The cancer did not get her. However, she is gone.

My beloved JD was getting her spirit and spunkiness back, as I had been sharing here. In fact, Saturday night I was telling my brother that she was doing so great that I was having a hard time thinking about the cancer. I figured out yesterday that my silly digital camera does take video so I was out in the yard taking pictures of JD and marveling at her energy. I wanted her to have a video here on Tripawds. She was running and rolling on her back in the dry grass, one of her favorite things was to point that spotted belly into the sun and flip back and forth. My project yesterday was to see if I could get the video out of the camera so I could share it with you and all of my family.

Well at about noon Sunday she showed signs of distress. A few whimpers, lots of drooling and the drool was a bit foamy. She couldn’t get comfortable and it seemed to me that her beautiful spotted belly was puffy. Thank goodness, the Vet clinic is open 7 days a week and they took us right away. Xrays showed Bloat. This is where the stomach and spleen flip on themselves, inside the chest area. This is a very serious condition and immediate surgery gives only a 20-30 percent survival rate. The Vets advice and my gut knew that was not something to put her through. JD’s body had been compromised with the amputation and chemo and her blood count was not good. This was it. Nothing could be done. Nothing except for me to make the decision to end the physical life of my devoted friend of almost 11 years.

When the diagnosis  Osteosarcoma was given to me I focused on helping JD fight.  I had looked into the future and knew that if the cancer didn’t get her something else would eventually. I would need to make plans, decisions and decide what will be the quality of life for her, beyond which we would not go. But as the days surrounding surgery and healing passed and I became more confident that she could beat this thing, I allowed myself to push the thoughts of the ‘end point’ farther and farther away. I was scared of knowing when the time would be to let her go, hoping she would make the decision with me.

But Sunday afternoon in a matter of an hour, I alone had to sign the papers to let her go. To free her from the Bloat pain and eminent death before her. But this is not fair- it was not the enemy we were fighting- we were fighting cancer. It’s not fair that an activity she loved so much, rolling on her back, would prove such dangerous play.

I am weeping not for JD, she had the greatest dog life possible-loved and spoiled to the max. She only suffered a short time with this bloat thing, and then she was free. I am not sure where her spirit is right now, I asked her to stay close to help me cope. I am weeping for me. I am a mess. She was my life and I miss her so much. She was one tough girl!

I want to thank each of you who have shared your stories and pieces of your lives here in this forum, it has meant so much to me and it was great for JD as well. She benefited from all the things I learned here, and the strength I found.

Love you fur-children, give them extra pets and kisses from me because we really, truly do not know what the future holds.

Angel JD’s mom

I am totally shocked.  I can hardly believe it.  I am so sorry to hear this news.  You and JD have been an inspiration to me and James as we have started this journey together.  I was looking forward to meeting JD.

I don't know what to say.  This is not fair.  None of it.  You certainly were brave in all of your decision-making.  Both you and JD were tough.

I am thinking and worrying about you.  My deepest sympathies.

Nancy and James the poodle

I am so sorry to read about JD.  We're keeping you in our hearts, and hoping you will see some signs that she is keeping watch over you. Sending lots of hugs,

Holly, Zuzu and Susan

I'm so sorry.  Hang in there. Give yourself the time and space to grieve how you need to, as best as you can.  It's too easy to let "real life" push you on after the loss of a dog, before your ready, if those around you don't get what it means that she was your dear fur kid.

More thoughts and prayers coming your way.