Black Friday

Black Friday is the day where my mom and I have started the tradition of getting up early and shopping the day away with each other. Yesterday was that day, but yesterday quickly became so much more. Earlier this week our sweet Copper (11 year old dachshund) started getting sick in the middle of the night and his breathing became very heavy. He continued to have a difficult time breathing through Thanksgiving day and into that night. His breathing was so heavy and quick that my family could visibly see his little heart beating inside his chest. My parents nor Copper got much sleep on Thursday night. My dad had been doing research about Copper's condition and his findings did not seem good. Yesterday morning at 9:00 am my dad was able to take Copper to the vet. What they saw was not promising at all. As it turns out, our sweet boy was experiencing congestive heart failure which was causing a build up of fluid around his lungs. My dad had to leave him at the vet so that they could do some x-rays and also so that they could try and get him stable and comfortable. Around 2:30 yesterday afternoon our family received the devastating phone call. It did not look as though Copper was going to make it much longer, if at all. The vet could've referred us to a specialist where they would have continued to run tests, but the results were very likely to be the same. At the same time, Copper would've continued to suffer physically. As a family, we knew we owed it to Copper to put it to rest and rid him of any discomfort he was experiencing. After all, he gave each one of us 11 years of comfort. When we were sick he laid with us on the couch and watched movies, when we were sad he sat with us while we cried, when we were happy he played and ran around with us, when we were feeling mad he loved us with the same unconditional and unfailing love he always had, and when there was no one else to talk to...he was there. I never could have imagined or prepared myself for how difficult all of this would be. I am sad and I miss him so much. My heart just aches thinking about his sweet face. I look at my sweet little Minnie and feel somewhat frustrated that she is not Copper (and I know this isn't fair, but it's how I feel right now). I love Minnie and I am thankful for her, but it just feels strange right now. My family is sad, each and everyone. We all had special individual bonds with Copper that no one else could understand. I am so glad that Copper is no longer suffering and I am going to try my hardest to cherish and remember all of the fun and happy times we all spent with him over these last 11 years.

Copper-We love you and we miss you dearly. Thank you for being the best brother and the best friend any person could ever ask for. You will be in our hearts forever!

Little Copper Mac McGuirt November 15, 1998-November 27, 2009