To my Friend Jake

Dear Jake, 

Thank you for being my friend!

Thank you for showing me your love without saying a word.

Thank you for all of your help, yet never really doing anything.

Thank you for going on long walks with me. Here is a little secret, I enjoyed them as much as you did. 

 I loved watching you at the dog park playing.

Thank you for your enthusiasm when I picked you up from the kennel. And I guess I should say, thank you for breaking my heart every time I dropped you off there too.

Everyday I saw you, you made my day better. I was always glad to see you. 

And I was always sad to leave you.

My heart is broken Jake. And you are not here to smile at me to make me feel better.

You had a tough couple of weeks Jakie. You didn't eat and lost 7 pounds. Since your normal weight was 18 pounds.  You turned into skin and bones at 11 pounds.

Your cancer had spread to over 90% of your body, yet you always showed attention and love to me. You followed me around even though it was hard to walk.

And most of all, you trusted me.  I never lost sight of that either Jakie.

Yesterday, your breathing got much worse. Yes, for the past few months you labored with every breath. But still kept on.

Now it was much worse. You looked at me with panic. Like you were drowning. You were getting no oxygen my dear friend.

You had a look on you face and kept talking. You kept saying PLEASE HELP ME. We went to two vets and two hospitals.

I was your biggest advocate. I was not going to let anyone hurt you. But when you couldn't sit or lay down because every part of your body hurt from the cancer,

Then they placed you on oxygen.  But when you collapsed on the floor because your muscles were too weak to support even your fragile frame. It was time.

There was not much more we could do my friend.  It was just time.

Thank you for showing your love to me even in you last minutes.  I stayed with you and protected you after you had left us.

You will be safely buried in the next few days and I promise to visit you often. 

I know you are in a better place now. You can breath and run again. Heaven is a little better because you are there.

I will miss you Jake. I will remember our walks together. Ya wanna go for a walk?

Love, Keith