Zack

On June 21st, 2021, I had to say good bye to my sweet pup, and my best friend of twelve years, Zack. He had been diagnosed with T cell lymphoma after a few lumps started popping up all around his neck. By the time these lumps appeared and the results came back, he was to the point that we couldn’t buy more time without sacrificing quality of life for him.

We made the choice to give him palliative care and keep him happy and comfortable until the time came where we needed to say our goodbyes. As time always does, it passed far too quickly. We were forced to go from a happy and older but otherwise healthy dog, to a terminal angel needing help across the rainbow bridge because he held on for us in less than two and a half months.

Zack has been and always shall be my friend. My house is too quiet without his paws tapping around, him getting a drink or going to the door to be let out. Too lonely without having him here to greet me after a long day of work with a surprise item of his choice. Sometimes a shoe, sometimes a pillow, always a surprise. Too cold without this kind and loving pup by my side whether I’m in bed, on the couch, on the floor, in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter where I was, he was by my side. He was an incredibly smart guy who always knew how to make even the coldest soul laugh or smile. He was the most gentle pup I’ve ever met in my life, and probably that I ever will meet again. He was terrified of thunder and fireworks, but loved popcorn, snuggling up, and his toy donut.

Zack was put into my life to be my protector and confidant. Not simply physically, but to keep the negative things in the world from pushing me around. He truly was my guardian from the ways of the world. We shared every pain the world and our lives could throw at us, and I love this dog more than I ever thought I could love anything. My world feels so much darker without his light in it. But I know that when my time comes, he’ll be waiting for me, and we’ll cross that bridge together like we did everything else in life.

I’ll miss you sweet boy. Until we meet again.

02/01/2009-06/21/2021

Hug your babies, pay attention to even the smallest difference. It could mean the difference between a year or a month. For Zack, it was simply drinking more water than usual up until it manifested. Any little thing is worth checking out. Lymphoma was harsher on Zack than anything had any right to be.