Goodbye Eddie. Goodbye Shelby. Goodbye my dear friends.

In 2014 we said goodbye to both Eddie and Shelby within a fairly short time period. I have thought very hard about how to best write this and decided to write their stories in one post. While they were clearly individuals with their own story, for me their lives and time with us was so intertwined that I can't help but think of them as a pair. It was less than two months between saying goodbye to Eddie and to Shelby. And I can't help but think of it as an end of an era.

We adopted Shelby in June of 2002 at a shelter in Arkansas when she was roughly 6 weeks old. Her name was Betty Lou and she was part of a litter that had been left on the side of a road.

We adopted Eddie in March of 2003 at a shelter in Elizabeth IL when he was roughly 6-8 weeks old.

Shelby and Eddie grew up together and shared their lives together. During the majority of their lives they were best of friends. They couldn't be put into separate play groups at doggie daycare as they cried for each other. They snuggled on one bed when a second bed was right beside it. They could annoy each other with that minimal effort that comes with growing up alongside each other.

They were always in the same room at our apartment, they traveled in a pair even at home.

I know that in their final year they had a different relationship and I often wonder if they knew they were both suffering from terminal illnesses. I often wonder what Eddie thought when suddenly Shelby was gone. It was only weeks later that he passed away. And I wonder what Shelby thought about rejoining our family without Eddie.

One hot summer day I went to the office as usual. Shortly after I arrived I saw I call from Dan, which is weird, we rarely call each other during the work day. He sounded choked up, congested and said that his mom called about Eddie. Eddie wasn't able to stand up with his back legs. He said it was bad and that his mom was pretty shaken up. Now I am pretty often a rock during emergencies and was all business - it was probably something like what happened to Shelby when we were on vacation in 2012, just get him to the vet and they will get him the medicine and all will be fine.

A little while later Dan called back. It wasn't so simple this time. It was likely a stroke and he was not going to make it. I went to the bathroom to cry.

Eddie was such a dear friend. He wanted to be friends with everyone and greeted you with a smile. He was full of joy. Simply put, he loved life to the fullest.

One warm fall day we went for a family walk. Shelby was dragging behind me and threw up clear, foamy throw up several times within a few blocks. It was clear that she wasn't feeling well. Shelby had always had digestive problems and had spent the bulk of her life taking medicine. Dan and I talked and realized that she hadn't been eating much, even for Shelby. I noticed one night as she snuggled with me that she was extremely thin.

She would act better and then get sick again for a few days. Over the course of a week she deterioted quickly. We made an appointment with the vet. Part of me knew that this was it, part of me was hoping that it would be something simple and she would just need a diet of rice for a few days. At lunch that last day she didn't even come over to get bites from the kids or eat what dropped. I fell asleep during the kids' naptime and woke up while Dan was at the vet with Shelby and had this immediate fear that I didn't get to say goodbye.

We took the kids to the vet and said our goodbyes. It was so hard. I was heartbroken.

Shelby was a dear friend. She was a little bit introverted and reserved until she knew that you were a friend and she was safe. She loved to snuggle and to run through grassy fields and sunbathe. Shelby was a loyal companion.

With Jaime I wonder how long his memories of Shelby will last. It was a major life moment for him when she arrived. I mean, it was a big-huge-deal to Jaime! Jaime loved Shelby. He snuggled her, gave her his snacks, always wanted to go take her out, always wanted to hold her leash, said "good morning Shelby" every day. He forgave her for her faults and she quickly realized that he was an allie/buddy. It has been five months and when we pass by the vet he will start talking about "Shelby's doctor" and "Shelby very sick, had to say goodbye to Shelby" etc. He also has memories triggered by the pet store where we would buy her food. Sometimes these memories of his come out of the blue.

It is heartbreaking to lose a pet. They become part of the fabric of your family and are then gone all too soon. Shelby and Eddie brought so much joy to our lives and were part of a major chapter. They were part of so many adventures. They were true companions. They were loved so very much.

Shelby and Eddie were our family. We miss them deeply. Goodbye my dear friends.