Thursday, August 25, 2011

Rest In Peace Sweet Little REUBEN

My dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, 8/24/2011 I had to say goodbye to my sweet little Reuben.
During a two week hard battle with pancreatitis, after getting into some food, my wonderful Vet Team and I elected to have surgery on Reuben to see if his problems could be relieved. Unfortunately the surgeon found something unexpected. A mass or tumor the size of a baseball on his pancreas. He had been in so much pain and nothing could be done so I let him go.

My heart is broken.

Reuben was 11 years old but I only had 9 years with him. The day I went to meet him it was like he knew I was there to get him. He ran to meet me and was so excited that he crashed into my feet. On the drive home I had to tie him to the passenger side door because he kept trying to leap on my lap while I was driving!

He was as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. Between loving every equine, dog, cat or human that he met to chasing that horse toy ball around the yard like a manic, he lived life at one-hundred miles an hour.
But Reuben knew how to relax and snuggle too!
He would jump up out of a dead sleep if I said, "Let's go feed the Mules!"
He had a bouncy little trot most every were he went.

He went from an untrained stray on a friends farm, to a registered therapy dog with both Therapy Dogs International and later on Wake Med Hospital.
He loved to go and visit the patients and never ran out of love, giving or receiving.
How did he know that the older lady, he was visiting, meant when she said, "Give me some sugar!" that she wanted him to kiss her ears? Some how he did.
How did he draw a young teenage girl, who had not spoken to anyone since her accident, out of her shell?
He always brought smiles to the patients and nurses alike.

I was lucky to have him, some say he was lucky to have me.
Funny, Lucky was his name when I found him.
He had a huge heart of gold and my friend is horribly missed.

Many thanks to my wonderful and supportive Mother!
Dr. Creech and Dr. Peters-Creech at Eastern Wake Veterinary and
Dr. Galllagher at Veterinary Surgical Referral Practice
for their kindness and wonderful care of Reuben.

6 comments:

Lindsay Michaels said...

Not nice to make me cry the first thing in the morning,..

So sorry to hear of the loss of Ruby, but he will be waiting on the other side.

Barb Oslund said...

Oh Shannon, I'm so sorry to hear about Reuben. He was such a great companion and friend to all. I'll be thinking of you as you go through your grieving. All the other creatures on your farm will be your support network.

Nicolle said...

Thank you for sharing this with me Shannon. My heart goes out to you as it did to my parents when our family lost our 13 year old corgi two years ago. Let me know if there is anything I can do.

Trish Mandes said...

Shannon, I am so sorry to hear about your baby. Losing a friend like Reuben is awful. When you described his playfulness and lovingness, you immediately took me back to Barney, whom we will always miss. Corgis are the best! Love, Trish

lem said...

Shannon, I am so sorry. There are no words but great sadness and loss. He had a wonderful life with you. Bless you and may we never forget what Reuben taught us about friendship.
Linda

Lil said...

My heart was sooo sad to hear that our sweet Rub - eye *lol* was gone. Ruby Doo was the first corgi my sophie ever met other than her siblings and she and I enjoyed bunking with shannon and the mules years ago when I was moving from one apt to another. I am so greatful for shannon and rubydoo's kindness. He will be sorely missed and Sophie sends hugs and High paws....