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A farewell to my beautiful Lucy

Karlin

Administrator
Staff member
I am sad to let my friends here know that my lovely little Lucy passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, in her sleep -- she was still curled in a ball in a nice soft basket, with Tansy nearby. Lucy has been the most wonderful dog, with a strong and quirky personality that has been a delight to know since she came to my family as a retired breeding girl around age 7. She was just a few weeks from her 12th birthday.

As many know, Lucy had been struggling with MVD and CHF for some time. She was an incredibly resilient and strong little dog -- she had lived without needing meds for a grade 5 murmur for over a year and was well up for active walks until last summer. Last autumn she needed finally to start on meds and did really well until around February when she started having more difficulty. I thought a couple of times since then that it might be her time, but I learned so much about the determination and bravery of this breed and about managing MVD from Lucy: given a little time and some extra frusimide, and eventually the addition of spironolactone, which stopped her occasional fainting spells from MVD completely for a couple of months, she had a very good quality of life (albeit with no further walks except a little snuffle around outside, and needing to carry her up and down stairs and lift her on and off sofas :) ).

As my vet says, most other dogs with a grade 5 murmur might last a few weeks at most, but cavaliers are often, unpredictably, able to manage with this terrible disease for months and even years.

Indeed she had been doing so well that I began to think she might well go on for several months -- she already had lived nearly 5 months since I had thought she had reached her final day. I was just about to arrange for her to return to the cardiologist to get his opinion on where she was now and what more might be done. But she had a couple of wobbly spells last week, just before I had to go to the US -- a trip I could not avoid, as my own much adored father passed away a few weeks ago and last Sunday was his remembrance/life celebration lunch in California.

Thelly had the care of my crew and knew all about Lucy and I fully trusted her to take any needed decisions. I had felt I might not see Lucy again and had given her a special hug and kiss when I handed her over. The whole week that I was away passed without incident, but when I landed I had a message from Thelly, that Lucy had passed away only hours earlier. :( I was so sad not to be there with her, but I was so happy that she had the rare blessing of passing peacefully in her sleep. She had enjoyed her bedtime treats with her usual gusto and was not in distress as she went to sleep the night before.

I am very grateful to Thelly for caring so willingly and lovingly for my Lucy at a time that was difficult for me, which was generous and kind. She also knew that Lucy was to go to the vet school hospital in Dublin to be part of Margaret Carter's Tissue Collection scheme for cavalier health research, and thus Lucy -- who was already MRI scanned for research as clear of SM at age 9, and was therefore a very helpful dog for SM research -- was able to further help the SM DNA work, and other projects on SM and MVD at a number of UK institutions.

Like Marie-Anne (Wagtails) and Nicki and others whose dogs have gone to this important project, I encourage anyone with an ill or older cavalier to contact Margaret or Tania about the possibility of having your dog help the entire breed in this way. It is deeply consoling at a hard time. There are arrangements for dogs in either the UK or Ireland to take part.

2011 has been a sad time -- saying farewell to my dad, to Quincy and to Lucy in the period of a few short months. I would like to imagine dad somewhere with couple of warm furries on his lap. When she lived with my parents, he often walked Lucy to get his exercise in each day and she always made him laugh, not least as she often brought a collection of socks and other objects she cherished to a nest in the middle of their bed.

Lucy and Quincy, perhaps reunited somewhere now, on a similarly soft sofa :):

4844485625_dfc1130a03.jpg


2584859334_f5e9976f62_z.jpg


And my dad:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/13/MNLILLINGT14.DTL

M
uch love to you all.
 
Hi

So sorry Karlin ,we all share your sadness and shed a tear with you at this difficult time.

Kindest Wishes
Brian ,Dawn and Luke
with
Poppy,Daisy,Rosie and Lily:(
 
Hi Karlin

So sorry for your loss, its been a tough 2011 indeed but sending you lots of love and positive healing.

:hug::hug:
 
I am so so sorry karlin for all your losses this year. I've been thinking of you and I got choked up to see this. What a wonderful life she had and has helped many cavaliers in her life and now in her passing.

Prayers
Anne

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
so sad...I am sorry about your loss and you are right, somewhere your dad is sharing his lap with two warm furries.
The paper did a beautiful tribute to your dad.
 
I am so sorry to hear of all your losses this year Karlin. What a lovely tribute to Lucy, I think someplace, somewhere she is with your Dad and Quincy. Keeping you in my thoughts at this difficult time :flwr:
 
I'm so sorry to read about lovely Lucy, and that was a great tribute to your dad too. I hope that happier days are ahead now, for the humans and the furries in your life.
Take care
Shirley
 
Oh dear Karlin. I'm so sorry. It must be so difficult losing so many of your loved ones in such a short time. As you said though, Lucy got the rare blessing of passing away in her sleep. Run free Lucy!:hug:
 
Karlin,
My heart goes out to you. I am truly sorry for your loss. You have obviously touched the lives of many, both canine and human. Just know that many are thinking of you during this difficult time.
 
So sorry to hear of Lucy's passing.What a life she's had though,very fitting that she passed peacefully and on her own terms.I know how much she meant to you she'll be very much missed.
How are the other dogs taking it?
Sins
 
Lucy was a very special girl, treasured by her wonderful breeder, then rehomed to a loving home with your parents. She adjusted so well to her new life with you, and has always been loved - the special attention she has received helped her cope with her progressing illness. These older giriles are such fighters, they do not give in easily and it's incredible how they can battle on against the odds.

It was good to hear that she passed so peacefully, with her favourite companion, and I'm sure she is reunited with Quincy and your Father somewhere. The photos of her with Quincy are lovely - I remember to start with she wasn't too keen on the cats :(


We are thinking of you - too many losses so close together :(



Tribute to a best friend

Sunlight streams through window pane
unto a spot on the floor....
then I remember,
it's where you used to lie,
but now you are no more.
Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,
and muted echoes sound....
then I remember,
It's where your paws would joyously abound.
A voice is heard along the road,
and up beyond the hill,
then I remember it can't be yours....
your golden voice is still.
But I'll take that vacant spot of floor
and empty muted hall
and lay them with the absent voice
and unused dish along the wall.
I'll wrap these treasured memorials
in a blanket of my love
and keep them for my best friend
until we meet above.
 
Karlin im sorry for your loss. your post is touching. Lucy reminds me a lot of my little Blondie, the same quirky and sweet expression. I am so happy for her that she got to pass so peacefully. Its given to very few lucky dogs. What a wonderful age as well. Big hugs and Love to you in these times of loss. I lost my own father when i was only 15 , and i know what it feels like to no longer have that special man in your life.
 
I am so sorry. What an incredibly painful time for you; prayers for you and yours for comfort...
 
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