Its been over a year now since Annie left us, but sitting and reading Rainbow Bridge brought a tear to my eye and my thoughts back to Annie, the most beautiful, strong, loving newfie that walked the Earth.
Annie was nine and a half when she left us and was in my eyes a most remarkable dog.
At 18months old, we noticed a small black spot inside Annies mouth that seemed to have appeared overnight. A trip to the vets brought the news we were dreading, it appeared to be cancer but more tests needed to be done. A week later we had the news, Yes it was cancer, it was malignant. The good news was that we had caught it early and we were referred to a vet who specialised in dental work. An appointment was made for the next day and we left Annie at the end of the appointment with the vet who would operate straight away. The operation was both drastic and horrendous, it entailed the amputation of her lower jaw back to the last two molars.
The next day came and we knew Annie had come through the operation but we were scared about what we would find. What we found was a happy 18 month old Newfoundland who had missed us and wanted to make a fuss. She was so unconcerned about the operation all our fears and worries left us. She wasn't bothered, why should we be. Eating was messy, drinking was horrendous, and the slobber you wouldn't believe. but she was happy, yes it took half an hour to eat her dinner and she drank water with a slurp that sounded like the opening to Queens "we will rock you" but everything was fine.
As time went on Annie developed a Thyroid problem and Heart Murmer it never fazed her, she slowed down but would get there in the end. She loved to sit out in the Garden at the front of the house and greet everyone who passed. She was a favourite at our local clay pigeon club and everyone loved her.
My wife Liz is disabled, barely able to walk and she uses a mobility scooter to get about, she and Annie would often go out for walks together. One day I was at work when I received a phone call, my wife had been taken to hospital paralysed from the waist down and suffering from exposure.
when I found out what happened I was amazed. Liz had been out on her Scooter with Annie, visiting a friend in a nearby village. The friend wasn't in so Liz had taken Annie up a single track country road with open countryside on either side. Whilst turning round a wheel of the scooter had come off the road, the scooter had overbalanced and Liz and Scooter had fallen into a ditch they were completely invisible from the road. This was at 3p.m. on a winters afternoon. Liz was unconcious and the scooter was on top of her. At 4.55 that day a woman was driving her car up the road when she was suprised to find a huge great Newfie sitting patiently by itself at the side of the road looking down into the ditch. there was no one with the dog and she told me that she thought it had strayed so she stopped, opened her door and called the dog. it didn't move so she went to fetch it. Only then did she see Liz in the Ditch. An ambulance was called and found Annie laid beside Liz refusing to move, they had to physically lift her out of the way. Liz had been in the ditch for nearly 2 hours with Annie sat at the side of the road.
It took Liz 6months to recover the use of her legs, the paralysis was due to spinal shock, without Annie, she would have died.
Annie left us at 9 and a half, the cancer came back and got into her chest, the day came when we went to the vets, stopping for a burger and Ice Cream on the way, her favourites. She never came home.
Annie rests now at the side of the pond at the Clay Pigeon Club, where she enjoyed her breakfast followed by a swim. This spring there wil be Daffodils and snowdrops on the spot to remind me of her passing. Its a year ago, the pain is still there, but so are the happy memories and Bell and Hovis ease the pain with all the love they give.
Yes its a ramble, but this is the first time I've let my feelings out about a dog I loved so much.
