Puffie

We welcomed Puffie into our life,
It's been nearly four years ago,
She came with bright eyes full of wonder,
Her generous spirit all aglow.
She seemed as though she'd known us always,
She loved us from that very day,
Her joyful, patient smiling eyes,
Let us know she was here to stay.
Puffie never meets a stranger,
She embraces life everywhere,
In her beautiful expressions,
Her message live and let live, is clear.
She walks in beauty, proud and tall,
A real lady is our Puff,
Even while chasing bugs and squirrels,
And doing her doggie stuff.
She visits all the nursing homes,
To the sick she gives a voice,
Offereing her paw in greeting,
Waiting while each makes their choice.
Puffie wrestles with our grandchildren,
When they play house she is their child,
Their horse when they are cowgirls,
A pillow when they grow tired.
In our hearts she found a niche,
We knew she she would never stray,
Her warm brown eyes and wagging tail
Assured us she was here to stay.
We hoped that we would have her always,
But this was just not meant to be,
Puffie is now sick and dying,
And going with her apart of me.
We've treasured all the moments shared,
Though surely not of them enough,
We daily count blessings bestowed,
By you our sweetheart Puff.
We pray for strength to do our best,
From God in heaven above,
To gently guide our passing through,
This aching sorrow of love.

Written by Ginny, her mom on December 10th.
Puffie died 11 days later.

December 24, 1999

     It is cold here and snowflakes are falling.   I am listening to Christmas Carols drifting on the crisp, night air and jingle bells in the distance. For me these contain a lifetime of memories. It is Christmas Eve. I am sitting by a grave. There are candles burning and a small decorated tree. It is a new grave. Puffie passed from her world of pain to a better place only three nights ago. Puffie is my dog. She was a Standard Poodle.
     I am thinking of last this last year that I shared with her. It has been a tough year for both of us. Last year this night we were together in Florida. She was healthy, big and strong. She enjoyed the Christmas luminaries, the holiday decorations and the folks who came to call. She loved life and all that was a part of it. She should be sitting here with me tonight. But I would not be sitting here, would I, if she were yet among us living, striving souls. It sure is a sad week to lose a beloved friend.
     In April Puffie had difficulty eating so we went to visit her vet. Puffie had cancer. It was under her tongue. The doctors cut away part of her tongue. We worried, but she did learn to eat and drink again. Animals are wonderfully resilient. She healed from her surgery. We were over joyed. Her convalesence was painful but it did end and life began anew.
     We returned to her vet every four weeks for a check up. All was okay and Puffie resumed her nursing home visitations. She told her friends there, about her surgery and about having had cancer. Most all could relate to Puffie's ordeal. Life was good again. Spring was bursting as was my joy and releif. I installed a pond in my garden. Puffie loved the pond, well really it was the croaking toads and frogs that moved in near by. This is where I sit tonight as I remember you Puff!

   Summer came. The garden flourshed as did Puffie. She turned eight on august 10th. That day we visited her friends at the nursing home. Also on that day she began making a peculiar sound in her nose and throat. I knew in my heart that her cancer had once again become active. But visits to the vet office assured us that theres was no evidence of it on her tongue and tonsils. My relief and joy vanished at that time. I knew.
     Her strange coughing became more frequent. We made it through hurricanes, floods and most of Autumn. Puffie was yet strong and full of life. But I knew. On Thanksgiving Day it happened. Puffie could no longer swallow her dry dog food. This was the begining of 26 days of agony for me and a horrible deterioration of my beautiful friend. The horror of it will live forevery in my memory. Her lymph glands became the size of eggs and then tennis balls. I could see the spirit in her beautiful brown eyes. She tried so hard...up to the last day.
     Puffie did let me know. I did not hesitate a second. We carried her to the car and drove to her doctor, Dr. Marty. We hugged and kissed her...for the last time. We told her how much we loved her, that we would love her always. She died in my arms.
     My eyes are crying, but not nearly as much as my heart. The snow has stopped, the carols chime on, the candles burn low...as Christmas Eve moves towards Christmas Day. The fourth day without you my Puffie. Maybe I will just sit here all night.