Jay Jay - My Geriatric Patient

I recently picked up "Marley & Me" from the Times Bookshop... a book about a man, his family and labrador retriever. I marveled at how many similarities in terms of the experiences and feelings we have as a dog-owner.

While travelling on the MRT, i was nearing the end of the book and as expected like how all dog-stories end, it brought me close to tears. Marley had intestinal obstruction but was too old to undergo any kind of operation, so he was euthanized to end his suffering and pain.

YESH... i was on the MRT! i snapped the book shut immediately when i felt my eyes welling up with tears. What would the other passengers think? this grown-up woman sobbing by herself in the mrt after reading a book?

well, that is me... i cry like a baby after reading sad novels. i should've known better huh? this kinda books with this kinda endings should be read at night in my own room so i can sob myself to sleep.

What this book made me realize is how fragile life is in an old dog. Jay jay is becoming quite a geriatric patient, what with his ear infections, skin infections, Bells Palsy. I can see his stamina and physique deteriorating very slowly. He's almost blind in one eye already due to the dense cataract and he seems to be having selective hearing loss already. (i say selective cos sounds related to food like the ruffling of plastic bags still perks him up quite a bit.)

it just makes my heart ache to know that in a few years' time we are definitely gonna lose him. I can't imagine having to go home knowing that Jayjay won't be wagging his tail at me. or go without stroking his back first thing when i wake up in the morning. It's the same for every single member of my family. My mom has gotten so used to talking to him everyday, bringing him for toileting and feeding him. He's become her favourite "child". Since she can't quite pamper her grown-up children anymore, she shifts all her attention to Jayjay.

Just can't imagine our family without our favourite member, Jayjay. I suppose we all will probably get on with life cos we have to... and that is sad, isn't it?