I’m spending Thanksgivukkah with Frankie. Which is a little crazy-making. It’s not the multi-cultural, multi-prepared feast itself that is mind-scrambling: turkey from Brushfire BBQ, latkes from Trader Joe’s, cranberry and turkey tamales from Tucson Tamale company, pumpkin bread pudding baked by my friend Rebecca, to name just a few of the meal’s highlights. I’m sure…
Saying Good-Bye to Frankie: The Gift of Knowledge
Right now — and this is subject to change at any moment — I feel like I have been given a gift. I have been told by a hospice vet that it’s time to say good-bye to Frankie, but not that there is a sense of absolute urgency. Frankie may be confused but he is…
Five Things I Want To Tell You, While I Can Without Sobbing, About My Dog’s Departure
I know it’s just a question of time before I will have to part ways with my sweet Frankie. I can’t predict how long we have — I hope months, but it’s hard to say. I can safely predict that there will be a period afterwards when I won’t be able to think straight. So…
Coping With Pet Loss: First, Permission to Grieve
It’s devastating to lose a loved one. It’s even more devastating to feel ashamed about your grief, to feel that you need to apologize for mourning. Unfortunately, when a pet dies, it’s all too common for owners to hide their pain, making it more difficult to get past it. That’s the subject of this week’s…