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Sunday, April 16.
Sargeant had lived long enough to go with us to the airport Saturday the 15th to pick up Patrick and Justin Seitz. I had been telling Sargeant all week to hold out until Saturday because the boys wanted to see him. And like the obedient servant he has been to me for nearly 9 years, he did as he was told. I am heartbroken. Last night, I stayed up late working on my web pages. I heard Sarg bark at something. He does bark at outside things to protect us. I went downstairs and both he and Kona were not in the garage. I called for them. Kona returned quickly, of course, Sarg came too but he is not able to move fast. He was out of breath, and I knew that he had taken precious life energy to do his duty and protect us. He went inside the kennel box and immediately laid down. I told him he shouldn't be out exerting himself. I told him I love him and that he is a good boy. I said good night and prayed God would not let him suffer. This morning when I went downstairs, he was dead. He was still warm. And I cried.
Sargeant will be buried under a large Douglas fir tree on the hill where he often sat, looking at the road waiting for us to return from work. It was his favorite spot for protecting the property and for noticing the comings and goings of our neighborhood.
At least yesterday we spent a long time with him as we drove to the airport. He got lots of attention from us all. He pushed his way to the front of the van to be in-between Guy and I. He laid his head on my knee. He was weak. He wanted to be close.
I will miss his company in the barn and around the horses. His favorite activity was to get after them, and keep them away from the fence. If Sammy, our stallion, put his head out the stall door, Sargeant would jump up on his hind legs and snap at Sammy's nose, barking angrily. He loved to go on our morning walks down the road. Now each time I go out in the morning to feed, I will be missing him. Even today as Kona, our female Australian shepherd and I returned from our walk, I came up to the barn and paused. I could see Sargeant sitting there, in the barn doorway, waiting for me.
I can't believe it has been so long since we picked him up from his breeder as a little dark haired puppy.
Enough already, I can't see through the tears.
I have lost my best friend. Sargeant rest in peace and know we will always love you. And God, thank you for listening to our prayers and for allowing Sargeant the extra days to see Patrick and Justin. And most of all, God, thank you for matching Sargeant to me. He has enriched my life for many wonderful precious years.
SARGEANT'S SAGA: This week (April 3-10) has been a week of intrepedation. The main concern in my mind has been for my dog Sargeant. He was given the death sentence by the vet on Wednesday March 29 (she believes he has tumors-cancer- that have ruptured in his stomarch) and so each day that passes I look for signs of improvement, or signs that are of the other kind. I had taken last Thursday and Friday off, well I worked from home to be with him so when I arrived back to work on Monday, of course, people were curious to know how I was. Randy Holland, who sits near me, said to me as I arrived, "Missed you last week." Those words were very kind. I find the support of friends has really helped me keep a mental keel on this. There are other friends who's constant love and prayers I feel sure have kept Sargeant going as long as he has and to them I say "Thank you." When I took Sargeant to work with me on Friday, April 7, I did so because he seemed to have taken a downturn and I wanted him near. I did not believe he would make it through this weekend. Today, he is a bit worse and I feel the time may be drawing near. |
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