Misha, 16+ years old, died peacefully and without pain in her bed, assisted by vet Carlin, and surrounded by her loving family, the morning of May 31st.
Misha slowly became deaf and suffered from hip and rear leg pain the last years of her life but was always up and excited for her daily walk. Until she wasn’t. Which was the sign that she was ready to go, even though we would never be ready to say goodbye.
Misha came to us from a rescue group having been separated from her mother and found lying in a puddle in Tennessee. I had not wanted another dog but Peachie and Martha did and promised to be her main caretaker. That didn’t even last a week. So for 16 years I got up early, fed her, and explored the neighborhood with her as we pondered nature and life together.
She loved car rides, especially to Peachie’s college where we would watch Peachie play her sport and Misha became the unofficial team mascot, decked out in collegiate bandana and collar. She also loved our lake house, especially watching ducks, geese and other dogs play in the water. She, herself, would never put so much as a paw in the lake. Odd for a mostly labrador mix but one never knows the former trauma of a rescue dog.
She had the softest ears that just invited touching.
She was a gentle dog who quietly tolerated her sister cats and then two toddler boys climbing on her as they learned about ‘gentle hands’. Mostly she loved being with her people.
On the morning of her passing, as we all sat on the floor with her, she went around and gave each of us a kiss. I think she knew she was about to cross and was saying goodbye. There were lots of tears. There still are. She was the best girl. She will be greatly missed.
Unconditional love is a mighty gift.
