Vina, Still in Our Hearts

Today, March 3, 2014, is the first death anniversary of our first family dog, Vina. A year ago today was the first time in so long that I was heartbroken and devastated.

Vina was a young dog; veterinarians estimated that she was less than a year old when we adopted her from CARA Welfare Philippines in October 2012. This beautiful rescued dog was in our family for only 5 months, but she easily made her way into our hearts forever.

She passed away due to complications from Ehrlichia, a blood disease that she had picked up when she was still a young stray. It’s similar to dengue fever in the sense that it can cause the patient’s platelet count to drop severely.

Vina was confined in Beterinaryo sa Fort (BSF), a veterinary hospital in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig for a week. Every time our family would visit, we would sit beside her crate and talk to her.  When she felt strong enough to stand, she would be let out of the crate and we would pet and cuddle her.  During one visit, despite her IV line, she tried to slowly walk out of the confinement area, as if showing us that she wanted to get out and come home with us already.

Each time I visited her, I spoke to her with tears streaming down my face.  It hurt to see her so weak.  It hurt to leave her behind, to not bring her home where she belonged. Still, I kept hopeful that she would get well.  She made it from the streets and into our home. She was a survivor.

Exactly seven days after she was brought to the vet hospital, on a bright and early Sunday morning, I received that fateful text. I had just gotten through the words, “We’re sorry to say that Vina passed away this morning…” then I broke down and cried. In between sobs, I kept saying, “Why?  She was supposed to come home! She was going to come home!”

When we got to BSF, we saw her laid on the examination table. I started sobbing all over again. I still kept asking why. I couldn’t accept that she was gone.  I was holding her chest, trying to feel her breathing.  I was stroking her hair and calling her name, trying to wake her up. She stayed still and lifeless.  She was really gone.

Together with Karla, Vina’s foster mom from CARA Welfare Philippines, we decided that we would bring Vina home and have Pet Valley Park and Crematory pick her up from our house for cremation.  Wrapped in a blanket generously lent by Pup Culture (where Vina used to play and learn), we were finally able to bring her home.

Maybe I was all cried out.  Maybe I was finally, slowly accepting that Vina was gone. I just quietly sat in the lanai with her until the staff of Pet Valley came and took her.

A week later, we received her shadow urn.  It now sits in our home, with a lovely photo of Vina smiling at us. I miss her, but I am thankful for the joy she brought to our family. As my son had said, and what we had chosen to put on her urn, Vina will always be in our hearts.

 

 

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