Alivia was recently diagnosed with Cushing's - Alivia has passed

Mary Beth:
Thank God for Maxwell. He could never replace your precious Alicia, but he is there to lessen the anguish you are feeling. There is no doubt, and science has proven it, that animals grieve too. I will be in your shoes one day, so I know how hard not must be carrying on with your life. Blessings
Patti

Mary Beth:
I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and hoping you are doing well. Blessings
Patti

Dear Mary Beth and Maxwell,

Thinking of you both and hope the weather is good for you to enjoy the weekend.

Koko says woof to Maxwell. I send love and hugs.

Hi Mary Beth

Popping in to see how you are doing and to find out what cocktail is on the menu for this weekend!! I looked in our supermarket and no sign of chocovine here in NZ! Hope your have got through the week ok and Maxwell is giving you lots of loving, big hugs to you all xxxx

I'm really missing Alivia. The grief seems to come in waves....sometimes unexpectedly. Sometimes I can't help it and I picture her last moments. As hard as that is to remember, I don't want to forget anything about Alivia. It still all seems surreal, except that she is not by my feet.

What I never realized before was how much Max followed Ali's lead. Max is younger and so never lived without Alivia before. He does not ask for ANYTHING. Nothing. Ali would go to the door and bark to go out when she had to potty and Max would go with her. Ali would paw at their water bowls if they were empty or if they were the least bit dirty. She was fanatical about having perfectly clean water at all times. ;) She would insist that it be refilled with clean water if there was even a crumb in the bowl and would bark to get my attention if she had to. Now I have to remember to check Max's water bowls to make sure he has clean, fresh water. I have to remember to let him out at regular times or his little bladder would probably burst. It is strange that he doesn't ask for anything at all. The sweet little guy is so incredibly LOW maintenance. He is being really good and so extremely cuddly. I can't even imagine how much harder this would be without him. But, he is still sleeping a lot and I wonder if that is his way of dealing with grief or if his age is beginning to show (he will be 14 in August).

Hi Mary Beth,

I'm sure it is hard for Max too but at 14, that is 14 years that Alivia took care of him. She made sure he went out because she did, she made sure his water bowl was filled. He never Had to ask, I doubt that he knows how. Alivia just took care of him, so I am positive that he is missing her a great deal and not sure what this new world without her is really all about.

I'm glad he is a cuddler though, that is exactly what you need right now. A little body that says mom I'm here, take care of me, I don't know what to do, so just love me and be there for me.

It makes me cry to think of the changes that Alivia's passing has brought to both of your life and the hole that she left.

Sending you lots and lots of love
Sharlene

We have the same thing, Koko always followed Zoe and he does not ask for things either. It is so quiet in our house. Since I have been taking Koko on short walks and playing hide and seek and puzzle he has perked up a bit. He just holds his toy hot dog in his mouth all the time like it is a pacifier. He too is low maintenance.

Mary Beth, our girls were so larger than life, it leaves such a emptiness. I hope they are having fun playing together. They are probably trying to decide which one of them is in charge:):):)


Ilove you

You are so right, Sharlene.

Addy, I never realized how much the dynamics between Zoe and Koko and Alivia and Maxwell were so similar! I hope at the bridge Ali and Zoe do not have to decide who gets to be boss! ;)

Addy, I was reading your post about how some people don't get it. I will share the conversation with my boss that took place on the Monday morning, immediately after Ali had died on Friday. I was at my desk working. Not crying or being disruptive in any way. Just not my usual happy self for obvious reasons.

My boss came in that morning and walked by my desk and said "How are you?"
Me: "Not too good."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "Because my dog died on Friday" (which he already knew)
Him: "Well, she was old. Not like my dog, who is 7 years old and in the prime of her life and is dying from cancer" (his dog is 11, not that it matters)
Me: "Would you like your dog any less if she were older?"
Him: "Well, your dog was old. Old dogs die and you have another one."
Me: "They are not interchangeable"
Him: "Well, the last thing I need around here is a mope a dope. If you are going to mope, go home."

I wanted to slap him. I have worked with him for NINE years! No empathy whatsoever. There was no need for any of it, either. If he could not manage a simple "I'm sorry.", he should have just walked by and said NOTHING. His comments were cruel and I can honestly say, I lost all respect for him as a human being in those few minutes.

Oh my god, Mary Beth!! What a horrible thing to have your boss do to you. What the H%# is wrong with people!! I'm shocked at such insensitivity by some people. Especially a boss who should know better than to treat his staff like crap. grrrrrr I'm furious on your behalf and just want to walk in there and tell him off.
People can really suck and be mean when they want to.
You just go right ahead and grief and do your thing. They will have to adapt to not having a constant cheerful Mary Beth and if they don't like it, too bad. Haven't seen cheerful attitude while suffering personal loss of life written into any contract yet.

grrrrrrrrr
love
Sharlene and molly muffin

Oh Mary Beth, what your boss said and did is absolutely despicable. How uncaring! And you are right, so unnecessary. He should have just walked away and said nothing. Even if you had been crying at your desk, it was uncalled for.

I know there have been times during Jasper's illness where I have been less than my usual cheerful self at work, and I have noticed that it is not very well received. At all. That is very discouraging, and I feel that I have to keep up a front a lot of times, which is very draining.

I feel sorry for his poor dog. In my mind, people like him don't deserve to have a dog.

Big hugs,
Tina and Jasper xo