Saturday marks the third anniversary of Lilly’s death from an adverse rabies vaccine reaction + the side-effects and complications of treatment. I wrote in the pet loss book — Heart Dog: Surviving the Loss of Your Canine Soul Mate — that I’m forever changed by the loss. That statement feels more true now than ever. When I wrote the book, I talked about fearing that I may never recover from the loss, and that too remains a real concern. This last week, in particular, has been difficult in a renewed way. Here’s what I’m thinking about when we fail in grief.
Today, Ginko crossed over. He was 4 months shy of his 16th birthday – by far, the oldest dog in our family history. Rest in peace, Monkey Man, Snuffle Man, Stinko Monster, Golden-Eyed Good Boy …
Fan of toys, fetch, and food.
Lover of Rock music. Hater of Bluegrass.
Long-suffering brother to 4 sisters (2 super bossy, 2 super sweet).
Sofa Captain … faithfully piloting the couch so that it never ran aground on his watch.
We never knew which of his potentially fatal conditions would be the one. A survivor, Ginko ultimately succumbed to the ravages of time.