Chester

Chester came to live with us in 2009, after Grandma Mathews (gum) passed away.  After first he went to live with Grandma Story but Chelsea begged and pleaded for him to come down to Vegas after she bonded with him in St. George.  We made special arrangements with our then rental house and brought him home.  We have no idea how old he is.  He was with Grandma for about 5 years and had lived an unknown amount of years before that.  He has become an important part of our family and has received a lot of love.

 

 

I've always said that I wouldn't worry about him as long as he could beat me up the stairs which he usually does.  I've noticed lately that he is much slower and it appears painful when he goes up.  Sometimes he doesn't even bother to follow me up there at all.  He sleeps a lot.  There are times when I even have to go check to see if he is breathing.  Plus, he started urinating in the house - right in front of the doggy door.  I took him to the vet and after a series of blood work and x-rays decided that he had some lower back issues and maybe it was to painful to get through the door.  We medicated him and dealt with that.  Somedays were better than others.  Somedays he had a lot of energy and we wouldn't have any urination issues, other days were worse.  The last visit to the vet reveiled that he now had a heart murmer.  Now he peeing and pooping house on a regular basis and the area is expanding.  The vet said he was most likely at a point where he could not/ or would not go outside to take care of business. 

 

 I've tried to prepare the kids that the day would come when he would need to go up to heaven and be back with grandma.  That day had come and it wasn't easy.  Chester was important to everyone.  Chelsea had many moments with him when she didn't want to be with people but didn't want to be alone and Chester was there to comfort her.  Brianna loved to sneak him all kinds of food and he knew he could always look to her for attention.  She was also the one who walked him more than anyone else and even attempted to bathe him every now and then. She would be the one to wipe his eyes or try and put ear drops in.  Mason always took comfort in knowing he was there.  Mason says that he was the one to teach him to "shake" or "sit" for a treat but Brianna will challenge him on that one.  Cord gave Chester the most love. They were buddies! I would often find Cord curled up next to Chester in his bed, patting and kissing him.

 

As much as I complained about cleaning up pee and poop (inside and out), the fact that he would often start crying out in the middle of the night for no reason and would only stop when he could see me, the fact that he always seemed to be underfoot when I was working in the kitchen (hoping for a scrap of food), or that if you left a door open he would run away, I really do miss so many things about him.  He was my shadow.  No matter what I was doing - he was right there beside me.  He slept beside me on a big stuffed dog and I would often find comfort in hearing his snoring.  At times when I felt all alone at night, I could look down and see him all snuggled up in his blanket and feel better.  I'll miss hearing the jingle of his dog tags around the house or the clip clop of his feet on the wood floor.  He always managed to find me when I was in the bathroom and I would have to yell at him to leave.  He didn't like to be alone and was so excited whenever we would come home - especially after a trip.  He would be hyperactive and that short stubby tail would be all over the place. 

 

So today, Chester went back to heaven.  It was one of the hardest things I've had to do.  I've been trying to prepare the kids and give them time to say their good-byes.  I have agonized about this decision for months.  Some days it was so clear and other days I would have doubts.  He was my connection to grandma and I would feel her near when he was here.  I would think about how important he was to her and how Chester gave her a reason to get up in the morning after grandpa died.  I've had an easier time letting my patients die with dignity that I have had thinking about doing the same thing for Chester.

 

Today the kids gave him one last hug as they headed to school.  After they were gone I took some time myself to be with him, take pictures, feed him some yummy ham, and think about this decision.  Then it was time to take him down to the vet.  As I watched him sitting in the seat, so excited to be going somewhere, I almost turned back around.  But it had been so painful for everyone to get to this point I couldn't do it again.  I walked him into the vet and tried to choke back the tears.  The cheerful assistant behind the counter welcomed me and asked why we were here.  I said softly, "to euthanize him".  She asked "what?" loudly (there were a few people in the lobby so I was embarrassed - there's never anyone there so I didn't know why there was today).  So I answered a little bit louder, trying not to cry.  She said "Oh, I'm sorry.  Today is my first day".  As they get the paperwork figured out, Chester proceeds to poop all over the visiting room.  There was A LOT!  And the assistant got to clean that up her first day too (I'm sure it was a memorable day for her too).  But that reassured me that this was the right decision.  I kissed him on the head, took off his collar, and walked out as they lead him to the back.  Then I lost it in the car. 

 

I had to go to work so I managed to block it out until it was time to go home.  Then I cried the whole way home. 

When I pulled up into the driveway, Cord came running out and said "where's Chester?" 

 I replied, "remember, he was going to heaven today". 

 "Oh, so our doggy break starts now?"

"Yes, son.  It does"

 

I informed all the family that isn't here about his passing.  Maria hoped that Grandma greeted him with some cheese or peanut butter Ritz crackers.  Amber hoped that grandma warns them about closing the "pearly gates" so he won't run out.  Then Maria promised to put me to sleep when I start to loose my bowel and bladder control.  So much love all around!

 

Cord helped me clean up all the pee and poop around the yard.  I have cleaned up the floors and closed up the doggy door.  Life will be different without Chester. It's very quiet.  I keep expecting him to come up the stairs and take his place at my bedside but he doesn't.  I will be forever grateful for the part he played in our family.