BRISTOL 1996-2011 - A MEMORIAL

Once again it is with great sadness and heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our beloved family members.  Bristol was not herself over the past couple of months but we could never put our finger on it despite several vet check-ups.  This past Sunday she was her lively self (or so we thought) but on Monday she completely quit eating and drinking and stayed under the bed without moving.  Today Debbie came home at lunch to find no change so she got her a walk-in appointment at 3:30 at the vet.  When Debbie came home at 3:00 to pick her up she knew the end was near - Bristol was now breathing through the mouth and her tongue was out - just like Mavey in his final hours nine months before.  We knew then what we had to do.  Having lost Mavey under similar circumstances in October we knew putting her to sleep was the best for her (The Final Battle - see Mavey blog).  So, at about 4:30 on 5 July 2011, Bristol went to join Mavey.  Bristol is also buried next to Mavey in our back yard (pictures tomorrow).

What can you say about Bristol - or as I affectionately liked to call her - Psycho.  She was lively to say the least and was known to back a German Shephard up in a corner - not to mention a few hundred people and the local squirrels and racoons.  She had her own special warning signs plastered to the side of her kennel and her vet records ran red with further warning signs.  When we did take Bristol in for vet appointments it was sort of comical (at least for Debbie and I) to watch what transpired.  If the attending assistant or vet hadn't seen Bristol before they surely noticed the warning signs plastered everywhere and took several double-takes when looking eye-to-eye with her - almost as if to say "Really?  She doesn't look that rabid."  If she had to go to the back they doned gloves and a heavy towel in order to pick her up.  What can you say - she was who she was - and we loved her.

To most everyone who really knew her, Bristol was a sweetie but you never really took your eye off of her just in case she was in one of her 'moods.'  But Debbie, of course, and I were immuned to her moods and took it in stride.  Lately Bristol took to following me to the couch and when I laid down, there she was saying "Okay, don't just lay there, pick my #$% up and be quick about it."  I did as I was 'ordered' and she would then proceed to knead me and lay down across my chest or around my neck and go to sleep.  I dared not move - at least not quickly.

Like Mavey, Bristol enjoyed going outside and on good days she would sit by the door waiting for someone to open it and when it was opened she would dart out like she had pulled a fast one on you.  If we let her, she would have stayed outside forever.  She liked to scamper between the back yard deck and the front porch but she never wandered far no matter what.

We will miss her terribly of course but she is in a better place and is not suffering.  Like the 'Final Battle' says under Mavey's blog, she fought valiantly but in the end, the disease was too much for her to bear.

Bristol - we love you and miss you - say hi to Mavey for us!

  

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