Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for strength. We held Miss Paisley as she slipped into a sweet sleep at 7pm tonight. She gave kisses and buried her head into my DHs arm. We felt her last heart beat and let her go to be with our Brandy who has been waiting for her since September of
2002. The vet was wonderful and compassionate and wrapped Paisley in a beautiful Scottish plaid blanket. Little touches that meant alot.Your words of comfort and strength meant more to me than you will ever know. As it turns out, as upset as I was and still am, my sweet DH lost it and I needed to be there for him. He has taken this far harder than I thought he would given the length of time we knew this day would come. Miss Paisley was "my" dog as anyone who has had or has a Westie knows, they pick one person as their own. Oh, they tolerate the others, but one person gets their heart, soul and every loyal cell in their little bodies. Paisley chose me. I took her for all of her grooming visits, vet visits and walks. I fed her, bathed her and bought her baby carrots - her favorite treat. I took her for all of the testing she needed in the past year to determine the cause of her seizures. I held her while they poked and prodded and took blood from her little veins and urine from her bladder. She was 9 pounds at her last "normal" vet visit but tonight she was 15 pounds - 9 pounds of Paisley and 6 pounds of fluid that bloated her little belly. But she chose my sweet, dear husband to hold her tonight. He cried as he watched her little eyes close. I cried for them both. Her pain is gone, but his is just starting.
When we arrived home, Kirby was waiting at the door. He was waiting for him, because as a Westie, Kirby chose "him" and knew at this point in time that he needed to make sure he knew that. Kirby is HIS dog, always will be. I love this little guy, but he did not choose me. And I am so glad right now at the choice he made.
I will spend tomorrow at home with Kirby since he will surely know something is different, somehow, tomorrow won't quite be the same as the other days have been. I want to help him through that somehow. I may quilt a bit tomorrow as well, and he may sleep at my feet like Paisley used to do. I think it will be good for both of us.