A Loss

It has been a sad few months for us at FBRN. We have lost a number of graduates, and, though the sadness of each loss is shared, we know that for our adoptive families the grieving is very keen.
Last month, we got a note from an adopter, now a foster mom herself, letting us know that her FBRN grad, Amy Lou, had passed away from serious kidney disease. Here's part of her note:
"Hi everyone. Very bad news. We were giving Amy Lou her home hydration. It
didn't really seem to help, and I was so concerned, as her kidney values
didn't come up after two days of hospitalization. She actually lost her vision yesterday - was walking into things,
etc. She also couldn't even stand up long enough to go potty. I called
and made the dreaded appt and at least was fortunate enough to have the day
off from my job. My husband and I took her in late morning and she
went to the Rainbow Bridge. I know that we have to accept it, but she is
only six years old. I think we both lost a piece of our heart and we will
never get it back.

I just want to tell you about my darling little Amy Lou. We adopted her
through FBRN in August of '05. We had 15 wonderful months with our little
love and I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world. She was such a
quiet unassuming little girl. She wanted to be included, but also liked to
stay in her kennel alone. She had some staring contests with my six yr old
Boston, but within a short time they became absolute buddies. My Trixie was
very upset and protective of Amy, knowing that something was terribly wrong.

Amy didn't beg for attention, but when I finally got a chance to sit down on
the couch, she was right there, begging to get up. She was too small to get
up on the couch and chairs and had to be helped. She loved to stand in the
kitchen right under our feet, hoping that something would fall. She loved
treats and I had to be careful, as she would refuse to eat sometimes in
favor of getting a treat. She loved our backyard and loved to dig. I
always went out with her and she would look back at me to see where I was,
and then run like the wind trying to get away so she could dig and do her
thing.

[Her foster mom] told us that Amy loved
to run over to an Armadillo hole to see if the Armadillo was there. The
first sight I had of her, she was running and had to be caught and brought
back to us. When we first got her, we were traveling across the country to
see relatives. We joked that Amy thought her new home was our 5th wheel.
She had quite a time thoroughly exploring our 5th wheel.
We loved all of
her frenchie snorts and everything about her personality. I was concerned
that she drank so much and checked it out with our vet, but no one seemed
too concerned. The vet that did her care seems to feel that Amy may have
gotten a uterine infection during whelping, and if not treated, they can
affect the kidneys in a very bad way. I know that we have to accept losing her. It is so hard when she is only
six yrs old. Our oldest Boston had to be put down at 14. However, we had
nursed her through Cushing's disease, and we could at least feel that she
got a full life. We also had to put down my darling little poodle in the
past, but she was 17 almost 18 and again, had a chance to live her life. I
wanted to have Amy for years and for her to enjoy every day. I've already
given the advice that you risk great hurt and pain when you love and that is
true. I guess I just wanted her to have a full, full life and six years old
is just too soon to go to the Rainbow Bridge."

The FBRN family joins you in your grief and sorrow over Amy's loss. She was so fortunate to have known your family's love.
The Frog Princess