When your furkid reaches the Bridge…..

Do you ever wonder what happens?  How they feel?

We all have that day where they tell us they have had enough.  Their eyes say it all, and our hearts break.  I’ve heard many times “they will let you know”.  Well you know what.. when it gets to that point.. then you have let it go too far.   Our furkids do not want to show signs of weakness, signs of pain.. so they really don’t let you know when it’s time.  You know in your heart when it’s time.. and your heart has to convince your head that it’s time.

I can’t tell you how many times when Franklin was leaving us I thought.. no.. just one more day.. look at him.. he’s standing there wagging his tail and smiling!  But.. then my head would remind my heart of what he went through trying to hop and losing breath and coughing, coughing, coughing.  So.. even the day we let him run free, and he was standing out side the vets, wagging his tail at everyone, we knew it was his time.. even though he didn’t look it at that time.  I am sure he was welcomed at the Bridge by some pretty amazing Tripawds who were hanging out there having a good time….  and he is waiting for me. I’m sure our cat Diesel was there, acting like the Godfather as he usually did.

My Maggie, well, she went quicker than Franklin.  and I know she opened her eyes and felt that golden warm sun shining on her face and fur… she inhaled deep and savoured the sweet smelling grass that was fresh on her paws… and as she looked to the right, she saw the clearest, crisp, most thirst quenching, fresh water that she has ever laid eyes on..   And as she stood up, she was strong.. she inhaled deeply again and she had no pain, her legs and lungs were strong and her tongue lolled out the side of her mouth as she looked around at all those furkids coming to greet her with happy smiles on their faces.  I know Franklin and Diesel were there first.. after all… they were the 3 Amigos!

They showed her around…. told her why she was there.. and that one day, she would again be with those she loved.  See.. the thing at the Bridge is that there is no sense of time there… it doesn’t feel like years to our furkids there… it only feels like a few days to them…. that way they never feel alone or lonely for very long.    There is so much to do there that they enjoy, that they don’t even realize that they have been gone for that long.  And when the time comes that they meet us with muddy paw prints, slobbery kisses and knocking us over on our butts, we are the only ones who know how long it has been for us till we hold that head in our hands again, and kiss that nose or that brow.. right between their eyes!  I personally know that I don’t plan on meeting my furkids at the Bridge for a very long time… which is a good thing.  But when I do.. the love will be just as strong then, as it is now.

Do you know what it’s like at the Bridge?  It’s clean, it’s fresh and it is has the most luxurious, sweet, fresh, greenest green grass to play in, roll in and sprawl out on your belly in!!  The water quenches their thirst with just one lick, tasting of the sweetest liquid,  almost as sweet and fresh as honey but without the calories!!  They are never alone!  They share stories of their pawrents and laugh at the silly things that we used to do.  And… not only do they become young, strong, and vibrant again.. their senses are incredibly vivid and they can smell a milkbone miles away!  That’s because there is a never ending supply of their favourite things there!  Milkbones, pig ears, ice creams, pizzas and even deer poop and chocolate!    It’s a never ending supply, the box never goes down!!  Of course, in the beginning, it takes them a few days to realize that they don’t have to try and eat it ALL and they go to bed every night with a full belly, engorged on pizza and steak…  snoring in a beautiful symphony while they dream of the day that they jump in our arms again and slobber all over our faces.

When they wake up in the morning and lift their head and sniff the most purest, cleanest air, they realize that the box isn’t empty and they pace themselves a little better.  After all.. I know how I would be if I had an unlimited, never ending, supply of cheesecake!!!!

This is my belief, and it helps me cope.

We lose our furbabies in many different ways… sometimes through an accident, sometimes a simple operation at the vet hospital has devestating results.  Sometimes, we are blessed enough to have them slip away peacefully in the night, in their favourite bed, in their home where they are comfortable and with their pack.  They leave our sides.. but they never leave our hearts…..

I know it hurts, and the tears will flow for a while…. but, the smiles will come eventually and the memories will make you laugh, and your heart will swell when you feel your fur baby wagging their tail in your heart.

It will be 5 years for my Frank n farter on May 15th.. and 3 years for my Maggie Girl on September 13.  And time has flown by so quickly.  Wilson and Annie keep us smiling and love us unconditionally.  Yet.. still… tears do flow ocassionally and that is ok.. cause they are still there in my heart.. wagging their tails…  and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Bark atcha later!

 

Author: Christine

I'm Canadian eh? living in Southwestern Ontario. My crew consists of my sweetie Fred, my son (25yrs) and my daughter (22yrs) as well as our 4 legged kids, Maggie (12yrs) and Wilson (1year). Franklin was my sweet boy who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2012. His leg was amputated on December 4, 2012. He was the cutest tripawd on this planet. He was happy every day. His tail was always wagging. Lung Mets took him from us on May 15, 2013. Rainbow bridge became a happier place with his arrival. We miss him terribly everyday. We lost our kitty in September 2012. Diesel, who was 18 1/2 years old when he passed at home, was (and still is) the Godfather. He is missed terribly by all. They are curled up together sleeping at the bridge under the stars, happy to be sleeping buddies again.

7 thoughts on “When your furkid reaches the Bridge…..”

  1. CHRISTINE!!!! CHRISTINE!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 It’s sooooo wonderful to hear from you…and Frankline and Maggie too!!!!!

    You ALWAYS have such wisdom to share. Yeah, dogs don’t always “let us know”, so we DO have to listen to our heart.

    Qhen Frankin brought you here, he knew his legacy would continue through you. His legacy has so many layers….always smiling, always happy, and definitely showing xeniors they can rock on three legs!! 🙂

    One of his greatest legacies is showing us what the Bridge is like through you!!! Nobody can ever describe the Bridge experience like you can!!! And thats because you CONTINUE to have such a connection between Franlin and Maggie!!

    I k ow for me, and it has to be the same for the others, when I shed tears for our losses, I always smile when I remember the way you describe the Bridge experience.

    Thank you Christine! Thank you! 🙂

    With love and appreciation always

    Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

  2. I missed this blog. It went up and down so fast. Amazing way with words. I can picture it just as you say. I am hoping that all my babies will meet me there one day. Tears do come and that is ok. I knew it was coming up on 5 years for Franklin. It wasn’t too long before I lost Sassy in August. I know he was there to show her the ropes too.

    Thank you for sharing this with us.

    xoxoxo
    Michelle & Angel Sassy

  3. Such perfect timing Christine. I have been struggling the past week and then some with “when is the right time” for Aissa. She still tries so hard. But she’s just not having enough good days/hours to offset the bad.
    Thank you for sharing.
    <3 Karma, Adelaide and the pack and always with our angel Brendol

  4. Beautiful words for a magical place. While I don’t have quite enough faith to believe this is the way it is, I hope with all my heart it’s true. My Nitro has been gone for 8 heartbreaking months, and I would like nothing better than to know this beautiful place is where he waits for me. Thank you for sharing.

    Paula and Warrior Angel Nitro

  5. Ohhh Christine, wiser words were never said, we couldn’t have put it better, or more beautifully, ourselves.

    Thank you for opening your heart and soul to the community. Just beautiful!

  6. Christine! So good to hear from you! I think of you and Franklin often. You were such an integral part of my journey here. I don’t come on here as often now, but sometimes, I have to check in on my friends. I had not seen you post for awhile. It has been as Sally called it, old home week, well, old home month. So many reconnections. With our fur angels orchestrating, we will most likely all remain connected in some way until we wave at each other as we are tumbling around at the bridge with all of our furkids. 😊Take care, LORI, Ty and the crazy gang

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