Dog: Maxwell – German Shepherd / Great Dane – (May 14, 2006 – Feb 7, 2015)
My Maxwell was taken from me suddenly on February 7th of this year. The night before he was playing in the snow, chewing on a busy bone and snuggling up close to me. After noticing he was having trouble getting comfortable about an hour later, I knew something was wrong.
With no improvement by the next day, and his condition quickly getting worse, I rushed him into the Emergency vet. After many tests and an ultrasound it was found that he had blood filling in his belly, a mass had ruptured. Surgery was a must to find the ruptured mass and it’s location, as well as control the bleeding. Twenty minutes into surgery, the nurse called me in. My heart sank and I couldn’t control my crying.
The vet who was doing the surgery informed me that there were 3 bleeding tumors on his liver, in a place where surgery was not possible. He said to wake Maxwell from the anesthesia would bring him nothing but pain and he was bleeding so terribly, he wouldn’t live through the night. I let my Maxwell go. My best friend, my soul mate, my heart.
I have never felt more loved, more comforted in my life than when I was by my Maxwell.
I adopted him at the age of 3 1/2 from the Cleveland Animal Protective League after seeing his picture on Petfinder. The moment I saw him I knew he was meant for me. When I got to the APL they brought Maxwell into me in the playroom. He slowly walked over to me and sat in my lap. The asst was shocked, he said that Maxwell, even when lured with food, showed no interest in anyone. Until he found me. He saved me that day. From that day on, it was me and him.
Partners, life buddies. He was and is my number one. Through moves, relationships, life’s ups and downs, we had each other. With his smile, and love, and warmth he brought me such happiness, such peace. He would follow me throughout the house, keeping his eye on me and protecting me. I always wanted to keep him safe and protected. He had such a terrible life before we met. Abuse, neglect, and months on end at kennels. I promised him I would always do my very best to make sure he knew how much he was loved by me, and that for as long as we lived, he would never be in harms way, not if I could help it.
No matter what the day would bring, the moment I came home and saw that smiling face greeting me, that was all that mattered. My Maxwell, my everything. Our walks were so wonderful. Afterwards we would cuddle up on the floor, me with a glass of wine, him with his busy bone, and we would just enjoy each other and watch our shows. Afterwards we would snuggle up and go to sleep. I loved our routine.
He loved chasing squirrels and other land critters. He loved busy bones, but would stubbornly accept a milk bone if there was no other option. He was a huge fan of stuffed toys, sleeping with them and occasionally deciding he wanted to fetch them. The cutest is when something would frustrate him, he would chew away at them for minutes and then after he worked out his frustration, would lay with them again. This happened mostly when my moms cat bothered him.
He was the constant protector and defender of me. Standing as closely as possible to me always. He loved to sit in my lap, all 138lbs of him, and I loved it.
He is my heart and soul. Since I lost him I feel empty. A very large part of me has left with him. The days have just rolled into the next, no living, just existing. I wait for the day I am with him again. I still hope I’m living in a very long, nightmare. That I will wake up, and there my Maxwell will be. Just a look from him, made my day. He rescued me, as I rescued him. I sometimes think I need him more than he needed me. He would let me lay on him for hours on end, all night too. Once we laid down to sleep, there both of us would stay, together.
I always sang to him the song “You are my Sunshine” from our first day to our last. So perfect for him. He was and is and always will be my only Sunshine. I love you my Maxwell, please guide me to you when I pass, so we are together forever in eternity. Until then, play happily and rest peacefully at the Bridge. One day we will cross it together and do all those things together, forever.
I love you,
Mommy
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