Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
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Hello everyone. I want to let everyone know that Ophelia passed away on October 25th. She lived to be 10 years and 8 months old and 16 months as a tripawd and cancer survivor.
i haven’t been able to post an update until now because it’s just been too hard on me. I’m in tears even now while I write this. The last three months with her were tough. She still had more good days than bad up until the last week or so. I had to make the decision after a CT scan showed that cancer had metastasized throughout her body. She went peacefully at home, in her bed, at right around 8 pm on October 25th.
Everyone who followed her story knows what a special dog she was and how much that i loved and adored her, so i won’t try to write a tribute to her here right now. I post some pictures of her and a story about her every Friday right now as my way of keeping her alive in a small way. Feel free to find me there.
thanks to everyone who helped she and i through our journey. It was hard, very hard, but i would do it again 100 out of 100 times. I wouldn’t change a thing. She was worth it.
Michael, I'm deeply sorry to read this, my heart goes out to you. What an incredible ride you two had, and long before she lost her leg to cancer she was showing the world what a sweet, loving soul she had. Everywhere she went, she turned heads and made everyone's day. Your girl was a one-of-a-kind giant ball of 
who will never, ever be forgotten.
It is so hard to anyone to picture their giant breed dog on three legs. Ophelia will forever be a role model to all of us, and to those who join us in the future, wondering if it's possible for their big dog. She proved that it is! That life can be amazing on three legs, and the adventures can continue.
I know this must be so hard for you. What a close, soul-to-soul relationship you two had. It will take time to find your way in the world again, so be kind to yourself and know that we are always here for you. We owe you a debt of gratitude for being so good about sharing her story here, and all of the ups and downs you had after amputation surgery. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to come along on the journey.
Thank you Jerry. I really do hope that her story can be of some help to others going through this. I want to thank you and everyone else here for all of your help, advice and support over the last couple of years. I don’t know that Ophelia and i would have made it as far as we did without this site. Btw, it’s always the first piece of advice that i give to others when i learn that they’re doing through something similar. Go to Tripawds.com!
🙂
You are so welcome Michael. It was our honor to be there for you both. Thank you for letting others know about our unique little community. It's the club nopawdy wants to join but we are really glad that people do find us so we can be there for them.
Ophelia's legacy lives on forever.
Michael,
I’m so very sorry about Orphelia. I don’t know if you remember me, but I was with you for some of the journey. I lost my Great Pyrenees, Honor, in Oct 2023 and, although I really hoped to continue to follow and support others, it was just too emotionally difficult for me to even think of this cancer. I’ve recently started trying to support some others going through it with their dogs in groups that had been helpful to me at the time.
Orphelia was truly an amazing girl and her story will continue to inspire others. People learned a lot from her….from both of you. Thanks for all of the support you gave me when I needed it. I hope you’re managing okay.
Of course i remember Eustacia. I totally understand not being able to follow others after Honor passed away. It’s still very difficult for me to think about. I’m a member of a dog bone cancer group on FB and I’ve recently considering removing myself because I’m reminded of this ordeal literally every day with people posting about their dogs being diagnosed. It also scares me to get another dog. The prevalence of cancer in dogs is so much higher than i ever knew before Ophelia. I just don’t know if I can emotionally go through it again.
Anyway, thank you for your kind words. Honor and Ophelia were special souls… and they were blessed to have owners who cared enough to do everything that we could do.
Michael, when I first saw your post about Ophelia heading to The Rainbow Bridge, I had no words....and still don't.
Everyone here falls in love with each and every dog on this journey. We get to know them through the posts their hoomans makehere. We get to kmow some on a deeper level simply because their hoomans share more details, more of their personalities, etc.
Ophelia definitely
Has made a permanent space in our hearts and we are all so privileged to have gotten to know her. You have shared so much invaluable information and we also got to know what a delight, fun, loving Soul she was. Ophelia's Journey has inspired others and hasgiven so much hope.....especially showing bigger pups can thrive on three.
There's no way to adequately express how much we thoroughly enjoyed everything about Ophelia, especially those delightful videos and pictures you shared. She melted my heart every single time. It also was such a visual chronicle of the beautiful Bond you two shared.
I know how hard it is to think about bringing another dog into your heart into your home. I also know, and I mean this so sincerely, but feel your would want another dog to have the opportunity to know what it feels like to be loved and cared for the way you did her.Maybe you could just start with a foster to help bring some light into your broken heart. It would be good for you and it certainly would be good for a dog to get out of a shelter for a little while.
You have a wonderful guardian angel watching over you..... one who is also having a ball at the bridge sunning in lush green fields and dipping her feet in cool running brooks.
Surrounding you with all the joyous memories you and Ophelia shared
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
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