Our Loveliest Layla Love

 

It has been a rough couple of days in our home as our beautiful, black lab, Layla fell severely ill.  After a few days at the Emergency Pet Hospital it is with immense sadness that her diagnosis was ultimately liver cancer.  Our very empathetic and kind vet in charge explained the options to us, which were only two.  One being, they would refer us to a doggy Oncologist to come up with a chemotherapy game plan, which Layla may or may not even qualify for because of her current state of illness.  The doctor explained to us that every dog is different and there are no guarantees the chemo will improve her quality of life, and could quite possibly make her sicker, not to mention, the suffering involved with such an intense treatment like chemotherapy.  David and I had to make the very painful decision to end her suffering.  We then had to make the heart wrenching process of letting our kids, Avery, Cassidy and Dylan know the very sad news.  Due to Covid restrictions, we were only able to visit her two at a time to say our heartfelt good-byes, masked no less, to our very sleepy and lethargic pup.  Our girls live very close by and were able to get there within minutes of our calls to them.  Dylan is currently skiing in Colorado and was heartbroken that he wouldn't be able to say good-bye in person.  While the girls were at the hospital with Layla, in a secluded little room, they were able to face time with Dylan and he too was able to say his good-byes to our Loveliest Love.  Then, it was David's and my turn.  After allowing the girls a little time, David and I arrived to be with her until the very end.  When we got into the car at 8pm at night, the Grateful Dead station was playing the Dead's song "She's Gone."  Of course that was another cry fest all the way to the hospital.  When we arrived, they were very busy and we had to wait outside.  Again, due to Covid, only  family members  of their patients who are having to put their pets "down" are allowed in the hospital.  We were ushered into the cold, small room with a big, cozy doggie bed, two chairs, plenty of tissue and our Layla laying on the cold, tile floor in the corner.   She had a blanket by her side, eyes closed, looking very skinny and sad, barely acknowledging us until I said, "Hi Birdie!"  With barely open eyes she looked at us with as much energy as she could muster.  Then slowly placed her head back down on the cold floor and closed those beautiful golden, brown eyes of her's.  It was heartbreaking.  Thank God, our girls were still there and they allowed us all to be with our beloved Layla...together, one last time, for a very brief time.  Then came the dreaded time of ringing the bell to let the doctor know we were "ready."   The doctor was as comforting as she could be while explaining the process that was about to occur.  They had an IV attached to Layla just above her right paw.  The first dose was to be propofol...yes, the very drug Michael Jackson died from.  As explained to us would cause a few moments of euphoria and then would quickly induce sleep.  Then was followed by a strong depressant that would slow her heart until she passes on.  It was very quick.  Once the propofol was injected into the IV she lifted her head, looked more alert than we had seen her in days.  She looked and saw David and me with our masked faces, but I know she knew it was us.  Then her head was back on the cold floor as the final dose was being administered.  It didn't take a minute before the doctor listened for our Layla's heartbeat to declare there wasn't one and that our beloved Layla had left us.  We left the ER, without our girly....it was almost more than I could bear as I went sobbing to the car....seeing all the other parent's of fellow furry patients in their cars, waiting for their baby's diagnoses.  We got home and our other beautiful, blonde lab, Ryder was anxiously awaiting our arrival and she was already sensing the horrible sorrow and the absence of her sister.  Whenever David and I would hug to console each other, she would run over to us and insert herself in between our legs, as if we were doing a group hug.  It is very clear she needs as much soothing, love and comfort as the rest of us.  Today, the day after, Ryder was laying next to David as he was working, it was right where Layla spent most of her time in her final days at home.  Ryder licked that area clean where Layla's essence was, like she was trying to grasp all that she could of her.  That too was heart wrenching. 

The impact of Layla's loss is immense.  But the time we were able to share with our "Birdie" is a blessing we will forever treasure.  Layla truly is an angel in heaven...one who will live in our hearts forever!!  RIP my Loveliest Layla Love!!  xo

**This video was made possible by my sweet husband, David.  He deserves all the credit.  He posted our tribute video with the following eulogy on Facebook:

Last night, we lost our beautiful black lab, Layla to liver cancer.  She was the sweetest, most loving dog and we called her, among other things, the Lovliest Love.  She loved to swim, to sleep belly up, to eat a stick of butter when we let our guard down or even a dozen and a half chocolate chip cookies at a sitting.  She loved to bark at the neighbor kids through the fence, but was the sweetest thing.  There was nothing like a good dirty sock or some drywall on our wall to make her happy.  Layla, you will be forever missed, but we are forever grateful to have had you in our lives!

***Here's Dylan's tribute via Instagram, equally beautiful and eloquent:

Today we lost the sweetest angel, our dog Layla. She brought unbelievable amounts of love, joy, and happiness to me, my family and those that knew her. I’ll miss her always being my friend when I would go down stairs for a 3 AM munch, when she would come into my room during a storm because that’s where she felt safe, stealing as much food off the table/counter she could get for the few seconds we wouldn’t be looking, and jumping into the pool and having absolutely no shame coming in through the doggy door and running throughout the house soaking wet. Wherever you’re going, just know you’re safe and I know you’ll be happy. You’re gonna have endless pools to play in, and all the food you can steal. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there to hug you goodbye for the last time, but i’ll cherish the last time I got to hold you for the rest of my life. I will miss you and your goofball-ness forever, and so will Ryder, Avery, Cassi, and Mom and Dad. We love you Layla, and we will miss you. Fly High Birdie.

Oh No!!  I wonder who did that??