A New School Year and Saying Goodbye

Summer is over, and Jasmine is now in 5th grade. It seems impossible that she is in her last year of elementary school.  We had a great summer, although it started rough and ended badly. A week after school got out, she had her tonsils and adenoids taken out, so she had some recovery time. It has made all the difference in the world though. She is sleeping so much better now, doesn't snore at all and can breathe.  After she was recovered, we really enjoyed our summer, until the second week of August.

Davis, our beloved Bullmastiff, got sick.  He was drooling a lot one day which wasn't normal, and I discovered he had a growth in between his cheek and gums.  Long story short, we tried medication and antibiotics hoping it was an abscess, but it was cancer. It continued to grow and got so big it was protruding out and he was biting into it. He could hardly eat, and stopped drinking. We took him back to the vet, and there wasnt anything we could do for him. So we had to have him put down.  It was heartbreaking.  The hardest decision Ive ever had to make.  The whole thing happened so fast. It was about 3 weeks from finding the tumor to putting him down.  And in a heartbreaking but strangely comforting twist of coincidence, the day we laid him to rest, was the first anniversary of my sisters death.  We took him to a vet out in Astoria, right on the coast. My sister loved the beach. It was a beautiful day. Later that day, Jasmine said "I bet auntie was waiting for him on the other side, and took him for a walk and picnic. She is taking care of him now."

I know that he was a dog, some people like to remind me that he was 'just a dog' but he was a very special part of our family. We got him shortly after we found out that I would never be able to have any more children, Jasmine would be our one and only. So in some ways he mended that part of my heart that was crushed.  He was always right there when I was sick. He helped me up off the floor after having a seizure quite a few times when we were home alone. And when we were in the midst of the aftermath of Jasmine's abuse he was always there to lick the tears off Jasmines face and tried to cuddle the pain away.  They truly loved eachother. He always had to check on her at night, wouldnt leave her side when she was sick, in fact would push me out of the way to 'care' for her at times.  And he loved to nudge her awake in the morning. She was beyond devested by his passing, and has had a really hard time with it. In time, we will get another dog, but Davis will always have a special place in our hearts.

Rest in peace sweet boy. We love you!!