Woof Wednesday- Special

Hi guys! It’s me, Pete, the voice of Oscar the Beagle.

I have some news today and there’s no easy way to say it — Oscar passed away last night. I write it that way because he truly did “pass away.” He went to sleep and just didn’t wake up.

The family broke the news to me this morning. I wasn’t really surprised because he’s had issues with pneumonia and bronchitis. I really thought we were going to lose him in January. He was weak, struggled to breathe and when I tried to give him a little ice cream he turned his head away from it. WHAT?? THIS IS FOOD!

I am sorry that I wasn’t home. I would have snuggled with him last night. Priscilla said he’s been sleeping on or near my pillow for a few weeks. I hope he knows how much I loved him.

Oscar was my rehab buddy. I’ll never forget the day I came home after my stroke. I hadn’t seen the boys for a few weeks and they went crazy welcoming me home. He had his issues that slowed him down just like I did so we kind of understood each other. Cold rainy days were meant for snuggling on the couch.

My son Matt, Uncle Matt to you Woof Wednesday fans, reminded us that Oscar had a pretty good final year. He climbed onto the back of the couch and got a whole platter of fudge. He tore into Milk-Bone packages that were wrapped for Christmas. He chewed up some packages for Sarah’s Baby Shower. He tore into a package of Brown Sugar, discovered that Uncle Matt left Cheez Its in his room unattended and once ate a shoe box but never damaged the sneakers inside. He chewed into the cow manure bags and even tried rock salt.

He was a rascal.

Part of this was the medication he was on, Prednisone, that made a hungry Beagle even more hungry. But he needed that medication to breathe.

I’m going to miss my buddy. I already do. It’s time to file away his nicknames: Little dude, the Bagel, Oscario, Osky, Oscar Meyer Weiner.

Over the last few months I did notice that sometimes he would ask to go outside and once he finished his business ….. he would just sit there with his Beagle ears blowing in the wind. I would wonder what he was thinking. I think he was tired. I think he was pondering how much longer he could do this. I don’t think he was happy with what was happening to his body. Last night he just decided he had had enough.

I’m sorry I wasn’t there my friend. I would have hugged you all night. You always knew when I was hurting and would snuggle in just right. Thank you for the time you spent in my life. Thank you for the fun and the purpose that this blog gave me. Rest and breathe easy now.

I love you my friend.