Royal Star Estates

April 12,1996 - April 25, 2008

My little Sissy girl.  What can I say, everyone loved Sissy May!  She was a doll of a Beagle.  She had that 'puppy dog look' perfected, hands down.  Sissy was with me through a lot in my life.  She comforted me, loved me, put all of her trust in me, and made me feel that I would never be alone again.  Sissy came a long way from her early days, in which she lived outdoors in a rabbit hutch, having litter after litter, suffering from food and environmental allergies on top of everything else, until I rescued her.  She was almost two years old then, and had had no training, no attention, and no love.  If you've had a Beagle, you know what a challenge they are to train.  In Sissy's situation (given her history), it was a nightmare.  However, we got through it, and got through it well.  At 12 years old, Sissy was such a happy, healthy, spunky Beagle that most people thought she was a much younger dog.

My heart was not merely broken, but shattered.  Despite my prayers, wishing, hoping, begging, pleading, cajoling, bargaining, and demanding otherwise, Sissy crossed over to the rainbow bridge mid-morning on Friday, April 25, 2008.

Something woke me up abruptly around 11:30 at night on April 23.  I immediately rushed out of my bedroom to find Sissy, drooling and stumbling around the house.  At the advice of one of my veterinarians, we started to wait it out, hoping it was a one-time seizure (the most likely possibility), and it would soon pass.  As time wore on, it become apparent that whatever was going on would not simply go away.  Sissy had a seizure, then another, then another, until they were only a couple of minutes apart.  My veterinarian agreed to meet me at the clinic at 12:30 in the morning, where he administered phenobarbitol intravaneously to calm Sissy's nervous system and hope she'd pull through this.  A few short hours later, I had to leave the clinic to head to work, though it broke my heart to do so.  At the time, she was resting peacefully - as she was when I visited her on my first break, at lunch, last break, and after work, where I stayed until the clinic closed and I had to go home.  Her breathing was even, she was responding to me (though somewhat groggily), and things looked hopeful.  I stopped by the clinic again on my first break Friday morning (shortly after the clinic opened), and things still looked hopeful, but she was taking an extremely long time to come out of that one dose of phenobarb she had received at 12:30 Thursday morning - 40 hours before.  Reluctantly, I left her again to head back to work.

Heartbreakingly, that was the last time I saw my dear baby girl alive.

I received a message at work to call the clinic (and where I worked, they would only pass on messages if it was an absolute emergency, which the doctor stressed that it was, and insisted they give me the message).  I called the clinic as soon as my supervisor gave me the message, my heart in my stomach, but still clinging to hope.  Perhaps it was good news!  Though, with the clinic knowing I would come by again at lunch, and they could give me any news then, I was terrified.  All it took was Dr. Irwin to say, "I'm afraid I have bad news," and I lost it.   

Her heart just gave out (though both veterinarians stated her heart, along with the rest of her, was in excellent condition - including all of her bloodwork they did Thursday).  Whether it was a tumor, aneurysm, or embolism, it was just too much for her little Beagle self.  This was utterly shocking, and overwhelmingly heartbreaking.  Sissy May was my best friend for many years, and got me through SO much.  I saved her over a decade ago, and she saved me many times over.  I know I would not be the person I am today if it were not for my Sissy girl.  She was my rock, my confidant, my shining ray, through several hard times over the years.  She taught me so much, and gave me so much more.  Try as I might, I could never repay Sissy for all that she did for me while she blessed my life with her presence.

I left work early to pick Sissy up and take her home, where we buried her next to the house on a hill where she can watch over everything that goes on and continue to keep the house in order, as she did in life.

And so, the Queen of the house (and my heart) is at rest, and I know she
will be watching over her kingdom, just waiting for the day we meet again
at the bridge.

I'll be your shoulder when you need someone to lean on
Be your shelter when you need some one to see you through
I'll be there to carry you
I'll be there
I'll be the rock that will be strong for you
The one that will hold on to you
When you see that rain falling down
When there's nobody else around
I'll be

Sissy May ~ words can never express my gratitude for all that you gave me