12/31/2022
Gelato was my baby of 13 years. She stole our hearts the day my father brought her home & pretended he needed help with groceries; I opened the door to this precious puppy. Jelly loved to shake up her toys & throw them into your lap for fetch, make grunting noises & playful growls, put her head firmly on your lap to get your attention & sometimes climb right on top of you & nuzzle her head under yours. She was faithfully waiting at the top of the stairs to be a good watch dog & to greet you. Her favorite toy, Froggy, had more "surgeries" than we could count. She knew if she "curtsied" repeatedly she would get a treat, as that was her lunch/bedtime routine. Jelly seemed to be the Queen of the ducks as every time she laid in the yard, they all swam up the lake & circled around her.
We knew we were lucky on her 10th birthday as our last two angels were only 7 & 9 when they passed. Having a Golden is the biggest blessing, but you know there's a high risk of cancer. We discovered in early summer, she had an aggressive, inoperable nasal tumor. She was strong through radiation treatments & subsequent side effects. She had good days & bad, but tried to be her happy self. A pup that years ago tore her ACL & didn't let on for months. She kept eating & going outside even when she could no longer do the stairs herself & later when we knew the cancer was growing back. She survived the horrific hurricane, made it through hours of our 1st floor being under 5ft of water until I could carry her downstairs when a small patch of grass appeared. She surprised us all when she started climbing the stairs again, as if she knew she had to be stronger after Ian left everything in ruins. She celebrated Thanksgiving & Christmas with us & enjoyed her own turkey dinners. But 3 days ago, she told us it was time. I held her during her second seizure. She knew her family was with her, & her loving Dad & personal vet was there to take care of her in her final moments at home. Our hearts are shattered & empty, but she is at peace.
I've worried how it would feel working with other pets during/after her passing & am so thankful to have been with her in her final moments. It's been a hard week but good to stay busy & bittersweet playing with my amazing Gulfside family. Thank you for reading about our beautiful girl. I pray we all have a much happier 2023