Peabody Crosses Rainbow Bridge

I don’t know if my good friend Peabody ever had an easy day during his twelve years as a mortal dog.  I am sure he lived happily and peacefully in his early years, but during the past few, it seems that our friend had fought off the dementors trying to claim him for the immortal life every day so he could stay with his mom.

Peabody had a myriad of illnesses.  He has been on prednisone for four years and was suffering from the side effects of his needed medication.  He had trouble standing and had to be held up when he got baths. He had frequent bouts of diarrhea and vomiting.  He suffered from terrible allergies and arthritis. He even was hospitalized for licking antifreeze. If there was a medical problem that could occur, it did to Peabody.  

No matter what was thrown at him, Peabody put his head down and studied himself for the fight.  He was undefeated up to last week. That is the problem when you spend your life constantly fighting diseases.  When you win, the game keeps going on, but as soon as you lose, it is game over.  

Peabody’s final battle was against the dog flu.  He had terrible tummy problems with bloody diarrhea.  He woke his mom up at night; When she took him outside, he passed nothing but blood.  Blood is the source of our power to fight illnesses, and if you lose it, you don’t have enough strength to fight.  He also had no appetite. The vet prescribed some medicine, but the disease had too strong a hold, and on Sunday night, Peabody gave up his struggle and arrived at the Bridge.

You would think if someone who had fought illnesses so long passed, it would not be shocking, but all Peabody’s Doggyspace friends were surprised to learn he was crossing the Bridge.  He had been undefeated so long that losing didn’t seem possible. He was like the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. But, in the end, even the great ones go down for a three count.

Doxie, who had preceded her brother to the Bridge by several years, was the first dog to greet Peabody when he crossed over.  Doxie gave him a long welcoming hug. Peabody moved gingerly. It had been so long since he had walked without pain that he forgot what it was like to do so.   It took him five minutes of walking, stretching, and rolling until he understood he was back to feeling like a young dog. He gave out a little yip of joy.

The happiness he felt was tempered by the knowledge that he had finally lost a battle, and that meant he would not be his mom’s constant companion, which broke both their hearts.  Doxie took him to visit his mom in her dreams, but the sorrow is so strong in her heart that it is going to be a long time before she can recognize her babies’ presence in her dreams.  

Peabody has been an inspiration to any dogfighting to be healthy.  He fought several illnesses without ever complaining. He took his medicine and suffered the side effect stoically.  Since his mom adopted him, he only cared about her and would put up with anything to be with her until the last cell in his body could not take it anymore, and he passed.

The mortals around the world mourned the passing of another irreplaceable heart dog.  The clouds filled with the tears shed by humans upon their learning that Peabody had passed over, rained on us for hours.  Doxie and Peabody swore to walk the road of grief with their mom. They knew it would be a long walk, but they hoped their mom would know, if only for a few footfalls, that they were with her. 

Peabody’s mom let no expense stand in the way of her taking care of him.  She devoted her life to him as he did to her. Now, his sister Doxie has to take on the burden of a grieving mom herself, but she is more than up to the task.

In this time of people worrying about themselves, let’s not forget to save a prayer for Peabody’s mom that she senses him and knows she will never be alone.