[Dailydrool] Bubba ATB (sorry so long)

[Dayna Whitehead]

I just got off the phone with the vet. He opened him up and found the tumor
off the pancreas and into the stomach. The tumor was taking up over 80% of
his stomach. My vet said there is nothing to be done. No chemo, no surgery,
nothing. He wanted to know if we wanted to bring him home and just make him
comfortable. I asked how comfortable he could be and how long he could be
comfortable. He said we would be lucky if he lasted out the week. I opted
not to let him wake up. I can't stop crying now. I can't figure out how we
missed this. It's only been going on for about 3 weeks. He's never been off
his food. He's always drank. I feel so broken-hearted and defeated. Right,
wrong or indifferent, I also feel like I failed him. 

When he came into rescue and into my home, he was terribly sick. He also had
terrible dental problems. My vet thought he needed 8 molars pulled. When he
went to another vet that could do the dental work, only 4 were pulled,
thankfully. I couldn't let him go to another home after making him well and
taking care of him for so long. He had bonded to me by then, anyway.  My MIL
took him and when she developed neuropathy to the point she couldn't walk,
Bubba came back to me. Now, almost exactly 4 years later, I have to let him
go. He would climb up in my lap, roll over just like a baby and lay there.
It was like having a 75# child!! When he would get excited, he would roll
over on the carpet, wiggle around like a snake and growl and make all kinds
of funny noises. He snored like a freight train, too! He was one of the best
snugglers I've ever been around. He would climb up in bed, run up to the
head of the bed and roll over on top of me. He would end up on his back and
in my arms. He would throw back his head and stare at me while his jowls
just kind of hung downward. Funniest look I'd ever seen. He was so comical.
He loved to spoon, too. He was one of the most beautiful bassets I had ever
seen. He would have been a champion if his previous owners would have
trained him and put him in shows. He was a bit headstrong, but that's the
nature of a basset, right? Now, I can't imagine him gone. I knew he wasn't
going to make it, but I never imagined it would be like this; so soon. I
have to believe that he knew he was loved. Please, light a candle for him
tonight. Bubba, wait for me at the bridge. I'll be looking for you when I
get there someday.

Dayna
mailto: Dayna.Whitehead at comcast.net

Mom to: Pierre and LaBelle, Bubba ATB and notabassets Izzy and Elke