Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25

Thread: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    184

    Default Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    My husband and I lost our adopted silky terrier this past Saturday, May 23. Gizmo was blessed in that all of years (except perhaps for his last, due to failing health), were happy ones. Gizmo came from a loving home with a wonderful woman who had to give him up when she went into an assisted living facility. Her daughter then took him in, but Gizmo and her dog did not get along and she feared for Gizmo's safety. This is how we came into his life, and he came into ours. Gizmo was blessed to have lived in three loving homes.

    Here is the tribute my husband wrote, which perfectly expresses how I feel.

    OUR LAST GOODBYE

    On Saturday, Allison and I said goodbye to Gizmo for the second and last time.

    The first time we said goodbye to Gizmo was in June of 2013. We started fostering him the previous December with the understanding that we would only be able to keep him until the end of May, when we would leave for our annual trip to visit Allison’s family. But surely someone would adopt him before then! Well, no, it turns out no one really wants an elderly dog with Cushing’s. And so on his last full day with us, we took him and our dog Barnaby for a romp at Pioneer Park, which concluded with ice cream for everyone. The next day he was picked up at our house to be taken to his new foster family. As he was being carried away, he looked back at us with the saddest eyes. And that’s how we ended up taking him back after our trip and adopting him the following January.

    Gizmo was a happy-go-lucky dog. He was full of energy, even in his senior years. He loved to rip toys apart. He loved our dog and hated our cat. When there was nothing to do, he would sit and wobble like an excited R2-D2. But shortly after we began fostering him the second time, he injured his back. Although his back legs were completely paralyzed for a while, he eventually regained the ability to walk. Not once did he lose his zest for life.

    Only in the past few months had we begun to worry that the second goodbye might be near. Gizmo’s back legs had been growing weaker and weaker, and eventually he lost the ability to walk on his own. His already bad eyesight and bad hearing had gotten worse. He got pancreatitis, and got it again, and again, and again. His zest for life was waning. Finally, he stopped eating entirely. When we started fostering him, he had weighed over twelve pounds. Now he was down to eight. We had talked about spoiling Gizmo when we knew the end was near. But when that time actually came, spoiling him was no longer possible. He couldn’t go on walks. He had almost no energy. He wouldn’t eat anything, no matter how tempting.

    But—There had been that first goodbye! We’d spoiled him then! He’d received the goodbye he deserved! How great to have gotten that chance. And how great that the first goodbye didn’t stick.

    On his last day, we sat with Gizmo in the backyard. We pet him and held him and told him how much he was loved. It shows how poorly he felt that this dog, who was never a lap dog, laid peacefully in my lap as I read – the first and last time he ever did so.

    This second goodbye has hurt so much more than the first. This one is forever.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    Oh Allison, what a sweet and tender tribute. Thank you, and please thank your husband so much, for honoring and sharing Gizmo with us in this way. Reading about the pain of your loss brings tears to us all. But reading about your love and care also enriches us all, and fills our hearts with gratitude for the special connection that binds us all to our beloved companions.

    You and your husband and Gizmo are forever part of our family now. We will always be here to greet you, and we will always love to share in any more memories or stories about your lives together.

    Always in loving memory of your precious little boy Gizmo ~
    Marianne

  3. #3
    mytil's Avatar
    mytil is offline Administrator and always In Loving Memory
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    4,349

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    What wonderful tribute to your Gizmo!!! Thank you so much sharing this. I second what Marianne said you, your husband and Gizmo are our forever family here.

    Please do stay with us.
    Terry

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Santa Monica CA
    Posts
    48

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    My comforting thoughts go out to you and your husband, Allison….and Gizmo of course!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    16,150

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    What a wonderful tribute to Gizmo. He was loved and he found a happy home and he got the perfect good bye the first time.
    The last goodbye is always so heart breaking. We just miss them so much, their larger than life personalities leave a huge hole in our hearts.
    Sharlene and the late great diva - Molly muffin (always missed and never forgotten)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    184

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    Thank you everyone for your sympathies. My husband and I are going to take a short trip. We need to get away. But after that I'll return to this site. You've made me feel very welcome and comforted.

    There are many memories of Gizmo that come back everyday to me. Just today, I was vacuuming in our library and noticed the books on the bottom shelves were all pushed in. Funny, how I had gone used to them being that way.

    Gizmo always was a little uncoordinated and tended to knock into my books. After the first few months of his being with us, I stopped trying to straighten the books and just left them alone. I suspect they'll stay like this now. A little reminder of our little quirky fellow.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    4

    Unhappy Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    My heart breaks for you on your loss. Today at 6PM we lost our beloved beagle Patches. She had Cushings for about a year or so but was doing well until this past Wednesday. She became ill with pancreatitis and it happened quite fast. She was 9 1/2 years old and was loved so very deeply. Please know I know and feel your pain.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    What a beautiful story.
    Sorry for your loss - my dog died this week too.
    The waves of emotions may come and go - but the happy memories will always stay with us

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    184

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    I'm sorry for your loss of Patches. When we got Gizmo, we worried most about his Cushings. Not until recently did we ever think that anything else could cause his death. Hugs.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    184

    Default Re: Our Last Goodbye to Gizmo

    I'm sorry for your loss. The director of the rescue whom we got Gizmo through told us today that two of their other adopted dogs died this week too. A lot of sadness going around. :-(

    Quote Originally Posted by Gabriel View Post
    What a beautiful story.
    Sorry for your loss - my dog died this week too.
    The waves of emotions may come and go - but the happy memories will always stay with us

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •