Ten days before the first death anniversary of our Black Labrador, Sgt Beans, we had another painful loss. Our very sweet and gentle and cuddly, Eloise (white Jack Russell Terrier) had to be put to sleep because of severe atlanto axial sublaxation (misaligned first vertebrae) that must have been caused by a recent trauma.
The house feels terribly lonely without her smiling face and her white body jumping and running around the house.
She came into our lives on March 8, 2011. I was still grieving over the death of Sgt Beans and I thought I was not ready to welcome a puppy into our lives. But she came and the moment we picked her up at the Cargo section of the Philippine Airlines, she slowly charmed her way into our hearts.
It was her expressive eyes that seem to communicate deep love that disarmed me. She was just so engaged in the moment…whether she was chewing her toy bone or sitting on my lap as we go through our morning song after breakfast. She would climb on my lap and I would sing to her this one-line ridiculous song that I came up with just for her.
It was her song and after every breakfast, it was time for Eloise’ song.
I had never seen a dog that welcomed children around her. When we were on a church visit in Olongapo, there were more than 7 kids touching her and playing with her.. and she loved every minute of it. Even in Baguio at the Festival, Eloise was a hit with the children.
We only had her for 304 days. Extremely short. But she left such an indelible imprint in our lives that will last a lifetime.
Jan 1 – on our way back from Calatagan, she jumped toward the front and would not settle but wanted to be on Sheila’s lap where Peanut was. I coaxed her to sit on my lap and she settled there for the whole trip back to Quezon City. We noticed how she was panting so hard.. which was not typical of Eloise. Her tummy was also very warm and something did not feel right.
Jan 2 – took her to the vet in Regalado. Her temperature was elevated. 38.9. She was given medicines for the fever and we were told to observe her for the next 24 hours.
Jan 3 – she seemed okay but something else was different.
Jan 4 – Wednesday – took her to the UP VET MED. She was already limping. CBC and other blood tests showed an increase in lympocites… given antibiotics and other drugs to eliminate blood parasites.
Wednesday evening – we started hearing her moans and cries in pain. Hurriedly took her back to the vet and then drove to Lagro for an immediate xray of the abdomen. She howled and howled in pain as we were going through the xray procedure and on the way back to the car. Something was terribly wrong for Eloise.
Jan 5 – before 7am we were back at the UP VET MED. Some more thorough examinations and xrays were taken. She was howling in pain even before the hospital opened. She seemed to favor lying on her back… 2 resident vets examined her and were wondering what was wrong.
The xrays came and the doctor said “I have bad news…” Her spine was misaligned.. and by this time, she had lost mobility. She could not walk nor stand anymore. It broke our hearts to see her legs just go limp when the vets tried to see if she would even make the effort to walk. We were instructed to wrap towels on her neck that would be a DIY neck brace so she can recover. Surgery was the only thing but they have not done it at UP.
She had not eaten for more than 24 hours.. and she was crying and howling.. and it was difficult to find her a comfortable position. In the afternoon, her temperature spiked… it seemed like we were going to lose her. We weren’t even able to give her steroids and other medicines as she stopped eating and drinking. My wife attended to her like a very sick child and was able to stop her from getting delirious.
But we both knew our time was running out.
My wife started brushing her fur and started cleaning her up… she would wake up from time to time and would follow us with her eyes…
My wife decided to sleep on the sofa and Eloise slept like a baby in my wife’s arms.
In the morning, it was evident… she was no longer able to communicate her pain.. she had stopped whimpering.. and she was completely immobilized.
We made that painful decision to put her to sleep so that her suffering would end.
We brought her to the same vet where we took our Labrador a year before.
At 12:52pm, our beautiful bundle of pure energy and joy was gone.
We drove in silence to San Mateo where a square hole had been dugged up. Right next to our black Labrador’s grave, we buried our dear Eloise, her body wrapped in a towel. I could only shake my head in disbelief as the towel was being covered with soil.
We still miss her terribly. Even Peanut seems to be grieving as well.
I miss her little plays and how she would try to grab the attention.
I miss the song we used to sing for her.
The walks where her little frame would exert so much effort just to walk a couple of steps ahead of Peanut.
I miss how we would coax her to eat because she would rather be with us than eat her food.
I miss how she would look up every time we would be chopping veggies. We would usually get any chopped piece and give her one and she would grab that thing and run away and who knows where, would start chewing on her veggies.
Only 304 days.. and how we wished we had her for so much more.
Goodbye Eloise. Goodbye our sweet, sweet furball of fun and pure joy. Thank you so much for your love.
Sunlight streams through window pane unto a spot on the floor….
Then I remember,
It’s where you used to lie, but now you are no more.
Our feet walk down a hall of carpet, and muted echoes sound….
Then I remember,
It’s where your paws would joyously abound.
A voice is heard along the road, and up beyond the hill,
Then I remember it can’t be yours….
Your golden voice is still.
But I’ll take that vacant spot of floor and empty muted hall
And lay them with the absent voice and unused dish along the wall.
I’ll wrap these treasured memorials in a blanket of my love
And keep them for my best friend until we meet above. (heykee.com)
In Loving Memory of Eloise
Nov 26, 2010 – Jan 6,2012
Given to us March 8, 2011
See you at the Rainbow Bridge… but for now.. run as fast as you can with Beans.. and play with Toepy.
May the Holy Spirit send you comfort at this time. Eloise was such a beauty.