{"id":2157,"date":"2014-11-19T15:26:14","date_gmt":"2014-11-20T01:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grumpyseniors.com\/?p=2157"},"modified":"2014-11-22T14:03:43","modified_gmt":"2014-11-23T00:03:43","slug":"some-things-simply-suck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/grumpyseniors.com\/?p=2157","title":{"rendered":"Some things simply suck"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dying-flower-sized\"<\/a>Everything comes into being, lives and then dies.<\/p>\n

Some live a long time, some a matter of hours.<\/p>\n

But we all come and we all go.
\nDepending on what you believe, there is something else waiting…or not.<\/p>\n

Like the old saying, you can’t escape death and taxes.
\nI guess we should add government spying to that list.<\/p>\n

The wife and I are saying goodbye to another member of our family.
\nToby was one of five puppies born so long ago.<\/p>\n

Almost 15 years, but it seems so much less than that.<\/p>\n

The dad, mom and one other have already passed away.
\nIt’s his turn and the others, living elsewhere, are close.<\/p>\n

The infirmities of old age have now grown to be more than he can handle.<\/p>\n

Saturday we take him to the vet and turn him free to whatever there is afterwards.<\/p>\n

I hope there is something.<\/p>\n

Yes, he’s just a dog and the world is full of people who are dying when they shouldn’t.
\nWe know the difference.<\/p>\n

But he was a member of the family and a year of extensive caregiving creates a bond that can’t be ignored.<\/p>\n

I hope it made a difference.<\/p>\n

The mind fights a battle with a decision such as this.<\/p>\n

I’m not against euthanasia.
\nI hope I have the option to consider it if my quality of life ever gets that bad.<\/p>\n

But for me – it would be my decision.
\nFor an animal, it’s still my decision.<\/p>\n

There’s a constant battle between mind and heart over what to do.
\nIs my assessment of his quality of life accurate?<\/p>\n

Does he even have awareness of quality of life?
\nIf he could talk, would he say “I want to live” or “Let me go”?<\/p>\n

I can answer those questions for myself when the time comes.
\nAnswering for anything, or anyone else, is tough.<\/p>\n

There’s a very thin, almost invisible line between it’s okay and it’s not.<\/p>\n

Life can be a bitch sometimes and this stuff has kept me up at night.<\/p>\n

On a brighter note, we are off to Vegas next week to either feed the retirement fund…or not.<\/p>\n

Probably not.<\/p>\n

Hopefully\u00a0I won’t be grumpy by then.<\/p>\n

Update (Saturday): After a long visit with the vet we all decided to hold off for a while. The little guy rallied over the past few days.
\nI’ve never seen an animal with a stronger will to survive.<\/p>\n

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