Conway

by Robin
(Goodyear, AZ)

Conway entered our lives in Reno, Nevada in May of 2005 and bravely left us on September 18, 2019. I chose him from a litter of five simply because he got up from under a nap pile of his siblings and trotted around the crate to potty! Instantly I knew he was the one for me.

I promised that day to love him and care for him and to never let him suffer. He cried all the way home in the car and didn't stop for several weeks. He didn't want to eat, so together we played the kibble roll. I rolled one kibble while he chased it, and the bonding between us began.

He would nip my heels as I walked about, listened to me while I vented, held secrets I would not share with another living soul, and he loved me despite my faults and imperfections, without condition or expectation of anything in return — except for my love. He held my heart.

I can honestly say that I cannot recall a day that he ever snipped at me. He didn't have an ounce of meanness in him, never even a thought of harming another person or animal. He was pure goodness.

Conway was very healthy and happy for 12 years, until the seizures began. They were terrifying to witness. Several times I thought he had gone right before my eyes. He was diagnosed with heart disease and placed on heart medication and diuretics. The seizures stopped and he did well for some time until his kidneys began to fail. The prescription kidney diet helped keep him stable for awhile.

We took him for weekly IV fluids placed under his skin for over 15 months. Eventually the disease progressed and he became nauseated. He quit eating on his own and, against advice, I blended his food up and syringe-fed him three times a day. Once in awhile on a good day, he would eat a plate of food and give me a ray of hope that he was improving.

He developed glaucoma and was on three eye drops. He took two heart medications as well as an appetite stimulator. Twelve doses of medication a day. His final few months were compiled of good and bad days, making it difficult to assess his prognosis. He was getting so, so tired and I began to sense he was hanging on for me.

It was heart-rending, making the decision to let him go. I knew it was coming, he knew it was coming. He would rebound and even try to play, continued to go outside for me, always tried oh so hard in every way to please me. But his kidneys were worsening and he began throwing up everything I put in him, including his medication.

I threw my head back and wailed in agony as I cradled him and he took his last breath. And that easy promise I made him in the car the day I brought him home became an unbearable, painful one to keep. My sorrow is deep, my heart is shattered but my love for him endures. Please pray for my healing.

Conway was known as "The Legend" at North Buckeye Animal Hospital in Buckeye, AZ. We were blessed to have such a dedicated group of professionals working to give Conway the very best care. They truly loved him. In his memory, they gave us a memorial tile that will be permanently displayed at the Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, AZ.

We love you, Conway.