Tomorrow, Friday, July 29, 2011, will be the two week mark of making, and carrying out, the heartbreaking decision to have my sweet Sam Pug put to sleep. Not a day goes by that I don’t shed copious tears for him. His partner in play and mischief, Darla Mae, continues her nightly foray through the house before bed, still searching for her missing companion. I said, in my eulogy to this dear, and endearing, bit of my life, that he will return. Well, I believe he has already let me know that “he’s here..”

The Tuesday following my final farewell to Sammy, Darla Mae became extremely ill with pancreatitis, so naturally I rushed her into the vets’ office. (I am beginning to think Carson Valley Vet Hospital operates solely for me!) Darla had to stay until the following Sunday, the 24th of July. She spent her time there in the cage Sammy had always occupied during his treatments. I thought that was very fitting, and wondered if Darla Mae was perceptive enough to pick up on that fact.  Could there be any scent of Sammy remaining, or any kind of “presence” of which she would be aware?  As I was pondering these possibilities, one of the vet assistants, Jennifer, brought me an ornate, little, brown box; Sammy’s earthly remains.  My heart lodged in my throat, but I vowed to remain ‘stoic’ and not turn into a blubbering fool.  All went well, until Jennifer handed me a plastic bag containing a round, clay medallion that was kiln fired. On it was impressed, “Sammy,” surrounded by hearts. In the middle, the imprint of  Sammy’s “one small paw.”

No one in the vets’ office knows about this blog, so no one had read the eulogy about the importance of, nor the love conveyed by, that “one small paw.”  But Sammy did.  Welcome home, my love.