Tribute to Athena (08/1999 - 10/2005)

[coconut]

Our precious dog Athena, yes the pretty girl in the avatar, left us to go to heaven yesterday afternoon.

She was suffering from acute respiratory distress, breathing really short breaths through her nose, and not getting enough oxygen to her lungs, even in the oxygen tent. Vets at the ICU couldn''t find a definitive reason and leaned towards the possibility of her throwing a blood clot.

Despite all the difficulty, she was so brave, and held on till I held her in my arms, for it must have been her dying wish.
I just wanted to hold her before we left to go home yesterday, so we took her out of the oxygen tent and I held her in my arms for a minute. She looked up at me, licked my face, then rested her head on my arm. When I tried to put her back into the oxygen tent, she just went into cardiac arrest.

The Vet did get her heart beat back, but at that point, we didn''t want her to be in anymore pain...we didn''t want her to suffer in the small oxygen tent all by herself.. The vet strongly recommended we euthanize her because she really didn''t have any hope of surviving through the night.... so I signed the consent form.

I held her head till the very last moment, and I held her in my arms to say good bye.
Today we are going to pick out a coffin and a nice piece of sunny land in the pet cemetery to burry her.
I know she is now in heaven running in the meadow, waiting for me to come.

She was the bravest, strongest dog ever trapped in the small 4 pound body, she was the smartest dog ever because I took her to all my lectures in college, she liked being with me better than being out in the park, she didn''t need a leash because she would always follow me no matter what, and she was the only living thing that asked me for nothing but gave me everything in return.

She was with me during the hardest 6 years of my life, but had made it the best 6 years with her loving presence.


thank you for reading and please give a hug or a kiss to all your loving pets for me and athena...

 

[MissAva]

I am so sorry for your loss. *hugs*

 

[coconut]

Thank you Matatora..
These were some picture I wanted to share with fellow pricescopers....

 

[diamondlil]

I''m soooo sorry, Coconut. Animals become our family members, and it''s not easy letting them go.

What breed of dog was Athena. She was an absolutely adorable ball of fluff.

 

[ame]

Im so sorry.

 

[finerthings]

Oh I am so very sorry for your loss.

Please take care. Sending you hugs and wishes for strength to get you through this hard time....(((HUGS))).

 

[Sundial]

Oh Joanna I am so sorry for your loss! She was such a beautiful dog and I know you must miss her.

 

[mrssalvo]

i get teary eyed whenever i hear of a pet passing. they become such a part of you. i''m glad you have such wonderful memories...

 

[jcrow]

i am sitting here crying at work reading this. (i hope no one passes by) i am sooo sorry for your loss..she was a beautiful doggie. wishing you strength through this tough time.

 

[Caribou]

I''m very sorry for your loss, coconut.

Loosing a pet is a a horrible thing to go through. She''s a very pretty dog.

 

[Kerbear560]

I''m so sorry for your loss coconut...Athena was an adorable dog. Here is a poem that has given me some measure of comfort when one of my fur babies has passed (it still makes me teary-eyed when I read it):


Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh coconut, big ((((HUGS))))) I am so sorry to hear about Athena. My heart is breaking for you. I am sooooooo sorry.

 

[curlygirl]

Oh coconut, I''m in tears. I am so sorry for the loss of your adorable Athena. The pain of losing a pet is just horrible because they are more than just animals, they are family. My heart goes out to you.

 

[AndyRosse]

Oh Joanna, I''m soooo sorry.

 

[ello]

I feel deeply sad - it’s so difficult to part with a loyal friend. I’m sooooo sorry! I would be lost if something happened to our little pooch. He’s the love of my life. My heart is with you….

 

[Erin]

Of all the things I''ve ever read on PS - this is the first to make me cry. That was a lovely tribute.

 

[Mara]

oh my gosh coconut, words fail me...i am all teary eyed at the thought of your beautiful little girl gone from you forever. those pictures you posted just broke my heart. i so wish that our pets could share all the years of our lives with us, it seems so unfair to be so in love with such a loyal little angel and then have them taken from you. know she is at peace at the rainbow bridge watching over you and having unlimited treats and toys to play with...keep your chin up.

 

[AmantdeChat]

Sorry to hear about Athena.

May your memories keep you company in the weeks to come...

 

[Scintillating]

I''m so sorry. My goodness. Hugs.

Scintillating...

 

[AGBF]

I am so sorry, Joanna. I know your heart is broken. She knew you loved her. I am thinking my current dog, now 9, may be my last. As he ages and I see his mortality, I do not know if I can go through the loss again. It''s just too painful. I send my love.

Deborah

 

[movie zombie]

there is a special word for companions such as Athena, and that word is Love.

peace, movie zombie

 

[moremoremore]

What you wrote is so sad and so beautiful. Such a wonderful tribute to a special friend. So very sorry for your loss

 

[Morticia]

Oh Coconut, I am SOOOOOOOO sorry for your loss. My heart broke, reading about your sweet girl. The selfless thing to do is to not let them suffer, if there is no hope. Although it''s hard, you certainly did the right thing.

Again, I am so sorry.

{{{HUGS}}}

 

[bling*diva*]

~~Coconut, I am so sorry for your loss. Just know that she is smiling down on you from heaven, and I wish you and your family all the best!!

 

[JohnQuixote]

I am very sorry for your loss. The photos and comments you posted about her strength and companionship make obvious how much a part of your memories she will always be.

Kerbear - beautiful post. Thank you for sharing that.

 

[ursulawrite]

So sorry for your loss. She was a very pretty Maltese who I''m sure you will miss, but forever cherish.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Coconut, I''m so sorry for your loss. Athena was very lucky to have been so loved during her short stay with you.

 

[coconut]

Thank you all soo very much for your comfort.
Although there is nothing I can do to bring her back, your kind words have given me tremendous courage and comfort to manage through these hard times.

Today my husband and I went and made arrangements to bury Athena at a nearby pet cemetery. Without any words, my DH and I both felt such relief when we visited the cemetery and we would like to believe it was because Athena''s spirit was with us and she was also happy about the place of her burial. It was such a nice place with acres and acres of green grass and pretty trees and flowers....and many other pets. She would have loved to just go there for a picnic.

We are extremely happy about our decision because we had contemplated back and forth between burial and cremation.
We will hold an open casket ceremony for 30 min... place our pictures, toys, and some memories in with Athena, then bury her outside.

Again, I sincerely, thank you so much for your encouraging words. They really meant a lot to us.
Great love to you and your family...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Joanna...please accept my condolescences on the loss of your precious Athena...she is such a cutie!! Although it is probably one of the most difficult times in your life, I hope you are able to come to peace with the fact that you provided Athena with a loving home and you did all you could for her in the moments she needed you most. It''s one of the most selfless things we can do for our pets....I''m so sorry....

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 10/20/2005 9:49:07 AM
Author: jcrow
i am sitting here crying at work reading this. (i hope no one passes by)

Ditto! I''m so very sorry for your loss - those pictures of her made me cry and laugh at the same time - the adorable one of her in the tote bag, and her in the little sweater combo - so precious.

I hope strength gathers for you in the coming days and you know she''s woofing at you from heaven.