Hannah

UPDATE 06-12-10 —

Dear Hannah:

This month marks your 14th birthday, our sweet girl. Not a day passes that Mommy and Daddy don’t think of you, or wish you were here with us. Its been two years since you went to the Rainbow Bridge, and we miss you and know you are waiting for us. Life moves on and brings many changes, but you need to know that you are loved, and will forever be in our hearts. There are some new faces in the house! Bailey and Cleo needed someone to care for them and love them just like you, and have joined the family. We know you would welcome them into your pack! Rest peacefully, Hannah-bug. Chase all the birds you can find, and dive deep for the best rock in the lake. We love you always!

— Mom and Dad

UPDATE 03-31-09 — Donated today in memory of Hannah. It’s been a year since you left us for a better place. We think of you every day, and love you with all our hearts. You will always be with us, our beautiful black lab.

— Mom & Dad

UPDATE 04-05-08 — We lost our beloved Hannah to hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and liver in the early hours of April 1st, 2008. She was nearing her 12th birthday. Her loss was so unexpected, it still seems like a bad dream. She had spent the weekend competing in something she so loved: a Dockdogs competition. Although she could no longer jump as far as she once could, she was so excited to leap into the water after her retrieving duck. She brought home seven ribbons that weekend. The very next day, as I was preparing her and our four other dogs’ dinner, she was conspicuously absent from the nightly lineup of hungry eyes watching my every move. I called out to her, and finally found her lying on the living room floor. She was lethargic, and could not get up to walk. As I was on crutches from an injury three weeks before, I called my wife, who had just left to volunteer helping cats find forever homes. She returned immediately, and knew instantly upon seeing Hannah that something was very wrong. A neighbor was summoned to help load Hannah into a blanket and into our van for a trip to the vet ER. She was losing blood, and an ultrasound found a splenic tumor. She was stabilized, and transported to another ER where surgeons were on-call to operate. As my wife drove through a rainstorm, I lay on the floor of the van holding her for the 35 minute trip. Through tears, I told her she was the best dog in the world, and how much we loved her, and how special she was. I prayed that she would be spared any pain or suffering. On arrival, we made the decision to have the surgery, just in case there was any chance to save her. After an agonizing wait, the surgeons came out to tell us the bad news; that it had spread to her liver, and she would not live much longer, even if they were able to remove the cancer. In the most difficult moment of our lives, we made the decision to say goodbye to our precious Hannah. Although it hurt us terribly, it was no longer about us, but about her quality of life. She left us peacefully at 1:45 in the morning.

We took her home wrapped in a blanket, and made sure that her canine brothers and sister had the chance to say goodbye to her. In the order that they came to our family, we showed them her body, and in the way only dogs can, they said goodbye. We took her the next day to our friend and hometown veterinarian, who cared for her since we were blessed with her entering our lives, and would take care of her one last time through cremation. A few locks of fur were collected, and our friend said she would take a pawprint for us. We will scatter her ashes in her hometown near Lake Michigan, where she learned to swim and dive for rocks. Her spirit will run free, unencumbered by any pain, soreness, or effects of old age. She will always be with us, till the end of our days, when we will be reunited once again.

We love you and miss you, our sweet girl and punkin’—

Mike & Cindy, Bandit, Muffasa, Chompers and Peanut.