Barney
Our Barney has lost his valiant battle with renal failure.
For 14 years our lives were enriched by the loving devotion of our faithful
companion. To say that we cannot describe the depth of our grief and loss is
an understatement. The joy he gave us was also immesurable. During
those 14 years and 7 weeks, not once did Magda come "home" (motorhome/5th
wheel, Lance cabover, park model, or house) without Barney lovingly waiting
for her. Barney never spent a night without either Joe or Magda being with
him. He loved everyone, unconditionally...whether it be 2 legged, 4
legged.... dog or feline...even a tarantula. He was a "therapy" dog
long before the healthcare industry recognized their value. He devoted
countless hours to Magda's Alzheimer's clients in Tucson. When
Papa was sick, he kept vigil by his bed and alerted Magda, day and night,
when she was needed. After Papa recovered, they took long walks
together. He walked next to Magda's walker and helped her recover from
knee surgeries. If she was sad...he was in her lap, showering her with
kisses, licking away tears. He helped Joe recover from two heart
attacks. He loved wrestling with Joe on the bed and burying his tennis ball
in the sand on any beach. He collected sea shells and loved sea
food.....heck, he loved eating everything....He and (daughter) Bernadette's
"Mikey-cat" had their own ice cream bowls.....he would wait patiently till
Mikey left his half empty bowl under a rug and quickly recovered it and
"washed" it out. He hiked with us, watched sea lions from the kayak. He swam
in the icy waters of the Pacific like an Olympian...often dragging to
shore drift wood three times his size. His favorite "perch" was his pillow
on the motorhome dash....surrounded by his "kids" ....he had 14
kids......they were stuffed toys given to him every Christmas by Bernadette.
He knew each one by name....Mousey, Monkeyman, Puki, Green Bear, Mr. Carrot,
Mr. Rabbit, Manitee....and so on. He would fetch the one you asked
for. He traveled from one end of the country to the other....to Canada and
Mexico....he was Magda's carry-on baggage on many flights....he was a born
traveler and loved new places. For a week he laid next to Papa in his
Illinois home as cancer ravaged his body. The night Papa died in April
2000, Barney kept vigil next to the bed, watching Mama. He followed
her every move. Last summer, he spent 2 months with her as she
recovered from heart and diabetic complications. He always looked for
Papa in his tailor room the minute he got into their house. There wasn't a
jealous bone in his body. His heart was as wide as the the universe. He had
cataracts and his hearing was diminished. He was losing weight.....but
we were not prepared for the diagnosis of "terminal renal failure" on May
18th. Dr. Beth was confident the 3 of us could still provide a good
quality of life for some time. The sudden decline overwhelmed us.
He had a "good" day Sunday July 3rd. We took him to a wonderful park
we discovered 10 years ago in Blaine, WA...along the ocean, near the Peace
Arch between Canada and the US. Next to the statues of Orcas, there is
a water fountain with a bowl. The inscription reads.."From Hank, the
water dog, for all his buddies who enjoy this park". Once more he drank from
Hank’s bowl. He perked up when a young lady with 2 female Shih Tzus came by.
His tail went up, he walked over to the smallest dog, gave her a kiss on the
face, tried to follow her as they left. He slept all evening and was
barely able to get on his feet the next day. He didn't eat or
drink. We had to let him go and once more we cradled him in our arms as Dr.
Beth helped him cross over…......He will live in our hearts and memories
forever.
Joe and Magda G.
