R. I. P. THUNDER

This is one of the most difficult days of my life.  I'm sorry to have to tell you that my beloved Thunder passed away, very peacefully, at the animal clinic this morning at the age of 14.

He got sick, suddenly, two days ago and continued to get worse so Rita and I took him to the doctor this morning.  He was suffering from a bladder condition that was never going to get better and a pinched nerve in his spine that caused him to lose the use and all feeling in his back legs.

Any treatment would have only prolonged his suffering and I wasn't about to let that happen.  It was time to go and he went so peacefully with me beside him.

Losing him was bad enough but walking into this apartment and finding it empty after 14 years was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

We took his body back to Rita and Roger's house, where he was born, and laid him to rest next to "Lady" who was my favorite of all the dogs Rita ever had.

Roger had the hole dug and a marker made when we got there.  We laid him to rest, near the house, so that I can visit him when I'm up there and remember our good times together.

This blog will remain "F Doug and Thunder" because he'll be in my heart until the day I die.