14 year old unneutered male tiger that when he got better wanted me to give him bubble baths, brush him with a comb, feed him by hand and just be his Buddy. What an honor and privilege this was for me. Thank you Duke for your trust. I can barely write this because of the tears of losing my friend today but I know in my heart we did the best and most humane thing by letting him go. Thank you Sue Nassavara for being there with Duke when he passed. The animals can always depend on you to be there for them no matter how painful and sad it might be. Thank you Andy and Heather for being by Duke’s side and seeing him off with love in your heart. Thank you Gail Bowen for giving Duke the most incredible life that an animal could ever have had and even though it hurt, letting him go. Thank you David Nassavara and Junior for being there to help us. And thank you Dr. Dawn Miller for having the courage to tell us that it was time. I really really feel that I am getting to soft to handle losing animals any longer. It just gets harder and harder and if you are in rescue, especially when you give the animals a home for life, you have NO choice but to be there when it is their time. I pray for God to give me the strength to continue. I will miss you Duke. I will never be able to see bubbles again without shedding a tear of joy for all of our bubble baths together. The picture is a painting of Duke and Elka when they were younger. It was painted by Gail Bowen.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 01:30:07 +0000
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