On Christmas Eve, our cruising mate, our dog Mija was diagnosed as having Ehrlichia; a bacteria that is transmitted via a brown tick. The initial blood work and prognosis was very good. We were so happy to have discovered the cause of her weight loss and looked forward to getting her on the mend. Her next two follow up trips to the vet revealed that she was declining and not improving. We were referred to a surgical vet in San Juan, Puerto Rico where we went for further testing. The vet was very good but the services on the island are limited. The decision was made to give Mija a blood transfusion so she would be strong enough for a flight to Atlanta, GA and then on to the Athens Veterinary Hospital.
Vicky and Mija boarded the first plane leaving for Atlanta. Ed and Chula stayed behind to hold down the fort. Sadly the results showed signs of cancer and Mija continued to decline. After 5 days we were told they had done all they could for our mate and that she would be suffering very soon. On January 24, 2011 we let Mija sail into the sunset.
MIJA July 1, 2002 – January 24, 2011
Dogs…oh how they can work their way into your lives and into your hearts! On any given day we could be described as being slightly crazy about our dogs Mija and Chula. The thing is, after spending 24 x 7 with them after quitting our jobs, they became an even bigger force in our lives. Every thought revolved around them while we were cruising. Do we have the right paperwork for the islands, do they have the right shots, do we have enough food and treats, do they have enough water, do they need to go to the beach or for a walk, do we need to leave a light on in the boat if we will be out after dark, will that restaurant let us eat on the patio with our dogs…literally every decision we made seemed to be tied to a dog decision. We are not complaining…we adored their companionship…we are simply saying we had no idea what a big hole the loss of Mija was going to leave in our lives…more than any other dog in the past.
Chula is still our ‘love bug’! She brings joy to us every day. It is clear though that she misses her companion…her mate.
Before we move on to our next blog entry…the visit of my 86 year old mother!…we would like to take a moment to share some of our favorite photos of Mija from our roadtrip before leaving and while underway. She truly loved sailing and we are grateful she was able to spend the first leg of our journey with us and we know she is traveling with us in spirit for the remainder of our trip.
MIJA AND CHULA...AS A PUPPY, SHELL BEACH, TX
"OK....I guess she can stay!"
MIJA LOVED TO ROLL IN THE SAND, GALVESTON, TX
"This is great...it isthe shower they are going to give me that sucks!"
MIJA and CHULA IN GLACIER PARK, MT
"Really, I thought you promised me warm beaches?"
MIJA and CHULA IN NIAGRA FALLS BEFORE WE LEFT FOR THE BAHAMAS
"The weather is going to be warmer there....right?"
MIJA IN HER FLEECE WHEN WE FIRST LEFT IN NOVEMBER, 2009
“OK, we are now on the boat and it doesn't appear to be getting warmer!"
“OK, we are now on the boat and it doesn't appear to be getting warmer!"
MIJA AND CHULA IN PENSACOLA, FL IN DECEMBER, 2009
"Ah..., this is more like it, no, not snow, just REALLY white sand"
MIJA AND CHULA....FINALLY IN THE BAHAMAS, JANUARY, 2010
"Warm weather and champagne to boot. I think I am going to like this!"
MIJA LOUNGING IN OUR SALON
“You didn't want to sit here did you?”
MIJA RUNNING THE RAILS
"Let's hope the weather stays calm or they'll make me go in the cockpit!"
MIJA AT THE HELM
“I was the one with the sense of direction! What will they do without me?”
No comments:
Post a Comment