Me and Asha
Asha's my 14 year old greyhound who's creeping very close to 15
Her drastic health decline coincided with both the pandemic and the passing of our other greyhound Kai, who was 13
You never know how your beloved fur babies will pass, nor how old age will affect them
When our greyhound Kai passed on January 20, 2020, my husband Todd and I were devastated
It was sudden
I realize now that it was a blessing for it to happen so quickly
We still miss his loving, joyful energy every day
I talk to him in my meditations and know he's got his angel wings on
Helping Asha weather through her issues
Todd wears his name tag next to his heart
I knew I'd be extremely distraught when either of our dogs passed
I had no idea that Todd would be just as sad
Kai was a very special boy
Giving Asha a treat
Larleen shares what she's learned from her dog
FIVE LESSONS FROM ASHA
2020
She no longer wants to go for walks nor go to work with us (these are things that previously would get her so excited that she'd jump up with her front legs like a horse)... so I mostly work at home to take care of her. Her back legs are very weak.
LESSON 1
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE - I LOVE WORKING FROM HOME. Didn't think it was possible before so I never tried.
I've cleaned up more pee, poop, vomit than ever in my life-time - on Asha, rugs, dog beds. We also give Asha liquids every other day. I make special food for her. My schedule revolves around her. I wake up 1-3 times in the night to take Asha outside or clean up messes. I never had my own children, my fur-babies have always been my children. And I didn't think I was a nurturing person.
LESSON 2
WE HAVE MORE STRENGTH THAN WE KNOW. These past 9 months have taught me that I have strength and patience.
Asha is no longer active though that doesn't mean she's not the same dog & doesn't love us... in human years she's in her 90's - she doesn't run up to 40-something miles per hour in 3 strides anymore, in fact she can hardly run. Though once in awhile she'll get that mischievous look in her eye and act like her young goofy self and try to run and pounce around. She has difficulties standing up so she doesn't greet us at the door, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love us.
LESSON 3
TREASURE & ACCEPT EACH STAGE OF LIFE
There're different stages in life, Todd and I have even noticed some differences now that we're in our 50's in regard to our bodies - it's all part of life. Honor and accept all of it, what is.
Just because Asha has health issues does NOT mean that she's ready to go to the rainbow bridge. As an adult, I've had 4 animals in my home - 2 cats who lived to 16 1/2 and 19... then Kai our greyhound who was 13. Fortunately, we have the ability to let animals go peacefully when they're ready. When my first cat was declining rapidly, I had no idea what to do and never thought I would know WHEN or even IF I could make the decision to let him go peacefully. And I didn't want to have to make that decision - then the time came and I absolutely knew. We've had many ups and downs with Asha for 9 months now - I swear she has 9 lives. I've balled my eyeballs out many times thinking that this was it, she's leaving us - and then she gets better!
LESSON 4
ENJOY EACH MOMENT, no matter the situation.
Todd and I have been migrating through our house... Asha started having issues with a small set of stairs going to the master bedroom where she thought she had to jump. So we started sleeping in the guest bedroom. Then she started having issues with the steps from the guest bedroom to the living room. We moved the guest bed to our living room and are GLAMPING in our living room - we're living as if we're in a studio apartment when we have 3 bedrooms! And we think of it as camping, an adventure. It's for her, it's what we do and we're happy to do it.
LESSON 5
SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO GLAMP. Go with the flow, and do it with a sense of adventure.
Thank you Asha for teaching me these important lessons during 2020, a pandemic
A crazy time
Yet a time that's brought more insights about life than ever before because of you
I'm forever grateful for your love, your wisdom, your gifts
What life lessons have you learned from your fur baby/s?
xo
Kathleen Naomi