Many souls pass through our lives, some stay longer then others. For 14 years my dog Einstein has been a companion through good times and bad but his attitude was always the same. He was amazingly happy, lazy and lovable. Years ago he was diagnosed with a thyroid and weight problem and proper medication and diet were used. By the time he was 12 years old he had pretty bad arthritis and required many expensive med's to keep him going. Recently, at age14, we found a cancerous tumor growing near his shoulder. More med's were added to keep him comfortable and it looked like they were dong the job. On Saturday it appears Einstein suffered a stroke. We rushed him to the Kingston Animal Hospital where the decision was easily made to stop Einstein's suffering. Mary and I were close to him as the injection was made and through tears we shared his final moments of peace.
Many of you remember him as the gentle giant he was; large and lovable and always a long, sticky line of drool (Love) hanging from his lips. No one could resist him though... Once the love was wiped away with a paper towel, that is.
My favorite Einstein story took place in Colorado, his birth place. I was helping my friends the Reynolds build a new deck so I took Darwin and Einstein over the night before to get an early start. I had forgotten to bring breakfast so during the morning Einstein helped himself to the dog food at hand. As many of you know he has always had a sensitive stomach. Around lunch time the new food had worked its magic and had made its way to Einstein's business end. At first no one was sure what we were smelling, certainly no human was going to admit to being the source. The Reynolds had a pretty good size backyard and this was Colorado with lots of open space and fresh air. That said, we all had to go inside to get away from Einstein's power. Yes, Einstein cleared the outside.
Also, apparently Einstein decided to lick his balls during our wedding ceremony in the backyard. Always a charming dog, he did this in front of all our family and friends.
Today, there is an empty spot in my heart like I have never felt before. I am with out a dog. I still think I see him out of the corner of my eye, coming down the hall. It is now possible to walk from one room to another with out have to take 1 large step over him, and I miss that big step. He will never be completely gone though. I am sure I will always have some of his thick fur stuck in a fleece pullover or find some dried drool stuck to the ceiling. He could shake his head and send it EVERYWHERE.
I won't miss stepping in his poop in the hall or picking it up with on a late night walk in the rain (sometimes finding there was a hole in the plastic bag). But that's what I signed up for and I have no regrets. Some where in doggy heaven Einstein is together again with his partner in crime, Darwin, and I hope there are low fences to escape from. There were many in Colorado and escape they did. Once, I had Einstein on a dog run but when I bailed him out of doggy jail I found he had pulled it out of the trees on both ends and dragged at least 75 feet of steel cable around the neighborhood with him.
Einstein will join Darwin and Princess and be cremated the placed in a beautiful wooden box. Einstein's box will hold a position of honor though. He lived the longest and the best. We all could have learned from him. No one could nap better, could hold down a carpet better or just completely relax quite like him. His patience with kids was bottomless.
If you can, please leave a thought or a story about him. There are too many of you to call and tell personally. And Michael is a light sleeper so I can't call you anyhow. I am going to bed now with out him at the end of my bed for the first time in 14 years. I miss him so much already...
Goodnight my friend.
8 comments:
How can I just pick one good memory of Einstein? There are so many of them like walking Dave down the aisle in our wedding, burying a bone in the newly landscaped lawn before hand, jumping up and knocking me over the first time he came to my apartment when Dave and I started going out, happily sleeping on Grandma and Grandpa LaCivita's kitchen floor in "his" spot, taking walks with his beloved friend Elena, standing in the car drooling all over it with his head out the window doing a power sniff, jumping up to get in the car on Saturdays and running errands with me all morning, allowing Princess to sleep curled up next to him as if he was part of her old pack, welcoming Trevor into his house but making sure he still knew it was really Einstein's house, making Michael laugh so hard when he (Einstein) drank water that Patty had a hard time holding onto the wiggly baby, sleeping in the living room with me when I was too pregnant to sleep in our tall bed, curling up with Dave on the living room floor relaxing, trying to climb UNDER Dave when there was thunder and he (Einstein) was scared.
But if I had to pick one shining moment, it would be the time at our Quincy house that he and Darwin escaped off our deck. Darwin was an escape artist and that didn't surprise me. I knew they had many escape artist days in their younger days in Colorado but when we lived in Quincy, before we found out Einstein had a thyroid problem, Einstein was about 130-140 pounds and very, very fat. His proper weight was somewhere around 90-100 pounds. On nice non-mosquito days we'd put the dogs on the deck behind the house and shut the baby gate so they couldn't go down the stairs and off to freedom in our large yard that had no fence. One day we put them on the deck and looked out and they were just GONE!!! When we found them they had apparently traipsed around the whole neighborhood having a grand old time. Somehow they did not get hit by the fast cars crossing the street to go to Quincy Bay. They were covered in dark mud and muck from the bay but had huge grins on their faces. When we got them back our neighbor said that he saw Einstein as he was climbing the fence but thought we let him do it. Climbing off a 5 foot tall deck and down stairs over a gate for a hugely overweight dog really was impressive.
Einstein did a lot of impressive things but the most impressive thing about him was the fact that he WAS happiness. Nothing much ever upset him (except sometimes he did look annoyed when Darwin licked his head so much that his hair stood straight up as if he had a mohawk; he DID look ridiculous). He taught me a lot about the power of relaxing and just being still sometimes. Even non-dog people acknowledged that he was so gentle and just the epitome of happiness. I am going to miss that happy gentle face SO much but when I start to get sad I just need to sift through the 100s of wonderful happy memories to remind myself just how lucky we were to have him in our lives.
Look not where I was
For I am not there
My spirit is free
I am everywhere
In the air that you breathe
In the sounds that you hear
Don't cry for me Mom
My spirit is near
I'll watch for you
From the other side
I'll be the one running
New friends by my side
Smile at my memory
Remember in your heart
This isn't the end
It's a brand new start
You're giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished hours,
Your courage makes me proud.
But really, love is knowing
When your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.
So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic, that will
Once more make me whole.
The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it's the only way.
That strength is why I've followed you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I've loved you all these years...
My partner 'til the end.
Please, understand just what this gift,
You're giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I've lost,
And all my dignity.
You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it too.
So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel,
The courage that's within you,
To now grant me this appeal.
Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog,
My pain and struggle done.
And don't despair my passing,
For I won't be far away,
Forever here, within your heart,
And memory I'll stay.
I'll be there watching over you,
Your ever faithful friend,
And in your memories I'll run,
...a young dog once again.
(c) Karen Clouston
Although I only new Einstein for a relatively short period of time (we met when I visited for Mary and Dave's summer wedding), I miss him terribly. I have never known a gentle giant quite like Einstein. He not only welcomed Richie, Trevor (our little dog) and I when we moved in in July 2007, he gave us so much love. I will miss coming down the stairs in the morning and seeing him at the bottom of the stairs sleeping. Or, as Richie and I watched the Wiggles, he would come over to the couch for me to pet him. If I didn't pet him right away, he would put his large head on my lap, knowing I couldn't resist his puppy eyes. He always comforted me when I was sad about something, and just needed a little "Einstein Therapy" as I called it. It is extremely comforting to just pet a dog sometimes.
One of my favorite memories is from the time I was just visiting for the wedding. The day I was going back home, I was the last one to leave, so I got to spend extra time alone with Mary, Dave and Einstein. We were all talking in the living room, and I think Mary and Dave were opening gifts or looking at pictures. I sat on the floor to pet Einstein, and he just wouldn't let me stop! He just kept putting one of his large paws on my arm if I stopped or paused, and sat up as if to say, "I didn't give you permission to stop!" I didn't mind though! I will always have pictures of those moments.
As I mentioned I have a Rat Terrier named Trevor who (I think) became friends with Einstein these last nine months. It makes me sad that he will have to patrol the house and the yard alone now, but I am glad Einstein is no longer in pain. I have always said he was the Best Big Dog ever, and I know that will never change!
My BFF was Einstein. He made me happy every time I saw him. He scared me at first as he was so big but stole my heart very quckly! My gentle giant. I nicknamed him "Grumpy Bear" when he would have a bad pain day and would give me that look as if to say, "Don't walk me today" What a guy. When I would pull up in my Jeep he some days, when he was feeling well, he would be outside and he would do this dance in excitement as I opened up the gate. Just like a little puppy. And he seemed to always have that little puppy face that I love to kiss. He was a gentle sole and will always have a special place in my heart. I am so sad but so happy to have known him. So, Dave, cry, laugh, and then cry again. I will do the same in memory of Einstein.
I'm so sad to hear Einstein has passed. I'm going to miss him.
My favorite memory is the day I was over watching a football game, I had crawled on the floor to pat Einstein, as I always did. Princess got jealous and decided to join us. I had BOTH dogs in my lap! I loved ever minute of it! I'll miss my dogsitting days too. I always enjoyed visiting and knowing Einstein would be happy to see me. :)
You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Rest in peace Einstein.
We still have a large hole in our hearts from when we had to say goodbye to our extra-large dalmation, Chooie, so we know how difficult that decision was for you. But we also know that you know it was the right and kindest thing to do. We'll also miss Einstein... it was always a nice surprise to find him "holding court" in Halifax so that we could run our hands through that wonderful doggy hair and get our dose of Einstein therapy. Please know that our thoughts are with you. We wouldn't be surprised if, right now, Einstein and Darwin and Chooie are hanging out together, on Guardian Angel-Dog patrol... keeping watch on all of us.
Love & hugs,
Mom & Dad Troupe
I am so sorry to hear about Einstein!! Good ol' One-Beer, at least he is resting very comfortably right now...! And with hie old partners in crime, Princess and Darwin. I know this must be a real difficult time for you, and Mary, too! I have a message to you from Sister and Gemini:
Dear Uncle Dave,
We are so sad to hear about our cousin Einstein. Our staff told us the bad news...Although we never met him, his long, fluffy fur and long, ...something....drool will always be legendary in our world! We understand that he was a genius, and a master napper. We'll have a napping marathon in his honor. Maybe for several days. We can only hope that he is somewhere in a green field, chasing that tail, and finally gets it! Maybe his balls itch even more for him to lick! That just-right-for-jumping fence is just around the corner begging them to give a great chase! May his soul rest happily!
The Black Cat Gang of 116th St. will always remember our fallen friends, be they feline or canine. They all were a BFF to someone. We're all sending our love, warm thoughts and happy memories your way!
Much love, Sister Moon and Gemini
(and our staff, Miz Cathy and Mr. kenny)
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