This Is Bubbles Story.

[DavidKim]

Hi all, my name is David, my wife is Kim...We are grieving the loss of our dog, Bubbles....

13 years ago we had been married just a couple of years. We went in to the local pet store and a sweet 6 week old 7 pound Rottweiler/German Shephard mix chose us to take her home. She was blowing bubbles from her nose she was so excited, so she earned the name "Bubbles".

As she grew she seemed to embrace her name. Her vet and everyone she came into contact with assumed her name was her personality as she "bubbled" with excitement.

She quickly became our best friend, companion and protector.

After 9 years of excellent health and vet visits she came in from the yard limping. Immediately we took her to her vet and found that she had torn her ACL in her knee. At this time we also found out that she had degeneritive joint disease. She recovered from the surgery well and promptly had to go back for the other knee.

During this time we found that she had Degeneritive Joint Disease and were told that arthritis in her joints was almost guaranteed.

At one point in her life she wagged her tail so hard that she actually broke her tail.

After the surgeries and as the arthritis began to slow her down we found an adorable Boxer whom we named Cassie (Lady Cassandra Kickensnort but Cassie for short).

Cassie and Bubs spent many years together as best friends. Cassie truly helped Bubbles to enjoy her "golden years".

Bubbles got slower getting up the steps and grew old very gracefully.The arthritis, and in the end, cancer, finally took their toll. She gave us everything she had to give and yesterday morning (9-30-11) at 10:45 A.M. we gave her all the love we possibly could and released her from the suffering she had endured over the last couple of months.

She laid her head in my hands and kissed me, then did the same to Kim. She put her head in Kim's lap and passed.

For 13 years our lives have been filled with Bubbles. Our bed is even on the floor with no frame so she would not have to jump far to join us. This house has never felt so empty and quiet.

This is truly the hardest thing we have ever been through in our lives.

We are unsure what to do at this point. The pain is overwhelming. We find ourselves breaking down in fits of tears and unable to stop. I cannot put it into words, but I am sure that some of you have experienced it too. Our deepest sympathy goes out to you.

Thanks for listening.

David, Kim, Bubbles and Cassie

[MartyT]

Dear Ones,

My heart hurts for you as I read your touching story, as so many of us have been where you are now, and I am so sorry for your loss. You say you're not sure what to do now, but my friends, there is nothing TO do, other than to give in to your grief, feel whatever you are feeling, and find any way you can to express it. Talk with each other, cry with each other, recall fond memories of Bubbles and share those with each other, and find some ways to memorialize her. There is no way around the pain you're feeling now, and that is as it should be. Think of your pain as the measure of just how much you have lost. When you feel up to it, consider doing some reading about what is normal in grief, especially what is normal in experiencing the loss of a cherished animal companion. This, I believe, will help you feel less "crazy," will give you some ideas for how to manage your reactions, and will reassure you that, if others can find their way through such pain, then you will find your own way, too. Know that you are not alone; there are many animal lovers "out there" who understand completely the pain of losing a beloved pet. I am so, so sorry.

When you're ready, I hope you'll pay a visit to this Web page: Pet Loss Links where you'll find links to dozens of helpful resources.

[kayc]

I'm so sorry your time with Bubbles had to come to an end...I personally choose to believe we'll be reunited with our animals again someday, I certainly hope so. It sounds like your Bubbles means as much to you as my Arlie does to me...when I read that you took the frame off your bed so it'd be easier for her to join you, that really got to me, that is the kind of thing I would do for my dog. I just want to say that your dog was so fortunate to have you as her family, just as fortunate as you were to have her.

I wish there were something I could say to ease the pain in your heart, but all I know to do is listen and care. She sounds like a wonderful dog that will be greatly missed.

(((hugs)))

Kay

[DavidKim]

Thank you so much for your kind words. We both feel that we were lucky to have had Bubbles in our lives and so happy that she chose us.

It has been a couple of days now and I can't say that it is getting easier.

We were very lucky that she never had to worry about anything. We have been looking at pictures of her and she is ALWAYS smiling. Her vet has even been wonderful to her over the years. The first vet visit she had was with the same vet that was there at the end. Just to let you know the impression that Bubbles made on people. We once boarded Bubbles at her vets office. She was so upset that we had left her that she was throwing a fit. Our vet called and asked if she could take her to her house to be with her dogs and other animals while we were gone. When we walked in the door the receptionist knew her name, not by the chart or appointment, but on a personal level that you really just don't find anymore.

When it was time she came in and sat with us in the floor and cried with us.

I have looked around on the net quite a bit and found several sites that have given us hope that we can work through the pain. My wife had a dream that she took Bubs to the vet and the vet prescribed "lots of play". I woke up last night and I could have sworn that I heard Bubbles sigh as she liked to do before she drifted off to sleep.

I know that she is OK and no longer in pain or suffering and I gladly accept the pain that I am experiencing to keep her from going through it.

We have put so much into caring for her that now that she is gone we don't know what to do. I still walk to her favorite spots to check on her. Kim does the same. We both hear her tags on her collar in the house. Cassie walks to the dog door and looks out into the yard and stands and waits at the steps for Bubbles to come up.

In certain corners of the house there is still small piles of black and white fur. All of these things just make me break down.

Please forgive me for going on and on about her. I have 13 years of memories stored up and they all seem to want to come pouring out at one time.

Thanks again,

David, Kim, Bubbles and Cassie

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/media/set/?set=a.276479945709553.74732.100000426499530&type=1

I don't know if that link will work, but it's our facebook album

[kayc]

FB won't let us view it, probably because we aren't on your list. I can relate to the emotion when seeing her fur...it's things like that that really get us. I thought it was neat that the vet offered to take her home because my last dog, Lucky, had that affect on people too. In fact, when we kenneled her, they'd take her into their bedroom with them and their own pet, something unheard of! She was a sweet obedient dog and she was scared so much (she was a whippet, we called her a whimpet) so I think they wanted to give her reassurance, plus they knew she'd be no trouble. NO ONE would ever offer to do that with my current dog! He's been known to each furniture, etc...kind of like the dog on Marley and Me only a whole lot cuter and more personality. Ahh, each one is special in their own right, but it's just every once in a while you find that one that is a perfect fit with your family, and it sure makes loss so very hard.

[DavidKim]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.103672312976512.7787.100000012315068&type=1

Maybe that will work.

Thank you so very much for all the kind words.

I still feel like she is just in the other room sleeping and I can get up and walk in and see her anytime I want to. Then the realization that I can't sets in and I break out in tears again.

She was such a smart girl. She was always the smart one. Cassie, well...not so much. We love her no matter what. Cassie would lock herself in rooms by pushing the door closed with her nose, then Bubbles would go and push the door open to let her out.

I've got a million great memories of her. This past Wednsday I got home from work and she came romping through the house like she hadn't done in years. She brought me her favorite ball and we played for hours. She slept right up against me that night and Thursday she started all over. That afternoon we all went out on the deck so she could lay in the sun. This was her favorite time of year as she didn't get hot outside and the leaves would fall on her. She would catch the leaves and chew on them. She laid out there with us for several hours and when we went to go inside I called her and she couldn't get up. I carried her to the bed and she slept with us. Friday morning we knew it was time. I believe that that was her one last day to do whatever she wanted and she chose to be right beside us.

Once again please forgive me for going on and on about her. We don't have kids so our pets are the ones I show people pictures of.

It sounds like Lucky was truly "lucky" to be loved so much. I don't know how long ago that has been, but I certainly understand your feelings.

Thanks again for listening.

DKBC

[DavidKim]

Hi all,

It has been 3 months since the loss of our beloved Bubbles. It is not as hard as it was, but it certainly isn't easy. As we got the Christmas decorations out it was yet another reminder of her. She had a Christmas bell that she would wear very proudly at this time of year. As soon as she saw it she would stick her neck out for you to put it on her. Then she would lick all the ornaments she could reach on the tree. She never chewed any, she just licked them.

But, things have been busy here also. We have a new puppy! We have had a Boxer for 3 years and she is wonderful. Goofy yet sweet and such a social dog. A friend called with a 6 week old Brindle Boxer (registered and all that but we really don't care about that) for free. She is a character all to herself. The two are getting along great. Her name is not completely settled yet, but my wife is leaning toward Jasmine.

Thanks for the replies we have gotten here. I realize that I haven't exactly been a fixture here but I have read the replies and others stories many times and each one gives us hope that we can get through this.

Thanks again,

David,Kim,Cassie,Jasmine and Bubbles(never forgotten)

[kayc]

I'm glad to hear you had a new dog join your family and you are doing better. It so touched me when you'd written how you took your bed off the frame so your dog wouldn't have far to jump...that sounds like something I'd do. I hope you have many more years with your other two!

[DavidKim]

Thank you for the kind words. Here are a couple of pictures of Bubbles(and Cassie).

[kayc]

What a cutie! Thank you for sharing your picture, they are such sweeties!