Pagey’s Tammy Crosses the Rainbow Bridge
Tonight Tammy lies snuggled beside her father, Casper, just below the bird bath between the agility field and a large patch of mint. Despite a valiant effort to be cheerful and participate in the best canine way, after thirteen years and several difficult months of recently diagnosed kidney failure, Tammy let us know that her body would just not let her go on.
“Quality of life” was always something that mother valued and in the last few weeks Tammy was losing it inside and out. For almost a week now and again this morning when Betty and Maris tried to get her to go out and eat she just lay without moving more than her eyes in the bathroom trying to stay cool. It did not take too many calls to the vet Betty Johnson to Alberta, Nick, David, Sarah and me in Duxbury to support the decision that Tammy was ready to walk over the Rainbow Bridge to join mother, father and the other four-footed friends who have graced River Road Farm over the last 63 years.
Sarah and I drove up from Duxbury with Lindel Paige and Mousse and were honored that Tammy got up from the grass in front of the laundry door to greet us. Alberta changed her mind about being here and decided to come home “to comfort us and to say good bye to Tammy” so she arrived about three o’clock. Tammy pulled herself up again to welcome her home. We were glad to have Alberta here and she settled into a chair off the porch overlooking the pasture with Tammy nearby.
Vet Betty Johnson and an office assistant arrived about 4 o’clock. Tammy by this time was lying in front of Alberta. She was persuaded to move a few feet forward so that she was lying on a rug. In tears we gathered around her with a few Charlie Bear snacks and told her how much we loved her. Betty Johnson gave her a tranquilizer to relax her and then a shot to stop her heart. She was very serene, surrounded by all of us, joined by the yellow cat and Katie the corgi. Her head went down softly between her two front paws. She was so trusting and so ready to join Gramma.
The two vets, Betty, Maris and Sarah lifted the rug and made their way down the path beside the well and turned right before the fence. Maris had weed whacked a path back up in the direction of the bathtub in the agility field toward the spot where Casper was buried and lilies bloomed on top. Facing East to greet the morning sun, Tammy was heading home.
Tammy was gently placed into the hole rug and all. Betty poured in a few of Gramma’s ashes and then Sarah lay on a bouquet of lilies from the front wall. When Sarah resumed holding Lindel Paige, I lay a bouquet of mint on Tammy’s shoulders and then Maris began the slow process of covering her. Alberta watched from her chair on the lawn offering us all words of comfort about the good life that Tammy had led and how Gramma would have approved of making her end of life so loving and peaceful.
The house is quiet tonight. Katie is subdued. The fans are turned off that have kept Tammy cool all summer long. She led a great dog’s life with mother’s and Alberta’s loving care. Jan Kennedy groomed her for almost two hours yesterday trimming her and making her practically show ready.
Tammy was a happy dog who loved her walks in the field with Nick, Mary Alice and anyone who would let her through the gate so she could race to the pond. She loved being an agility dog, lying in the plastic swimming pool on the lawn and taking drives in the Volvo. She loved unconditionally and was our official greeter. Who will forget how happy she was to see all of us after an absence of any length? She was loyal, loving and kind. We all could learn lessons from her.
Our love and thanks to all who shared this wonderful dog with us in so many ways from walks to groomings, greetings, applause and Charlie Bears. So long as memories last we will never forget her proud position with Chris O’Connor at mother’s memorial service.
Just this week, without even thinking that this would be Tammy’s last week, I had purchased a magnetized child’s picture of a golden with a halo and little white angel wings. It said: GOOD DOG! That she was and we all will miss her.
Thinking of Tammy’s great life!!
Ruth
August 6, 2009