MEEKA

Hi, my name is Judy, and on May 22,2000, I lost by beloved cocker mix, Meeka. Meeka was a frightened, abused stray when I found her at my husbands work in February l989. We live in Northern California and had experienced a rare snow fall the day Meeka and I met. I took her straight to the vet, and after receiving a clean bill of health I took her home. We bonded that night, actually we bonded that day as I picked her up and put her gently in the car. Meeka was my buddy, she came into my life when life seemed bleak, I was living in a new town with no friends, and I was living in a town I really didn't like. Meeka changed everything. She was with me constantly, I called meeka my protection puppy, if I was in the bedroom lying down she would be with me, if someone entered the room she would put her body across mine and let out a soft growl, she was saying don't come near my mom. If I was sick, she was at my side, constantly sniffing and checking to make sure I was ok. Every morning after my husband left for work, Meeka would be in bed with me, lying as close as she could get, and every morning she would give me a hug. When Meeka would go with me in the car, she would rest her paw on my arm, or if she saw something that excited her she would pat my arm with her paw, as if to say "look at that mom"!!! If I was bent over tieing my shoes she would rest her head on my back, and watch. Meeka was always in my lap or next to me in the chair. If I left the house when I would get home she would be right by the door. If I was gone 5 minutes or 5 seconds the greeting was always the same, pure delight and excitement. If I left the room she always had to come and find me. Our favorite game was what I called chase and run, and it didn't matter if it was in the house or outside, she could run like the wind. Meeka was afraid of toys, and men. We figure her previous person had been very abusive to her. Meeka was always in good health, she had regular check ups, she ate a good diet. In December of 99 she urinated some blood, so I took her immediately to the vet. Ultra sound revealed a tumor. I was absolutely scared to death. I was allowed to stay with her during the surgery, and was told by the surgeon that came from out of town, that she would be fine there appeared to be no cancer. Several days later tests results came back giving Meeka a clean bill of health, no cancer. So we came through our first health scare, and now everything was going to be ok. Meeka recovered quickly and life returned to normal. On May 21,2000 Meeka seemed depressed, it was very hot that day and Meeka was panting more than usual, I kept thinking it was the heat, but called the vet anyway, after talking to a vet I didn't know, it was decided that I would take her to see her vet on Monday, the next day. We were also leaving on vacation that same day, it was a vacation that Meeka couldn't go on, my mother in law had made all of the arrangements, it was also a vacation I didn't want to go on but felt obligated to do. Monday morning came and Meeka seemed better, she went out to the back yard with me and chased some quail, she ate her breakfast, and when I said lets go see the doc. she raced to the car. A check up and x-ray revealed pneumonia, with no symptoms I was shocked. The vet said she would be fine, he wanted to start her on iv antibiotics and some additional fluids and she would be able to go home that night. This is where my life changed forever, I had never left Meeka alone at the vet, we were leaving on this trip, so I asked my son if he would pick her up at 4:00 p.m. The vet said she was going to be fine, and he would give her some sedation and she would sleep most of the day, and he said don't worry. I stayed until she fell asleep, and then I put her in the hospital cage, gave her a kiss and said I'll call tonight and talk to you on the phone. She opened her eyes briefly and put her paw on my arm, I took that as "ok mom". 3 hours later Meeka passed away. I was paged by my son, and told to call the vet, at which time I was told she was gone. Meekas heart valve had ruptured and she died instantly, there's was no time for resuscitation. Meekas ashes are by my bed, along with her collar and a small dish with some of her hair. I look for her everywhere, and I hear her in every room, and in my heart I know she's gone, I just can't seem to except it. I have no one to talk to, my husband thinks I've cried enough, I have this big hole in my heart, and an even bigger void in my life. I'm really hoping someone out there can help me get through this. I feel such enormous guilt for having left her. Thank you for this web site and thank you for letting me tell my story.

We have some property with quite a few trees. This is why Meeka loved playing chase and run so much, because she could run and run, and when she felt like it she would hide behind a tree, or at least she thought she was hiding, her wagging tail always gave her away.

ONE OF MEEKA'S FAVORITE GAMES

One of Meeka's favorite games was to hide under the bed, (of course I knew that's where she was) and make me search for her. So I'd sit down on the bed and say" I wonder where Meeka is?" and about that time I'd here her tail thumping, and out she would come, jumping and happy, acting like she had just pulled off the biggest hide and seek joke of all time. It was so funny.