Our puppygirl Maya went into cardiac arrest on Wednesday (August 20, 2014) and even the excellent doctors at St. Francis were not able to save her. Evidently she had ingested enough of the skin cancer medication that her major organs failed. We had hoped that just the residual amount in the tube that she got into would limit the damage and give her a real chance at survival. She was young and strong.

The last time I visited with her, I got in real close and held her cool paw in my hand. She let out one of her sweet little sighs, and I’m hopeful that even under heavy sedation she might have known I was there. I can only hope that she felt comforted in some way.

We’ll have a small family remembering tomorrow after we get her ashes. We are in deep mourning.

Thank you for all the love and support during this nightmare. It has been humbling.

Now that her “forever home” takes on a different meaning, I’m remembering our first days with her. She was an extraordinary companion from the start, and we will miss her so very much.