In memory of my Maxwell

Thank you for visiting my memorial page. Your donation will help the ASPCA provide life-saving programs and services to millions of animals nationwide. Please join me in celebrating their life and pay tribute by making a donation to give abused and homeless animals a second chance at life. 

I have created this page in memory of my sweet, beautiful, proud, comforting best friend for life, Maxwell. He was my soulmate in doggie form.  I rescued him at the age of 3 1/2 from the Cleveland APL after seeing his picture on Perfinder.com, after seeing him, I knew he was meant for me. I was truly blessed on that day. He was everything to me. He had such a hard first 3 years before we found each other I promised him I would do anything and everything I could to make sure he was happy, safe, and secure. He did the same for me, and then some. He was so comforting, so loving. He enjoyed sitting in my lap, his stuffed toys (old and new), and chasing squirrels. I lost him suddenly on February 7, 2015. The worst day I could possibly imagine. I want to honor him, and I feel this is a very good way. He was a rescue, and I know he's looking down from heaven hoping his pals can find good homes, too. He deserved all the happiness and love in the world, as do all the other animals desperately seeking homes and a family. Please contribute anything you can to help the ASPCA do whatever they can to save these beautiful animals. They are a gift from God and deserve to be treated as just that. 

On behalf of myself and Maxwell, we thank you so much!

I am sharing the following story to also raise awareness of Canine Hemangiosarcoma. A silent, deadly killer. Maxwell was taken from me suddenly on Saturday, February 7th 2015. After a playful, nightly walk and a Busy Bone or two on Friday evening, I noticed Maxwell was showing signs of discomfort. He was walking around desperately trying to get comfortable. He vomited once, but the discomfort was still there. Concerned I stayed up with him and sat with him wherever he was. He tried so hard to sit in my lap, one of his favorite places. The next morning still no change, he did lay with me for quite some time as I held him tight. When I tried to give him a little fresh turkey breast, to see if he would eat, he refused. He grew more lethargic and I knew it was time to go to the emergency vet. On the way his gums grew so pale, almost grey. I was so scared, he is my baby, my soulmate in doggie form, and best friend. 

 Shortly after we arrived at the E vet, she told me there was blood filling up his belly due to a mass rupture and they would need to do more testing to see where, and what it was. After further testing, it came back that his lungs, blood tests, urinalysis, all came back ok. He was an excellent candidate for surgery, which was a necessity to save his life. So of course, my friend and I rushed Maxwell to the other vet hospital for surgery that same night. Upon arriving I met with the vet who would be doing the surgery. He seemed very positive and informed me of all the different scenarios. I was so hopeful at this point. Hoping and praying my Maxwell would be home with me in a day or two. I knew if they removed the mass, and after biopsy it turned out to be malignant, it would be a long, hard battle but I also knew that my Maxwell and I could do anything, defeat anything. He was so strong, so proud. Even when I adopted him at 3 1/2 at the APL, he stood there proudly in his cage, searching for love and a best friend, just like I was. I held onto the hope and as the Dr said, "We would cross that bridge when and if we came to it." At approximately 10:50pm they began his surgery. At 11:15 the nurse called me in. The Dr informed me that my wonderful Maxwell had 3 inoperable bleeding tumors on his liver. I begged him to help him, I asked if there was anything we could do, any surgery, any medication, anything. He said to me words I'll never forget "Some things money just can't buy." I couldn't believe it, I'm losing my very best friend. This amazing, beautiful dog that rescued me. Saved me, as I saved him. He was my comfort, my peace. I fell to the floor and just cried and cried. He said that it would be so painful for him, and that he most likely would not live through the night from all the bleeding. I went in to my Maxwell and sang our song that I had sang to him since we found each other "You are my Sunshine". I held him and pet his beautiful, soft fur. Then, we let him pass. The pain is still unbearable 12 days later. He was everything to me and I lost so much of me when I lost him. My life will never be the same.  As with my Maxwell, most people do not realize their dog is sick until the tumor ruptures. Both vets told me that I could have brought Maxwell in a day before and no one would have known what was to come. Like I said, he was otherwise healthy. More research, more awareness needs to take place to defeat this awful disease.