Madrone Ledge Paddington

15-Jan-1991 to 17-Sep-2002
Perhaps the noblest creature I've ever known

In development: 07/28/02, 5:11:49 PM by MWJ; 9/17/02, 3:31:14 PM by MWJ,
10/13/02; 7:41 PM by MWJ (finally added photographs; surely the text will follow soon)

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We learned Friday (26-Jul-2002) that our friend Madrone Ledge Paddington (Bouvier des Flandres) has lymphoma/lymphosarcoma/lymphatic cancer.

Paddington died this morning (17-Sep-2002) at 10:40 AM. I'll be writing more about his life here over the coming days.

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Stephanie took our bouvier, Paddington, to the vet Thursday afternoon (25-Jul-2002) because we noticed his "mumps" lymph nodes were swollen; we thought he had an infection. The vet checked him and then teared up and hugged Stephanie for a long time. Biopsy results received Friday night confirmed her diagnosis: he has lymphatic cancer. Life expectancy after diagnosis averages 4-6 weeks.

So we're coming to grips with that, beginning the grieving process now. We've decided against chemotherapy; Paddington has always been a fellow of deep dignity, and while canine chemo is often effective in achieving remission, we're told it's certainly not dignified.

And after all, Paddington is a rather old fellow for a bouvier (11-1/2); we think we hear him saying he's preparing to die, and to please let him proceed. We are adjusting his diet and, for now, dosing him with Prednizone at the vet's recommendation to lessen swelling.

For the moment, he still feels mostly okay and eagerly awaits his walks. In the midst of heartache, we're trying nevertheless to be really, joyfully present with him in these his (what are likely to be) last days. We also imagine him saying, in his best Monty Python voice, "I'm not dead yet!"

I so earnestly hope for the animals-we've-loved in heaven. If indeed "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," then maybe that hope points to my evidence. To see and be with all this life's dear ones at once, unbound from chronos--now that sounds like heaven to me.