The Loss of a Best Friend

Our pets end up being way more than just a family member, they become a friend. They give us that unconditional love, the type of love that we all yearn for. Nobody tells you what to expect when you lose a loved one, let alone a pet. We don't think of what life would be like, so when the time comes we're hit with this huge brick of helplessness. Scamp A.K.A Scampi was born March 3, 2002 and passed away March 9, 2017. I knew the that the day would come, I constantly hoped he would go away peacefully. My dream didn't quite happen, I had to make the decision to euthanize him because he was getting sicker each day. He ended up having congestive heart failure and nobody believed me when I said that I knew something was wrong with him. How do we cope with loss? How are we to make it through the grieving process? We all will cope differently, I personally started writing letters to him and sharing memories because it is helpful. Going through the grieving process hasn't been easy and I understand that it is not going to. There is no length on how long you are to grieve because we are all different, we will face differently. Someone else may get through the grieving process within a few months, while others like me are still constantly battling the memory. I'm happy Scampi is now back with his best friend Chester. But man, do I miss him and still wish he were here. The loss of a pet I knew would be difficult, but to me it's traumatic. I'm lost without him and my schedule feels off. I will share a poem, and letter that I have written to him.

Paw Prints On My Heart

"The day you became part of our family I fell in love

I instantly knew you were sent from above

You quickly laid your paw prints on my heart and made many memories for we all had to grow

Your curiosity sometimes got you in trouble but laughter would erupt like a volcano

You've never left my side and licked away each tear

You'd wait for me to come home and you'd show how dear you are

Now you've grown old and I have to let go

I want you to know that I won't forget you

Now run along, cross that rainbow bridge

Your paw prints are on my heart and I'll see you again someday

I know you'll be waiting and playing again

In heaven, you're healthy again

Paw prints on my heart, I will always love you my best friend"

I wrote "Paw Prints on my Heart," March 8, as Scamp laid beside me in bed and I read it to him. Our pets truly know more than we think they may. He then gently laid his head on my chest and sneezed.

If you're religious, you can go to religion.

Here is a letter that I have written:

"I have thousands of photos of you Scampi, looking through them makes me happy. Everything reminds me of you, there's no escaping it. I love you so much baby boy, I look forward to seeing you again, someday. For some reason you liked hiding underneath my bed, you caused me to panic because I couldn't find you. You left so many paw prints and memories on my heart and I thank God for them every single day. You were and always will be handsome. Today, I took things out of your kennel, I will always keep them. Your collar still smells like you. I miss you baby boy, the tears still fall."