Losing my Beautiful girl Lady

[samc]

A couple of days ago I lost my best friend and my first baby. Her name was Lady and she was British bulldog with a bit of staffy in her and she was turning 13 this year. The hardest thing for me was that I was the one who found her and she had already passed. I keep asking myself if only I had been there an hour earlier or half an hour earlier. I know I can’t be thinking like that and I knew she was getting old and the time would eventually come but I never wanted to believe it would happen so soon. She was struggling to walk because of her arthritis and we thought she may have also had some doggy dementia. I’m so thankful for her as she was beside me always when I was at home. I’ve been suffering through back pain for many years and she was always by my bedside when I couldn’t get up and move around. When a lot of friends dropped away she was my constant best buddy and I’m devastated that she’s no longer here. The mornings when I first get up are the hardest because I would always walk into the kitchen and she would be there usually snoring away on her favourite pillow. I miss by buddy so much

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[VM-Serenity66]

Dear @samc

Lady sounds like such a lovely companion, and it certainly seems like she was treated like a lady for the whole of the life that she spent with you. I am very familiar with the profound and personal way that little creatures become a part of our lives, and members of our household and families. It is no surprise then, that we should mourn them as such when they pass. The absence of their presence in the home can bring an awful strangeness and sadness to the familiar.

It is quite normal for people to feel regrets for what might be seen as missed, or wished-for opportunities. At the same time, how beautiful that Lady got to spend her final moments in the home, and with the person, that she loved, and who clearly loved her so well. None of this, of course, makes her passing any less painful.

I hope the article below is helpful as you navigate your loss of Lady. Please continue to connect with us here on the forum, and do feel welcome to call the Helpline on 1300 845 745 during open hours, if you would like to have a gentle conversation about Lady with a caring volunteer. Your story is welcome, and your experience matters to us.

Kindness

How To Grieve For A Pet – Understanding Your Grief

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