Georgina's Memorial
1994-2006
They say love changes you forever. That you’ll never be the same after a great love. I believe that to be true after the love of my three “children,” Val, Maggie, and, most recently, Georgina. She died in her sleep, next to her father, Adam. It pains me greatly. I mourn deeply. She was a spirited soul, a bit misunderstood, convicted in her beliefs. I miss my baby, Georgene. I’m not the same without her, never will be. She’s extra special, a beautiful soul that I had to teach how to love and trust. Her death has closed an era for me and brought up years of life experience that make me laugh and cry. For she is my Georgina.
Georgina was a good girl to her Mommy, Me, but she certainly had her issues. I taught her about love and trust, because she certainly wasn’t born unable to love and trust. She was abused, mistreated, and ended up in the dog pound, put under humane investigation for one month before she was available for adoption. I never meant to get her. It just happened. Georgene’s soul spoke to me and we ended up together. I had already had my precious Maggie Sunshine, the red border collie who I saved from death row at the pound, AND Val, my sweet, tough, stoic rottweiler. I didn’t need a third dog, but she needed me. We somehow needed each other.
I soon learned that Georgi didn’t like or trust most men. She would “hop-charge” and growl at them. She was afraid of stick-like things, like a broom or bat. She would run every time I went to sweep the floor. But Georgi slowly learned to trust certain people, some men included, and even had some good men friends she truly loved, adored and bonded with. When I first met Georgina at the gate to actually take her out of the pound, she did this little hop up and down. I soon after named it the “happy hop. ” When Georgina learned to love and trust someone, she would do the happy hop until her health started failing toward the end . She died peacefully in her sleep.
In August, 2004, I moved back home to Chicago, after living 20 years in Los Angeles, to be with my family. Unfortunately I couldn’t bring Georgi with me for many valid reasons. So she stayed with the male love of her life, and father, Adam, who she just loved and adored, trusted and respected. And he felt the same way about her. Georgi loved Adam’s two dogs as well, Hacker and Sheba. They were a compatible pack. Georgina’s last two years without me were very good, loving, fun years despite the decline in her back legs, the difficulty getting up and down, and the deterioration of her health. Adam nursed her well, as she was very dependent on him. Georgi loved life despite her struggles. She eventually stopped wrestling with Hacker and Sheba, and was just content to hobble around and enjoy being alive. A life she probably could not have had, had I not ended up at that pound and rescued her , and then a happy life in her golden years with Adam, who so lovingly and selflessly gave of himself to her.
The days before she passed, Adam said she wouldn’t eat, not even the “num nums” that she so treasured, and that she had been coughing and struggling more than usual. Adam slept on the floor with her and was up most of those few nights with her. The night before she passed he was up all night with her. He finally fell asleep at 5:00AM. When he awoke, she was gone. She died peacefully in her sleep. My poor baby girl, Georgene. Her body just said, “Enough.” And she passed to the other side, to doggie heaven. I believe I will see her again, along with Val and Maggie, who she is with now. It’s just so sad. Poor Adam, having to be and experience her death right there, so close. He nurtured her, loved and comforted her to the very end so she felt safe and secure, loved and nurtured, as content as can be under the circumstances. He was right next to her, holding her. Not everyone gets that. I hope I get that in my time of need.
I’m not the same since her death. It’s like saying goodbye to the past, to an era, to the last of my third “children.” It’s not just the death of a dog! It’s all the life experience I had during the years I had Georgina. I hate when people trivialize the death of a “pet.” It’s so much more than that! When I was ill, Georgina was the only one there with me…….the only one! For days on end. She would look at me with those eyes and she just knew. She understood. She was really there for me, like no other. I depended on her and she on me. I will miss her forever. For she went through much of life experience with me. I love her and miss her always. To My Georgina. Love Mom.
RAINBOW BRIDGE:
“Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine , and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but they day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together…….”
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