Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Keyeagan by Dawn Donelson


This story is being written for my mother as it is a new pain that they are dealing with. My mother has always taught me to fight and to believe. She has tried her hardest to protect me from any and all pain. To see her go through this awful disease, bone cancer, makes my heart ache. I can't help her or heal her heart. I can only watch as she continues to believe but is so helpless.


Keyeagan, a 6 year old Great Dane, was diagnosed with bone cancer a year after my own dog had passed from this dreaded disease, and only a month after her 11 year old Great Pyrenees had been diagnosed. A disease that we all were hoping to have seen the last of has somehow grabbed tightly onto our family.

Keyeagan was the sparkle in my parents’ eyes. The new child, if you would, in the house. He went to bed with my parents and awoke with them. He proudly took his stance at his food bowl at breakfast and would enjoy anything he could convince you to feed him, without being caught of course, from the table.

Keyeagan always wanted to play but never quite understood his enormous size. He would playfully chase the cats and dart around the grandchildren as if they were road cones, being very careful not to bump them. He was the human dishwasher/trash compactor. Anything that was left unattended on the table would disappear without an ounce of a trace, leaving the plates clean and shiny as if they had been washed. He seldom got caught doing this.

As I am typing this, so many memories fill my head. Keyeagan did so many things to make us laugh. You know those priceless moments...

For instance, once my parents were playing badminton with their grandchildren and he was running back and forth trying to catch the birdie. If he got it we had to chase him around until he dropped it.

I can remember another time when we were covering the swimming pool. Keyeagan was watching and thought this large cover was going to hurt us so he leaped clear over the side of the pool on top of the cover to attack it and save us. Memories of those funny moments fill your head while at the same time break your heart.

Keyeagan was a protector, a cuddler and a joy to my parents. He was their happiness and there comfort at the end of a long day. Losing him has broken my parents’ hearts and seeing the tears fall from their faces crushes my own heart. Knowing I cannot stop their pain hurts but realizing that Keyeagan is not in pain anymore brings comfort.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I am so sorry for your loss as well as your parents. I lost my Marley to cancer last year, but his best friend, my brothers dog, was a Dane. The trouble those two found never ceased to amaze me. Time helps heal, memories bring fewer tears and more smiles. But always good to remember, so you do not forget.