GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Goodbye Romper.

by

John (PatriotPartner) and I lost a member of our family over the weekend. Romper was our oldest dog at 17 years, and his age was taking the quality of life away from him every day lately. So we had to do what was best for him…. but I miss him.

I didn’t know Romper as a pup, when he earned his name. When John and I met, Romper was about 11 years old and for an English Cocker that was getting up there. He had been blind for the last few years of his life and had serious trouble with arthritis. But he was also one of the happiest dogs with the best disposition (especially for an older dog) that I have ever seen.

Although he spent much of the time sleeping during the past couple of years, something is missing in the house tonight. Saxby, our black lab, will keep me company while John is away for work this week, but I suddenly long to lift Romper up and carry him outside one last time.

Despite his age and struggles, Romper stubbornly held onto life until the very end. He also rarely demonstrated if he was in pain, though we are pretty sure he was at times.

John gave him as much love and caring through the years as he had to give. I know John’s heart is aching and we both wish this day had never come. But we wanted Romper to have some dignity before things got too bad.

Goodbye Romper. Enjoy the boiled chicken in Heaven…. and we’ll think of you when we have pizza! Now go run around and romp on the clouds!!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Comments

  2. My sympathy to you.

    I know what you’re going through. Last summer my best friend, Herbie, unexpectedly died peacefully in his sleep. He was 7 1/2 years old and had been diagnosed with diabetes nine months earlier — and he was already totally blind.

    He was so brave and soon overcame his blindness.

    I think about him every day. And I still cry every day.

  8. I will miss Romper to. When I would go down to dogsit, he was a very large presence and all curled up smelling like Crackers and Cheese. John was very brave to be able to let Romper go romp.

    xoxoxox MOM

  9. I’m a new reader after following a link from Instapundit. I’m sorry to hear about your friend. A little while ago, we lost our friend, Pumpkin, a teddy-bear hamster. Though her limited interactivity and relatively short lifespan didn’t create a relationship like you had with Romper, I can still empathize a bit.

    Maybe you could round up more pics and stories and write some more stuff about him and post it to the blog or some external articles to help keep his memory alive.

  11. Everyone is being beautiful in this moment, but No. 8 said it particularly well — the heart aches for a person of character. For all of us who’ve been there, at that moment (in the vet’s office or at home) when time stands still, solace truly helps. Some will say “oh, but be thankful for Romper having 17 years”. That’s true, but every year, every day when you live knowing they’ll have to leave soon only makes the grief deeper when that final day arrives. I’m so very sad for you both.

  12. I know the empty feeling one has when a beloved pet dies. My wife and I are getting old now and over the years we’ve lost several pets and it never get eaiser. We’ve never been able to replace any one of them but we always get another one to love. I rarely comment on the the internet boards but I know how one feels when this happens and I just wanted to say that I understand the pain.

  13. I’m sorry, Bruce and John. I’m having to deal with euthanizing my third elderly dog in the past two years. I just found that my old Corrie is sick. I could not sleep on Sat night and cried the whole night. I realize that it’s mostly self-pity but, boy, it’s hard to let go of something so beautiful. The worst part is that the other three dogs adore her as the matriarch of the family and they will miss her too. I’ll say a prayer for you guys.

  14. With two of my own, your loss brings to mind the humility of the provisional nature of life. Seeing one with whom you share a soul pass is like a part of yourself dying, and we all face it at some time. My best to you and John.

    “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.”
    -Agnes Sligh Turnbull

  15. My condolences to both of you during this trying time. As a lifelong dog lover, it took me 15 years to get a new dog, simply because I didn’t want “Sam” to be jealous of another dog in my life. It takes courage to let a dog go…but it takes more courage to love another dog again.

    Romper knows how much you two love him. I say that in the present tense, because you will always love him.

    As Robert Louis Stevenson said: “You think that dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you they will be there before any of us.”

    Regards,
    Peter Hughes

  21. …the one who possessed Beauty without vanity
    Strength without insolence
    Courage without ferocity
    And all the virtues of man without his vices.
    The praise, if inscribed over human ashes, is but
    A just tribute to…a dog.

    -John Cam Hobhouse, on the gravestone of “Boatswain”

  22. As you may have guessed, I am reading from a dog calendar that is hanging in my office. The funny thing is that it is actually from last year – all the days of the week are off by one, but I can’t bring myself to replace that calendar.

  23. I just lost my own (although shared, and much beloved) boxer-mix. “Helping” him move on to that “better place” was the most difficult decision that I’ve ever had to make.

    Reminds me of that great line from “Steele Magnolias”, which I can only paraphrase: Yes, I should be happy (that he has gone on to heaven), but I’d rather have him here with me. I guess I’m just selfish that way.

    When you are praying for him, have him look around for my dog, Digger. He’s probably looking for a friend right about now.

  27. It is hard to lose a member of your family. Last year, I had to put down two cats that I had for over 20 years and, now, the apartment is so quiet. It is a very tough decision to let a loved one go; so, my sympathy goes out to you. But you must know that you did the right thing.