[Dailydrool] Thanks, and my sweet Kelly has gone to the Bridge

[janet dean]

Thanks to all of you that sent my ex-husband, Roy Jenkins, a picture of your
Basset Hound(s) and/or a card of cheer.  I spent a few hours with Roy
yesterday and all of the cards and pictures have been put up on the wall so
that he can easily see them.  He asked that I extend his 'thanks' to all of
you.  Please continue to drop him a card now and then if you think of it.
His spirits do seem to be lifted every time he hears from someone.  Here's
Roy's address again:

 

Roy Jenkins

208 Long Shadow Drive

Murchison, TX  75998

 

I have such a heavy heart tonight.  My sweet Kelly girl - my 'Doodlebug' -
has gone to the Bridge this evening.  Kelly was 14 years old, and was a
bounceback to North Texas Basset Hound Rescue, Inc. in October, 2006 - after
previously being adopted in 1999...yes, 7 years!  Unfortunately, the people
who adopted Kelly in 1999 then gave her to someone in 2001.  Those people
were who contacted NTBHR when their grandson developed asthma and was
allergic to Kelly.  They told NTBHR they had just recently looked at the
paperwork they'd been given with Kelly and realized that she was a rescue
dog; thus the reason for contacting NTBHR.

 

When the NTBHR volunteers went to pick up Kelly, they found her living in
what was practically a mansion.but, of course, Kelly was living outdoors.
She was filthy, and smelled like rotted meat - and the smell was all coming
from her mouth! Kelly had to have 6 teeth removed immediately.  She also had
tremors, although the reason for them was not explained to the NTBHR
volunteers.  She had not had tremors in 1999 when she was initially taken in
by NTBHR.  Needless to say, we were NOT amused that one of our adopted dogs
had been treated in such poor fashion!

 

Kelly was initially fostered by one of the volunteers who picked her up.  As
occasionally happens, fostered Basset Hounds sometimes need to be moved to
another foster home, and that is why Kelly came to be my foster during
December, 2006.  I've always loved the seniors, so I welcomed Kelly with
open arms, knowing full well that Kelly would probably live out her life in
my care.

 

2008 has been a 'big year' for Kelly:  I adopted her on Valentine's Day, and
she also got to walk in the Parade of Rescues at the BHCA Nationals held in
Plano, TX during October.  

 

Three weeks ago, I noticed Kelly's left hind leg looked very 'stiff' when
she walked, so I decided to take her to the vet the next day.  The next
morning when I woke up and gathered Kelly up close for some cuddle time (she
had begun sleeping on the bed with me about 2 months ago..she just rested
better on the soft mattress than on a 'dog bed'), and I felt a large lump in
her neck.  The visit to the vet revealed a pinched nerve in her back was
what was causing her hind leg to be so 'stiff'.  But the aspirated lump in
her throat revealed a mast cell tumor that was probably at Stage 3 or 4.  We
agreed that putting Kelly probably would not survive putting her through
radiation, so we began to treat her with Prednisone and Benadryl.  The leg
got better, the size of the tumor went down, and Kelly rallied for about 10
days.  Last week, Kelly began to hack a bit..and I noticed her leg was doing
the same thing as before.  We put her on more Prednisone for three days to
see if that would help.  Today was the third day, and Kelly seemed to slide
downhill so fast today.  Her breathing became so much more labored, the
hacking became almost non-stop, and she spit up bright red blood.  I
immediately took Kelly to the ER vet where we decided that the most humane
thing we could do for Kelly was to let her go.  The vet felt that Kelly
probably had a mass in her lungs, and quite possibly could have had a tumor
on her spine that was causing the hind problem.  

 

I kissed Kelly's head and face, told her how much I loved her and how proud
I had been to be her 'forever mom'.  She went peacefully being cradled in my
arms.  No more pain or suffering, no more tumors, no more tremors.  I was
fairly strong until about 2 minutes after Kelly had expired when I realized
that the peaceful sleep she was in was the only time I'd ever seen her body
not be wracked by tremors while she was sleeping...it was a bittersweet
feeling...

 

Rest well, my sweet Kelly Doodlebug...I will always love you...I'll see you
again one day...at the Bridge, where I know the angels are welcoming you
with open arms.  Lay your head upon their wings and fly free, my sweet Kelly
girl.  

 

Janet Dean

Jackie, Kim and Lincoln, the cat!

MyJoy!

 

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