Another Blog We Never Wanted to Write

To our 4-Legger family, it is with a profound sense of sorrow that we share the sad news with you that our beloved Piper passed away earlier this week after a brief and sudden illness.  We can hardly believe the speed or devastating outcome which has led us to this place.  

Many of you know that Piper was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of GME 6 years ago when she was 9 years old.  Piper’s GME was immune-mediated inflammatory brain disease and it affected every lobe of her brain.  We were told that she had less than a 5% chance of surviving either the intense treatment or the disease itself but the wonderful canine neurologist who assumed Piper’s care literally saved her life and gave us almost 6 years of remission from the disease.  We don’t know what combination of factors led to her relapse from remission, but in 3 short days - enduring 4 massive seizures, an aggressive attempt in the ER to halt the seizures and a steady decline in her functional status that each seizure caused, it became obvious way too soon that her little body was not going to be able to overcome the assault she was trying so hard to endure.  After 3 days, she let us know that she needed to go and though it absolutely broke our hearts to do so, we held her and loved her as hard as we could for the short time remaining.

Angela’s words sum it up best.  

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“It has been the honor of my lIfe to be Piper’s mom for the past 15 years and for Melissa and me to be with Piper as she passed.

In 2007 I told Melissa that I wanted a little dog to hang out with me, to follow me around, to play with me, and to be my best friend. She found me Piper who came to live with us on April 13, 2008. We very quickly discovered her intelligence was off the charts and I was in love.

I got so much more from Piper than I ever knew I needed.

To my sweet little Piper,

Thank you for filling my heart with so much love, laughter, and memories, and for making me a better human. I lived every day trying to be the person you thought I was.

You taught me so very much in your short time on this planet.

Trust. Empathy. Respectfulness. Loyalty. Love. Confidence. Courage.

Your battle with GME and being in remission for 6 years was a such a gift. I am forever grateful we had those extra 6 years.

You were the bright spot in every minute of every day.

I don’t have words to describe how deeply I miss you.

I hope you and Tobie are playing flinch, harassing Elmo, teasing Henry, and playing king of the couch with Gracie.

I hope Terry is making you braid treats and you have a zillion games to play with. I hope you have a thousand soccer balls.

I hope you have as many blueberry treats as your little heart desires.

I hope you are at peace.

Thank you for your unconditional love, for following me around, for hanging out with me, for playing games with me, for being my best friend, and letting me be your Mom.

I love you and I miss you so very much.

Your heartbroken Precious Mom”

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Piper joined her other siblings in Heaven as the last one of the original 4 pups in the 4-Legger pack.  We know that she is playing with Tobie, Henry Clay and Gracie and that she is now wholly-well, with no more pain and with a body that will never fail her again.  Our hearts are drawing strength from that assurance but our minds cannot yet comprehend life without Piper. 

Remember us in your thoughts and prayers and thank you for allowing us to share Piper and her siblings with you through 4-Legger.

Melissa, Angela and Bailey

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Winnie the Pooh