In Rememberance of Kodiak

[ajaxsdad]

Hi folks:
I'm writing with the hope that your responses may help to comfort my wife. We lost Kodiak, our two-year-old boy a couple of months ago. He was like our son; more so because we were unable to have any children. She really spoiled him to the point where I kidded, "he's a dog". Well, I learned that he was much more than that to me and even more to her. I was an absentee father and she went through everything with him: obedience class, vet visits, walks, cleaning up after him, and much more, as you all are aware. She called him the "light of my life". She and I were going through a separation at the time and a couple of days before she moved out he got sick, right out of the blue. We couldn't figure it out, but we deduced that he had a case of poisoning from houseplant fertilizer. We take him in. The vet x-rays him and says there's a penny in his stomach. Copper, being toxic is giving him the fever. That was the diagnosis at the time. "It won't pass through his system because it is lying flat", so the vet had to remove it. It appears he's getting better after the surgery but a few days later he takes a turn for the worse. My wife has him in her new place at this time and notices blood from his nostrils. A second x-ray revealed a fist sized mass in his chest pushing on his sternum. We wait the week for the results of the biopsy. The vet said that it's possible that it may be an infection but most likely not. I knew that I didn't deserve a miracle so I didn't bother asking. It was a tough week. I had to try and continue with work and she took it off to be with him. During this period his condition was worsening exponentially. He had difficulty standing and he was losing weight quickly. The test came back positive. I will never forget that night. I got a call at work from the wife and she is crying; at that point I knew what the news was. She didn't want him to suffer a moment longer. I picked her up and we all drove over to the vets for the last time. It was after hours so the clinic was empty except for the staff and one patient's family. I remember thinking how lucky they were for being there for something other than what we were there for. When we went into the exam room he was like his old self. He loves the vet and jumped up on the table. My wife held him and I laid my head on his hip. I saw the vet inject him and moments later we felt him cross over. I cannot describe the sorrow I felt. To this day, from time to time, I fight back tears from missing him. The vet assured us that he feel asleep before the drug took it final effect. Although we are nearing the completion of our divorce, this has helped us to be more civil. I reasoned that it was the purpose for his death; that we continue to be friends so as not to weaken his memory. She cries daily and set up what I will describe as a shrine, complete with pictures and sympathy cards. Most everyone has been great, but I wanted her to benefit from the comfort that I have received from this forum, as she is not online. I intend to print your kind responses for her. I could go on and on about Kodiak. We love him so much.


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