Our beautiful Summer crossed the bridge last week. We were blessed to be able to give her an additional 7 pain-free, wonderful months following her amputation and chemotherapy for osteosarcoma. Though we hoped it would be longer (it’s never ever long enough), we were grateful to have had her in our lives at all. She went from a very shy girl when she adopted us almost 7 years ago, to the most loving, outgoing grey who never met a stranger. Summer did 99% of the things she did prior to surgery. She played, she still ran zoomies around the living room, climbed stairs, jumped on the sofa, and she proudly strutted her stuff through the neighborhood. She was a rockstar and did fabulous until a week before she passed and then it happened almost overnight. She stopped playing. She ate sporadically and refused most of her food the last 2 days. She dropped a noticeable amount of weight within a week. She moved slowly. She looked at us with a new look in her eyes. And then she didn’t want to take her usual walk down the block that morning. Instead she insisted on circling the house and our entire yard, stopping every few feet to look around, gazing intently at the house, at the lake, at the woods, as though imprinting it all to memory. We knew she was telling us it was time. Something we weren’t ready to hear, but we had promised her and each other that we would never let her suffer. That when the time came, we would honor her and let her go with dignity. A chest x-ray showed the cancer had spread to her lung. It was an aggressive tumor. We were aware from the start that this would happen at some point, there was no way of knowing how long we would have with her. We had hoped for a year or more, but are so very grateful that she had 7 additional months of love and happiness and well being; that we had that time to treat her like the queen she was. That we were able to say goodbye in so many ways and express all the love we felt for her. We didn’t want her to suffer so we said ‘so long for now’. And so, last Tuesday, with a serene look in her eyes, she had the most gentle and peaceful passing I have ever witnessed. She quietly crossed the bridge with her head in our laps. Summer was an amazing, courageous warrior with the gentlest demeanor and soul. We will miss her forever. 

Summer, my lovely girl, I know you’re running on all four legs now. I hope you have found Maggie and your best bud, Puck. I hope you know how truly loved you will always be. You were our warrior princess, you fought such a courageous battle, and we will never, ever forget the joy you brought into our lives. Run free, my sweet, but come visit us once in a while.