My husband, Mike, and I got our dog right around the time we got married. He wasn’t a puppy, but a one-year-old fully trained, fully neurotic miniature dachshund. Charlie is still neurotic, but now 13. He just had surgery and is getting picked up today, so his care is fully dominating our weekend.
Weekend Things
The Elder Pet Years
Pet Insurance: Before kids we definitely treated Charlie like a child. After one hospitalization due to ingesting sugar-free gum and one emergency visit after an attack in a dog park, we purchased pet insurance. We have Trupanion. I can’t remember my exact thought process in choosing it over a decade ago, but I am pretty sure that it covering breed specific conditions came into play for our dachshund. US News does a good job of laying out the pros and cons of the options out there (Trupanion is not their first choice).
We haven’t needed it for what I expected - back issues - but we really put it to work this week. Claims were easy to submit online and reimbursement has been forthcoming. I did the math and it hasn’t saved us any money overall. It’s just dissipated the sickening cost of a battery of tests and one surgery over a decade making it a bit more digestible, if not palatable. Knowing what I know now, I’d get it again.
Preparing for the Inevitable: Each time Charlie gets a test, I prepare myself for the worst. And the worst part for me will be making the decision that he is no longer comfortable and telling the kids. We’ve helped a few members navigate these situations and it gives me relief to know I have the tools when the time comes.
First, there are some books that help with processing the news and opening up the important conversations: Saying Goodbye to Lulu, The Invisible Leash, and The Rainbow Bridge. Second, kids benefit from creating a memory box. There are options that are beautiful enough to be displayed, but even a shoe box works. I’ve heard firsthand how helpful it is to include collars, favorite toys, photos, pictures the kids draw, and even a letter they write to the beloved pet. Kids can and will come back to look at these things as they process their grief. I’m dreading the whole thing, but also want to be present for this unavoidable, if not awful, life milestone.
But luckily for us, that’s not this weekend. Instead we will be keeping it calm to keep an eye on him and enjoying some quiet moments at home.
Can't Live Without this week...
I have always been a big fan of soundtracks. I can still remember every word to every song on the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack from high school and in college I played Garden State on total repeat. There is just something really easy about the instant playlist they create.
Well, this past weekend I found a playlist that felt about as close to my desired weekend soundtrack as possible. Perfect for making pancakes or pulling out cheese and crackers to pretend we are classy before dinner. It was originally a Spotify station based on The Anxiety’s Meet Me At Our Spot, but I pulled off the songs that I definitely couldn’t have on with the kids in the room and saved it to play on repeat. It’s a good one.
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