by Colleen Voigt
Oh Patrick. I can still see your scruffy face the first night I met you. If it wasn't for us meeting at the Humane Society, they would have put you down. You sat on my lap and shook the whole way home. The only thing I could think of is 'what am I going to tell my parents.' You were a 10 year old grumpy old man but I couldn't leave you there. We let you in our lives. The first night you pee'd in my bed and I was angry but I never yelled. You became very attached to mom and followed her EVERYWHERE. I can still hear you bark and cry because she was outside and you were in. I can feel you cuddling by me on the couch and I can still smell your scent. We had you for a year before you decided to wander out of your yard. You got hit by a SUV. Dad rushed you to the vet and they gave you 30 minutes to survive but you didn't give up. You survived and came home a weak later with some brain damage. I was so happy to have you home. You enjoy the extra special teatment. Eight months later you became very ill. We rushed you into the vet. He did emergency surgery and found a piece of rubber in your intestines. You survived and came home once again. Within two weeks your condition worsened. We rushed you in again for emergency surgery. The vet told us there was nothing he could do. We put you down on the surgery table on August 31, 2000 at 1:15 pm. Oh how I miss you. Your food dish hasn't moved. Cassie and Samantha smell your collar knowing it was yours. Mom misses you more than anything. We didn't know how much you meant to us until you were gone. I am so sorry for putting you down on that table. I hope that you are with your first mom and I hope to see you when I cross that bridge. I love you Patty Cake.