Wheatens In Need > Adoption Success Stories > Tributes > Duncan

Dear Gwen,

I know it's been quite a while since you've heard from me/us, but I'm writing to you today to work through some of my grief. This morning, almost three years to the day after he joined our family, Duncan woke up and could not get up.

My daughter carried him downstairs and he laid on the kitchen floor.  He started to heave, and we carried him outside and set him down. Again, he laid. Minutes later, we drove him to the vet, where they did a blood test and discovered he had a very low blood count. Suspecting a tumor, they did a number of X-rays and an ultrasound, but at 1:00 p.m. today, while they were attempting to diagnose what was wrong, Duncan's heart stopped beating and he stopped breathing. They later discovered a large cancerous tumor on his spleen which had ruptured, which is why his blood count was so low.

After Dr. Sutton's office called us with this news, we stopped by his office with the kids so everybody could cry and say goodbye, and kiss him one last time. We are having him cremated individually, so we can scatter his ashes on the land that we own in northern Wisconsin--a place that Duncan loved.

I know I have been remiss in sending photographs to you that you have requested, but now it seems very important for me to do this. So I have included several photos of Duncan with this letter.

In one, he is doing what he loved best--running up our driveway at the cabin, with a big smile on his face. This is where we will be scattering his ashes. The other photos are of Duncan with the kids: Katie is 12 now and Duncan was her special confidante. Whenever she had a bad day, or had things to share that she felt she couldn't tell anyone, you would find her snuggled up with Duncan, usually in her room. Ryan and Maghan are 7 and 6 now and every night, they would debate whose bed Duncan would sleep on. We eventually established a system where he would go up with whoever went to bed first, usually Meghan, but doors would be left open so that Duncan could *make the rounds* at will. When Terry and I went to bed at 10:30 or 11:00 P.M., we would shut the door of whatever room Duncan happened to be in because otherwise he would get into all kinds of mischief! His favorite was to sneak downstairs and eat the butter out of the butter dish!!

Another favorite activity of Duncan's was to go running with us. We often would run for 1/2 hour over the noon hour and about that time of day, if I would change my clothes he would be glued to me side. He would jump and squeal whenever I got out my running shoes!!

I guess the hardest thing about this, is that it came as such a surprise. Just last night a friend stopped over and when I went out to her car, Duncan followed me outside and came running up to greet her, staying in the yard as he always did. He was active and acting normal--giving NO indication that he harbored this sickness inside; no indication that yesterday was the last day we would share with him on this earth,. It is a blessing that he did not suffer long--at least to our knowledge. But it is very hard to accept that he's gone. I just needed to tell you that he enriched our lives
100-fold and was the best dog I have ever known. He was far more tolerant of the kids and their hugs and wanting attention than I would have been. My only hope is that we enriched his the last three years a fraction as much as he enriched ours.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this to you. Perhaps you will be able to use some of our story in your fundraising efforts. Perhaps not. But it seemed important to share this with you, who made the last three years possible.
Thank you again for the opportunity to know him.

I have also enclosed a copy of a poem my daughter wrote today about Duncan. Please feel free to use any of the information I have provided in any way to benefit your organization. If you need anything further from me, please do
not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you again, for giving us the chance to know him.

Sincerely,

Diane, Terry, Katie, Ryan, Meghan
The Berry Family

FOR TODAY IS THE DAY...........

For today is the day the I dreaded
For today is the day that I lied
For today is the day I remember giving you my apple pie
For this day has come
For this day is now
Today is the day that I lay you down
My love for you is never-ending
Just like the circle I lay down is indenting
For the sky above to the ground below
You were my big fluffy marshmallow
For today is the day I say goodbye
Today is also the day I want to lay down and die

TO MY DEARLY BELOVED DUNCAN MAY YOUR SPIRIT LIVE ON FOREVER
7/21/99

 

Last Updated 02/24/2004
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