On Friday our beloved Bear got hit by a car. My husband and I were in Walmart when my son called saying that Bear had been hit and that he was still alive and he had carried him back to yard. We live very close to town so it only took maybe 10 minutes to get home, but it felt much longer. Bear was on the front lawn, and bless his little heart, he tried to get up when he saw me, but couldn't. He did wag his tail though. He didn't look to badly hurt. No broken bones...some road rash on his belly and a cut in his mouth, but he was having trouble breathing. As my husband loaded him in the truck, I ran inside to call the animal hospital that we were on the way. I sat with him in the back seat, just stroking his head and talking to him. We got to the clinic and while we waited for the vet, i kneeled on the floor in front of Bear and he took some slow breaths and then he looked me right in eye for about a minute, never looking away, and I knew he was dying. He told me to let him go. And then he rested his head on my arm and stayed there until the vet came in. She took some xrays and he had a collasped lung. The impact ripped a hole in his one lung and damaged the other. She thought there might be a chance of saving him by draining the air in his chest cavity, and against my better judgement, I agreed. He was so young and strong. But 45 minutes after the procedure he was losing ground so we had no choice but to put him to sleep. I stayed with him the entire time, but after that initial connection when he looked in my eyes I don't think he knew I was there. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done and I still cry as I write this. He died within seconds of the injection. We are going for his body today.
So here is to Bear, a great companion, a beautiful soul set free. Most of you will remember this photo of him from early in the spring.
So here is to Bear, a great companion, a beautiful soul set free. Most of you will remember this photo of him from early in the spring.
