BeaJay

by Sandra Goodliff
(Wingate, NC)

We lost our beloved Barney only 7 yrs. old. He was always a very large Boston with a stout, solid body and beautiful dark nicely shaped eyes (not the usual large rounded look). Oh, what a handsome, loving almost human dog he was. Barney was very hyper and even more so during a lightening and thunder storm which caused him to be on anti-anxiety pills of which nothing seem to calm him down. During a thunder storm I was sleeping too soundly and never heard him panting on the bed for so long. He finally woke me up and I stayed up with him at 1 in the morning. I finally got my husband up and we rushed him to the emergency room with a high fever and swollen throat as had happened in the past but not so bad that I couldn't get him calmed down again. Oh how I prayed that we would not get thunder storms or that I could lock myself away with Barney in a sound proof room. They kept him in an oxygen tent for the night and the next morning (Saturday) we brought him home as he was panting very hard in the car on the way home. When we pulled into the driveway I got out of the car and hurried into the house to go to potty and get Barney's binkie and things comfy for him. It wasn't only 10 min. when my husband came in crying his eyes out that Barney had died. I have not been the same since. I cry a lot and hope that time or a new puppy will heal my pain. I miss him so so very much. So my new puppy when I find him will be named Barney's BeaJay in memory of my precious Barney.
I wish I could upload a picture of Barney but I am in NY with only my laptop and the digital pictures are on the desktop which of course is home in NC. If anyone wishes to see a picture of him, please email me at esgoodliff(at)hotmail(dot)com and I can then easily upload one. Thank You

PS I wish he could have stayed another night at the emergency clinic but at $600.00 a night, that was just financially impossible. Barney had also had 2 surgeries when he was younger for nose related breathing problems. The surgeon then told me that Barney needed to lose weight for he would not live to be older. Oh how I tried everything possible with Barney and he loved to eat. He was always checking the Bulldog's dish to see how much food had sprayed out of his giant lips to eat. Barney even licked the sides and bottom of the bulldog's silver slippery dish for even the slightest taste of food. OH, could that boy eat!!! Barney had a good life.

ed., Here's an update from Sandra with some info that was missing in her first post:

My husband this morning read the letter I submitted for our Beloved Barney. He noticed that I entered the emergency fee but that I did not say that they called us and said Barney was doing good and that we could come get him. I was so very thrilled to be bringing Barney home not knowing that he was not ready. The emergency room vet when he called to see how Barney was doing and I had to tell him he passed away, He told me that "Barney was high risk". Guess they didn't want to tell me that.