carolinequilts Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Today I had to put my beautiful Cocker Spaniel, Carly, down. She was 13 1/2 and suffering much pain. Carly was my quilting buddy - always with me either under the longarm frame, under my feet, in her bed under the sewing machine. I will (already do) miss her so much! I know it was the right decision, but I still can't help questioning it. Then I came across this poem, and now I know I did the right thing. Sorry, I know this is not quilting related, but I know how you all love your animals and maybe this will help someone facing the same decision... "The Greatest Gift" by Karla M. Bertram: I always knew this time would come, From the very instant our eyes first met. How I loved you then! How I love you now! I made a promise then, and I will keep that promise now... You will not suffer from a pain that will not heal; You will not know the loss of a life remembered, now gone. It is for me alone to make this decision, The price for the bright joy and pure laughter You brought me during the time we shared. I am the only one who can decide when it is time. When my hope dies, and my fear rides high, Just when I need you most, I must let you go. It is for you alone to tell me when you are ready For without your guidance, I will not know When to lay my grief, my guilt, my anger My sorrow and my selfish heart aside And give you this last gift, this greatest gift. Your eyes will speak to mine, and I will know. The pain of this moment is excruciating. Tears stream down my face in a river of sorrow. And my heart drowns in a pool of grief. For you have spoken and I have listened, And unlike other decisions I have made This one brings no relief...no comfort...no peace. For if there´s one thing you´ve taught me, If there´s only one thing I´ve learned... Unconditional love has a condition after all, I must be willing to let you go, when you speak to me I must be willing to help you go, if you cannot go alone. And I must accept my pain so you can be free of yours. Go easily now, go quickly now, Do not linger here, it is time for you to leave. Go find your strength, go find your youth. Go find the ones who've gone before you. You are free to leave me now, free to let your spirit soar Rest easy now, your pain will soon be gone. I pray I will find comfort in my memories... In the dark and lonely days ahead. I cannot say I will not miss you, I cannot say I will not cry. For only my tears can heal my broken heart. But, I promise you this; as long as I live, You will live, alive in my mind, forever in my heart. So I give you this last gift, all I have left to give, And this will be my greatest gift...sending you away. It is the measure of my unconditional love... For only the greatest love can say, "Good-bye, go find the bridge, we'll meet again, Loving you has been the greatest gift of all." -"The Greatest Gift" by Karla M. Bertram (CC-BY-SA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline I'm so sorry you had to put your pup down. I had to do that 10 years ago to our almost 16 year old and I still find myself calling her. She was my buddy for many years and I still miss her but I can smile when I think of her and I can see her little face looking at me with one ear down and one ear up. Hang onto the beautiful memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Oh I'm sorry you for your pain, Caroline. I have done this three times and it is always so very hard.It never is easy to do but the poem is right. The greatest gift was the LOVE you shared. Celebrate the beautiful memories! Thanks so much for the poem!!!! Lots of hugs!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Oh Caroline! I know your pain! We had a 16 year old cocker; she was the most wonderful baby! We too had to make the decision not to let her suffer. A couple years past and another cocker pup fell into our lap and we love him like no other! He is now 6 and I hope we have him as long as our previous dog They are a wonderful breed. You are in my thoughts for the loss of your precious pup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, The poem is wonderful and expresses everything anyone who has loved a pet feels at the time when they know they have to make that decision. It is the right one, take comfort in the fact that many of us have had to make the same decision more than once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline I'm so sorry for your loss. I imagine often the sorrow that is sure to come sometime in the near future for me when my beloved cat will pass. He is 17 and is my heart and soul. Ive worked from home his whole life and he follows me everywhere. I hope you have loved ones close by to hug and cry with and help you get through. The old saying of it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all is true. You did what was best for him and he will always be in your heart. ((((((Hugs))))))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 I am so sorry for your loss. It is so unfair that our four legged family members have such a short life span. Their unconditional love and the joy they bring to our lives remains in our hearts forever. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Last March I had to put my Scottie (Scutchie) to sleep.........Cancer, she was only 6 years old. It was one of the hardest thing I've had to do. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and even to this day the loss brings tears to my eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachside Quilter Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, my heart breaks for you over the loss of your dear Carly. Take comfort in memories of the many happy years you spent together, and know that you will meet again. (((hugs))) to you, dear friend. Thank you for sharing the lovely poem; that says it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted January 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Thank you everybody. It was a rough night, but I expect my pain will ease eventually. I know that I always have my wonderful memories of her and that tears will come to my eyes when I remember them. I'm taking comfort knowing that she is out of her pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, I am so sorry you had to make the decision to put Carly down. I, too, have a cocker spaniel that is my quilting buddy, and we've come so close to losing her several times over her 10 short years, the latest being last weekend when she spent the weekend in the hospital passing a kidney stone. I've also had to put another cocker down when she was 15 1/2. She let us know when it was time, like the poem said. It's so hard to let go, but just remember the precious time you had with her. She'll always be with you in your heart. I take comfort in knowing that I will see my furry babies that have passed again one day. I pray that each passing day gets easier for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 It's been 3 years since "Charlie" my Blue Merle Sheltie died and occasionally I still feel his presence beside me or I think I hear his bark. For the last ten years of his life we were together 24/7. He was 15 and really an "old man" in his actions. He rarely barked, but in his later years he would say a really low-toned and gruff "woof" then look at me as if he'd notified me of something important so go take care of it. It makes me smile to think he is still watching over me. My saving grace was I had gotten "Pepper" a Blue Merle Miniature Sheltie female a couple of years before Charlie died so she helped me tremendously. without her I think I would have had a much harder time with losing him. I'm sorry for your loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, I am so sorry for your loss! I lost my "Happy" in 2000 and still think of her and cry even now. I know she is waiting at the gates of Heaven for me and will run, tail wagging, when I get there. I want to see all my human loved ones but I want to see her too. She was a big part of my life and I still miss her. Blessings to you in your loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWBowser Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, I am so sorry for your loss. I know how you feel but you did the right thing. There has to be a heaven for our beloved animals where they are running and playing and pain free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitepinesquilter Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 I'm so very sorry for your pain and broken heart with the passing of your puppy. But knowing your little love is no longer suffering will become your sense of peace. We have two cockers, and they are a precious breed of dog. Your poem is so true about the sense of loss you are feeling as well as the happy memories you have to sustain and uplift you through the coming days, weeks, and months. ((Hugs)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanbrug Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Caroline, I have cried for you and feel the ease of pain for Carly. Those days are so very hard. When we put our Rosco down my husband(big rough tough DH) cried like I've never seen and I wasn't far behind. Someone told me at that time just think how lucky your pet was to have someone that loved him so much and never had to worry about being abused. Keeping you in our thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Conquest Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 This brings back so many memories, and I know how you feel only too well. Maybe you can visualize her running free as she did when she was a puppy, joyful and living in the moment, because that's what her spirit is doing now. I have every expectation of all our much-loved pets greeting me at the door to heaven, should I get there myself! The poem you quoted: sad but so true. Giving them peace is the last gift we can give those who have given us so much. Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 My heart hurts when I hear of loss of dear ones, human or animal-human. Remember the fun, good times, and heal fast. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnysnowden Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 Caroline, Had to put my Freddie down last June. Broke my heart (many tissues for your loss). Had a small Lupus problem this Christmas. I ended up at my Daughters house to recoup. So as she brought out my Christmas there was some lugage in it was a Toy Shith Shu still cannot spell it. I love him already, we are not quite aquainted yet but I am learning as we always do. My heart is still healing, but Patches sure helps a lot. He is so cute. When he stops moving so fast I will get a pic. God Bless, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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