Unexpected Emotions on Artie’s Birthday

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Unexpected Emotions on Artie's 12th Birthday

Unexpected Emotions on Artie’s Birthday

Today is Artie’s 12 Birthday!!! I remember the day we adotped him so clearly! We were traveling back from Georgia with my parents when we stopped at a restaurant in Tennessee to pick up Artie from my friend. At 6 months of age, Artie was the last of his litter to be adopted. I’m not sure Tammy wanted to give him up, but when her female became pregnant again (oops litter) she decided she needed to find him a home. It wasn’t an easy decision to “take on” a dog, but we were quickly convinced it was the right one! Artie has brought us so much happiness, joy, and comfort. It’s because of him that we adopted two more Yorkies – Buddy (his blood brother) and Coby.

So why the mixed emotions today?

You see…although I’m so happy to celebrate 12 years of Artie, I’m also sad to report that Artie is spending his first birthday without Buddy. Best friends from day one, Buddy and Artie were inseparable. Constant kisses and cuddles, and never a single quarrel. But this birthday is different. Buddy is no longer with us. It’s been 7 months but the pain is still there and today it hit me once again!

Buddy passed away on July 8, 2020. It was the most difficult day of my life. He suffered with reoccurring bladder stones and had two surgeries to remove them (January 2017 and October 2018). Unfortunately, after each surgery the stones were back within 9 months. Hubby and I were so heartbroken! So after a tough recovery, we decided we were not going to put our baby through that pain again. Instead, we continued his special diet and medications in hopes that he would live comfortably for many years.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and at the age of 10 (two years after his last surgery), we had to put Buddy down. The timing couldn’t have been worse – hubby was out of town and due to COVID the vet offices were restricted from allowing people inside. Just as the doctor warned, Buddy’s uretha became blocked by a stone. After discovering he couldn’t urinate, I called the doctor to discuss options. The simplest option was to try flushing the stone. I immediately dropped Buddy off at the vet for the procedure. Within a short time, I was able to pick him up, unsure if the procedure was successful.

Regrettably, it did not. In fact, he was declining quickly. Unable to urinate, he was also throwing up and acting very unusal. It was obvious he was in pain, but he couldn’t tell me how much. With what felt like no other options, the best decision was to put Buddy down. Being alone, I asked a friend to drive me to the vet. We remained in the car as a vet tech took Buddy away for the last time – it killed me!

Unexpected Emotions on Artie's 12th Birthday

My last picture with Buddy

I always knew this time would come, but I didn’t think I’d face it without Dave. His plan is/was to hold our babies as they pass. As for as me, I’m not sure I want to watch. In this case, I didn’t have a choice. As for Dave, he would have been upset if he wasn’t allowed to hold his baby as he took his last breath. As they say, it’s God’s timing not ours and I have to believe this is true for this case.

So as you can see, this day came with many feelings for me. Buddy brought us more joy then we could ever imagine and we will never forget him. Artie has adjusted much better than I ever expected and I pray that he has many more healthy years ahead of him. We love you, Artie! Happy Birthday, Dear One

Originally posted on My Life with ABC 

Check out Buddy’s bucket list here. I’m pleased to have given him joy during his last years with us! 

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