(VICT) Re: Chimette: AKA Met December 4, 1996 - September 10, 2007

  • From: "Ridge Euler" <ridge_e@xxxxxxx>
  • To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:36:28 -0500

Karyn,  know you are in our thoughts and prayers......and know that Met will be 
there waiting for you at the rainbow bridge.
Ridge and Buckley Guide/SD
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: metnme2<mailto:metnme2@xxxxxxxxx> 
  To: Vi-Clicker<mailto:vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:30 PM
  Subject: (VICT) Chimette: AKA Met December 4, 1996 - September 10, 2007


  It is with an enormous amount of greif that words
  could never fully contain that I let you all know that
  Met is free. I sat here last night and wrote an
  extensively long email to the epilepsy lists where we
  were a part of the community there since 1998 but then
  the shock and numbness wore off and try as I might
  today I have not been able to duplicate for you the
  way Met has touched my life. 
  Chimette was that one dog in few who despite not
  seeming right initially for public access work, not
  only proved me and many people so completely wrong but
  did so in the grandest of ways. 
  In the early days, weeks, and months we considered him
  my little disaster. Smile 
  But that little disaster changed my life in ways I
  could never begin to portray completely to all of you.
  He was adopted to be trained as a hearing dog but no
  sooner had I decided he did not have what it would
  take for public access then he began to change in
  amazing ways- he began to blossom, began to take on
  the world and above all began to do some of those
  amazing
  life saving things. He took me from someone who was
  merely existing rather than living and showed me the
  beauty that life had to offer. He brought me out of my
  shell and gave me back a side of adventure,
  determination, and independence. As my disabilities
  progressed he became not only a full fledged hearing
  and service dog with public access rights, but he took
  on the role of my guide. There could never be a better
  more intune dog as Met has been to me and all my
  numerous needs. 
  Last month when Met stepped out of harness but still
  wanted to be my service and hearing dog, I had no idea
  that in a months time he would be stepping out of life
  itself. This is such a scary uncertain time for me-
  losing my combo trained service dog has me uncertain
  how I am going to make it, but I love Met way too much
  to have made him live in the condition his body had
  faltered to.
  Many of you know that Met was a special needs service
  dog... that is one with his own problems. Epilepsy did
  not take Chimette from me. In fact he had
  been seizure free since November 6, 2003 (almost 4
  years)He remained seizure free through surgery in 2006
  a big feat IMO, through the horrendous effects on his
  weak blood brain barrier which was somehow
  re-triggered this past summer and even through the
  complete removal of his meds 4 days ago to give him
  the peace he needed from the torment his body was
  going through. Met had severe spondylosis where his
  lumbar and sacral areas were evidently fusing together
  and was in horrid pain that could not be stopped. I
  was told that spondylosis in canines was not usually
  problematic, but then Met was not a pet and Met does
  not have a habit of doing anything the *usual* way. He
  also had some serious issue going on that
  affected him with horrid anxiety, frenzy type behavior
  that followed the consumption of
  all meds and food until we pulled his meds and
  supplements for good a few days before his death. A
  risky venture, but a necessary one. Since Monday Met's
  system just really began shutting down. His hearing
  was failing him and he was downright terrified at
  times by the changes going on. His kidneys were also
  failing fast. 
  On Tuesday I told him it was time to rest- that he had
  been the bestest service dog I could have ever asked
  for and that I would be OK. He separated himself from
  me more and more as the days progressed, no more
  petting, no more walks, a level of confusion that just
  broke my heart.
  Yesterday with the help of his vet who returned from
  vacation that day, we set Met free in the side yard at
  my folks place where he so often loved to run and play
  and show us how rapidly he could water all moms
  plants.
  Though I know it was his time, it does not make this
  journey I have travelled these last couple weeks
  especially an easy one. He will always and forever be
  in my heart, be my sidekick. He has taught me so much
  about life, about animal health and above all about
  not taking veterinary information at face value. Any
  vet who had the experience of caring for my special
  man, came away with a vast amount of knowledge that
  you won't find in any veterinary manual. 
  Gosh my heart hurts so badly- I am so numb and I feel
  so lost... There was nothing anyone could have done to
  stop this from happening. We know they are going to
  die some day, but we just never expect it this way...
  people have questioned with me today if he could have
  gotten ahold of anything out of China but honestly I
  don't think that was the case- at least not in terms
  of food though I know we had struggled the last months
  to find a good solution for him. Supplements though is
  a topic that has me wondering... who knows though? I
  can't beat myself up over this.
  Met never got the genetic cancer that was uncovered in
  his family history when he was about 4 years old which
  truly terrified me. It sent much of his
  family to early graves. Tonight I imagine him with all
  his family, with his girlfriend and with my special
  tiels who went before him. This loss is just so
  unbelievable! 
  Run free baby boy with your full lucious coat and the
  ability to jump and twist and tumble without feeling
  anything but pure joy!
  Momma loves you  

  Karyn and Angel Chimette 
  *We Treasured the Moments*

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