This past Sunday, I had to say goodbye to my best friend for the past 9 years, my Golden Retriever, Beau. Since I was a teenager, I have always wanted a Golden Retriever. I was attracted not only to their physical beauty, but their reputation for having a very gentle and loving dispostion. Well, after years of waiting, I finally received my Golden in September of 1997. He was a gift from my husband, the best gift he had ever given me. The best gift I had every received. I named him Beau, which I believe means beautiful boy in French (my last name is a French name, so I thought the name Beau to be particularly perfect for my beautiful boy). Well, Beau certainly met my expectations and more. He was very sweet and loyal. My husband and I have three children, but somehow Beau knew that he was my dog. Wherever I went, Beau would follow. When I sat, he lay at my feet. He thrived on affection, which was easy to provide. If you were petting him and stopped for a moment, he would nudge your hand as if to say "please don't stop". No dog, or person for that matter, has ever made me feel so unconditionally loved. He was my constant companion when I was at home, and when I returned from work, he would meet me at the door with his tail wagging.

Until this past week, when I began to notice a decline in his energy. He just didn't seem to be his normal self. He seemed sad or tired some days, and occasionally would not eat his morning biscuit, which he usually recieved with much gusto. And when he stopped greeting me at the door, I knew something wasn't right. Then Sunday morning, I let him out to relieve himself. Normally he comes right back, wanting to be with me in the house. But this particular morning, he did not return. I went out looking for him and he was laying in the flower bed in the mulch, something he never did before. My son noticed that his gums were pale. I called the vet and they said to bring him in as his symptoms sounded serious. So my son and I drove him to the vet. They said he was very sick, not getting enough oxygen for some reason and wanted to do blood work and x-rays. They sent us home and said they would call when they knew more. Well, by the time we arrived home, they had called and talked to my husband. The xray revealed a football sized tumor on his spleen. My cherished Beau had cancer. They said they could do surgery on Monday, but that he was so weak, he may not make it through the surgery. I was faced with one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made, but in the end, I could not stand to have my BoBo (my favorite nickname for him) suffer one more day. My husband and three children accompanied me back to the vet office, and we said our goodbyes. Beau had been by my side, literally, through good times and bad times for the past 9 years and I knew I could not let him die without me by his side. I let my husband and children decide for themselves. The children chose to stay, and the four of us gathered around him, petting him and talking to him as he was euthanized. He will be cremated tomorrow and we will keep his ashes in our home, and forever keep him in our hearts.