So, at the beginning of May, I started playing catch up with our family blog (as I explained I use this more as a journal/baby book that I plan to print for the kids and less as a "blog"). At that time, my last post was from June of 2011. I did pretty good catching up through mid January but then I just stopped again. I didn't stop out of laziness but out of hesitation. We were at the point of our year where we lost our dear Murphy and I just wasn't ready to write about it. Honestly, I'm still not, but I want to move on and get us caught up and current, and so I'm not putting it off anymore.
The month of January was a hard one for Murphy. He was falling down a lot and we were having to pick him up by the hips and steady his legs so he could walk. We bought runners to make paths for him on the hardwood floors. Murphy had moderate hip displasia and arthritis (in back and legs). He had also suffered from epilepsy since he was 9 months old (but he had been almost seizure free for 2 years). He had been through so much but was always a loving and happy little guy. The weekend of January 21-22, he wasn't himself, something was wrong and I knew it in my heart. We made a vet appt for Monday afternoon and I was steadying myself for the worst. Murphy wasn't moving much. He settled on the floor and I brought his water bowl to him. I took out my camera and began taking pictures (the last photo below was taken that day). His vet appt was better than expected. The vet gave us a steroid to help him with the pain. He said that his muscle loss was pretty severe and that we should prepare to let him go within the year. This was a relief to us (although still very hard news) because we thought we might lose him that day. Throughout the week, the medicine helped him a lot and he was more of his old self. He was still slow but he didn't seem to be in much pain and he seemed content. We went along with life as usual. On Saturday morning, I woke up and pushed the alarm code to turn off the alarm (this always signaled to the dogs that it was time to go outside), but Murphy didn't move. My heart sunk. I checked him and he was breathing but not responsive at all. I held him and cried and John cleaned him up to take him to the vet. I said my goodbyes, hoping that although he didn't respond, he could hear me and know how much I loved him. John took him to the vet and they found a huge tumor in his spleen that had most likely burst. We could put him through surgery but there were no guarantees. We knew in our hearts that it was too late and that we needed to let him go. John said that it was very peaceful and he simply snored himself out.
We buried him in his favorite spot in the yard. It's a spot where the sun always shines despite the trees. Murphy loved that spot and we always referred to it as his "living room". We ended up making a patio there so we could sit and remember him. Pictures below.
I know this post is very sad and hard to read and so I want to end it with some of my fond memories or silly Murphy quirks.
- Everyday, he'd bark for his dinner. He was like a clock and dinner could be early but it could not be later than 5:30.
- He was always so happy to see you when you came home. You could sit on the floor and he'd run up and put his paws on your shoulders..a "Murphy hug".
- He loved Pizza....he loved it before he ever tasted it.
- He would "air lick" when you were cooking....like he could taste it in the air.
- Instead of belly scratches, he'd like his rump (end of his back) scratched.
- He couldn't drink water without soaking his ears that would get all crunchy.
- He loved being groomed and would prance around like little Lord Font Le Roy (spelling??).
- He loved ice cubes.
- He was a culinary connoisseur...he savored every morsel.
- He loved walks more than anything and would jump up and down when he saw the leashes.
- He loved little girls.
- His nicknames: Smurf, Murphy McMuffin, Murphy-Smurphy, Murphy Brown, Scooter-Libby, little lord fontelroy, Mr. Murph, there are more but I'm blanking right now.
- He didn't have a mean bone in his body but he was sometimes shy and we'd always say that he had a discriminating personality. We always knew that someone was all right when Murphy would go up to them and be fond of them.
He loved us unconditionally and we love him so much. He left a gaping hole in our hearts and we were all very sad (especially his brother Guinness). Charlie still asks about his all the time. We tell him that "Murphy is in heaven with Jesus" and that one day (a very long time from now) we will see him again. Till then, Murphy, we love you.
Murphy Howland (July 5 2003 - January 28, 2012).
Murphy's Living Room
