Gone but NEVER forgotten

Ok, so this is gonna be a LONG entry to my blog but I have to put all detail in. This was the most horrible week ever I do believe!
Here goes Rowdy's good days:
I have always wanted a house dog but Joseph always told me NO. We had been trying for almost 1 year to have a baby but we never could seem to get pregnant. Joseph saw how upsetting it was for me so he decided to get me a puppy to take my mind off things. That's when we got Rowdy Tanner. Rowdy was born in January 2005 and we got him in July 2006. He was always soo precious to us. He never was sick, never had to take him to vet for anything other than yearly shots and grooming. We would have NEVER though we would go through what we went through in July 2010! Here are some pics of Rowdy with Mommy and Daddy through the years:




Here goes Rowdy's last days with Mommy and Daddy: ;(
On Saturday, July 24, 2010, Kayla Willcutt, Ella Grace, and I decided to go to the Guin Waterpark for the day. Both our husbands had to work so why not. I had planned to stay all day but luckly Ella Grace got sleepy so we left and came back home. When I got home, Joseph told me that Rowdy had been acting weird since he got home from work. We stood here in the livingroom and talked a few minutes about him and then I went looking for him. He always slept in his taxi beside our bed and if he ever was in pain, hurt, didn't feel good...ETC, that's where he would go. Well, I was calling him and he never came. I cut the light on and looked in his taxi and he was laying there foaming at the mouth and shaking. I screamed for Jospeh and ran out of the room. We got him into the living room and took the top off the taxi. He was then trying to get up but couldn't. I called the vet and asked could I bring him in. Jospeh got him loaded into the car and I flew to Fayette. By the time we got there he was acting ok. The vet said he had a seizure and it could have started for many reasons. Getting into some kind of chemicals, eating a redbug, brain tumor...ETC. She gave us some seizure meds and sent us on our way. He acted ok for the next few hours. He then started having another seizure. I called vet again. She said to give him another pill. He should then be sedated and sleep for awhile and see if that helps. The next several days was awful. He was still having seizures, not acting like Rowdy acted, and not eating and drinking good at all. We had been up and down all week with him having seizures, and checking on him but Thursday night was awful. He had already got to the point he had lost control of his kidneys. When he would have a seizure, he not only was all over the floor, he was peeing everywhere and on everything. We were soo heartbroken over all of this. These pics were takin Thursday night when Joseph and I were up all night with Rowdy.




Friday morning, I decided to call the Vet and take Rowdy in. He was so pitiful. We got there and had to wait because we didn't have an appointment. That's just like a 'doctor' visit. UGH! I took a few pics of my son while waiting in waiting room.


Just look at those pics and look back up at the pics when he wasn't sick. He Now looks like he's in much pain. I can't stand it. It still breaks my heart to this day to know he was in so much pain and their was absolutley nothing I could do for him. Just think about your child. Well, that's how I felt. I know he was just a dog but he was my son and I treated him as if he really was. At this time, they called us back. We went in and Doc and I talked for a few minutes. I tell him abou tme bringing him in Saturday afternoon, the meds his wife gave me, and the way Rowdy had been the past week. He puts him on the examination table. They wrap his mouth and start to pull some blood from his veins. My heart was breaking because I don't like needles for myself muschless for my Rowdy.


When the doc gave Rowdy to me, he told me he would call anywhere from 2 to 4 hours and give me the results of Rowdy's blood work. The wait was killing me. We then left the vet and went home. Rowdy was starting to act more like normal. He was eating, drinking, playing with his toys, and loving mommy and daddy. We actually thought things were looking up. About 5pm that afternoon, I got the call from the Vet. The bloodwork results were to determine nothing other than Rowdy had a brain tumor. My heart dropped and all I knew to do was hold him and love him. I gave my husband the phone and let him talk. I couldn't believe what my ears heard. It other words, I was just told my baby was gonna die any day now. We finally went to bed and Rowdy slept all night long. I couldn't because I kept waking up to check on him and so did Joseph. Joseph had to work the next morning so I was left to deal with this alone. About 7:30 Saturday morning, Rowdy woke me up with a seizure and he was crying with it now. I then knew my fear was comming out. He was dying right before my eyes. Along with the seizure, he was peeing everywhere.. I mean everwhere. I couldn't be mad at him because he couldn't help it. I got him up and went into the bathroom with him and we both got in the tub. Keep in mind he is still having a seizure. When he was done, I just held him close to me, setting in the tub, pee covering him and just cried. He just laid there. I then got up and gave him a bath to get the pee off. I brought him in the livingroom, put a blankie in his taxi and laid him in it so I could clean up myself and the pee. I was an emotional basket case. I called Joseph at work and told him what had happend. I also told him I was leaving when he got home to get away from this. Well, when Joseph got home, he took care of Rowdy while I went and Got a pedicure with one of my friends. Im telling you right now, if I had it to do over I WOULD NOT have left him. I wasn't gone but about an hour and Joseph called me and told me that Rowdy had had 13 seizures since I had left. Said he was screaming out loud during them. My baby was in soo much pain. We couldn't take it so I called the vet and they came out to their office. Joseph brought Rowdy to Fayette. When he pulled up I went to the car and picked him up. He was lifeless. He was alive but barely. I just cried and held him. I couldn't believe it had come to this. Yes, we had him put to sleep. It was such a difficult decision for us but as his "Parents", it was the best one. It hurt so bad. Joseph went back with him. I still can't believe he is gone. He will NEVER be forgotten. Mommy Loves you Baby boy!! Here is a pic of his grave.