"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?"

~ Winnie the Pooh; A.A. Milne

I did not want to make this post. That would make it real. I didn't want to keep on posting as if nothing had changed, either. And so, here I am.

I'm absolutely gutted to inform you all that my sweetest buddy, my muse, my great assistant and the only dude I'd ever need passed away on August 18th.

We had brought him in to the vet's office to have a swelling on his chin checked out - abcess? Tumor? Whatever it was, we wanted to help our buddy and prevent things from getting worse.

That swelling turned out to be oedema, caused by late stage heart failure. An ultrasound at the veterinary hospital made it clear how hard he was secretly struggling, and how little there was that we could do for him. The kindest thing we could do for him, was to help him cross the rainbow bridge before things got even worse.

We definitely hadn't seen this coming, and I absolutely hadn't been prepared to lose my friend that day. I miss him every day.

Please give your furry friend a good cuddle, and perhaps a little treat. You'll never know how long you've got left with them.

Vodka
✶ 29th of December, 2009
† 18th of August, 2023