Saturday, May 30, 2009

Bailey Outtakes - The saddest day of my life

This is a tribute to the best dog in the world. Words cannot express the sadness we feel in losing one of our best friends. It's tough to put these pictures up knowing that I won't be able to make more pictures with him anymore. He was a model dog, both literally and figuratively. He'd get so confused when I'd stop in the middle of playing fetch and pull out my camera and start clicking away at him. He just wanted to keep playing, but I insisted that I needed to photograph him just 10 more min. before we continued again. He was so patient. I don't think there will ever be another dog like him. He was such a huge part of Dave's and my life.
For those who did not know, vets speculated that he was suffering from lymphoma. To see him transform in the last 3 months from a vivacious, energetic, loving creature into an emaciated, fatigued dog who could barely stand on his 4 legs was mortifying. To witness the life being drained from him as he was being euthanized on the hospital table was probably the most heart wrenching experience of my life. Whether it is a dog or a human being, witnessing death right before my eyes was something that I hope I won't have to face for a very long time. To see his lifeless and limp body lying there just broke my heart. How could this happen to a dog that brought happiness into the lives of so many people. These are just a few of the countless photos that I took of Bailey that never made it into my blog. (To see other old photos of Bailey click HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

This is the most recent photo I have of him taken 3 weeks before his death.

And this is the last photo I took with him. I wish my eyes weren't closed.

Lying under the table at my In-Laws. Even in his sickness he tried so hard to be around people as much as he could.

Taken before he showed any signs of sickness.

Rest in peace Bailey. We will miss you very much.

8 comments:

  1. My dear wife, you do such a great job of capturing moments.

    Thank you for sharing your heart and these photos, and thank you for doing something so difficult that day for his sake and ours.

    Love you.

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  2. btw, picture #8 is my new desktop background. =)

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  3. heartbreaking! so sorry for your loss. i didn't know it was going to happen so soon. =(

    what a great homage to bailey. he was such a cute dog.

    hope you and dave find much comfort during this time.

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  4. :( sorry susan. i know how you're feeling... if it's any help- you'll never forget, but it does get better. hugs.

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  5. Our hearts are with you. I shared the news today with the girls here and we so wish we could be closer to walk with you through this. We know you are being well cared for and you and David our in our prayers as you adjust to life without the best dog! We miss Bailey. Isaiah wont let me take his Bailey out of his bed where he put it yesterday when I told him. He says, "Bailey sleeping. sleeping." We miss him and we love you both.

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  6. hey susan, it's nancy, maggie's sister. i really am sorry for your loss. bailey looks like he was well loved. have you ever read martha stewart's blog about when her chow chow passed?

    http://www.themarthablog.com/2008/04/paw-paw-i-will-miss-him.html

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  7. hey sus, thanks for sharing that, as hard as it was writing that. you, dave, and bailey are in my thoughts and prayers. looking forward to seeing you in august!
    luv,
    your cuz kelly

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  8. hi susan, i'm just reading this now. i'm sorry that you lost a loved one. all dogs go to heaven you know. i'm so glad you really got into photography when you did cuz you ended up with some great shots of him to remember him by.

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