Ole

Ole, aka Ole Canoli 2007-2017

My beautiful Ole, how do I say goodbye to my faithful companion and buddy who’s now at the Rainbow Bridge.
I remember the day we went to pick out my son’s Jeff and Thomas combined birthday present and I saw this adorable pale yellow, almost white Labrador retriever. My sons wanted a hunting companion and loyal friend and I felt they were ready. Who would have known that you would become my buddy as the boys were entering teenage years and would ask, “mom, can you take care of Ole, I’m running late from practice or hanging with a friend after school.” You were always my loving and my loyal friend.

The time came to pick you up from the breeder and we decided to bring you to meet your furry cousin, you were just barely 8 weeks old. Thunder, your black lab cousin, pounced trying to play but he startled you and in fear you shut your mouth and bit your tongue in half, so off to the emergency vet clinic at 9pm. The amount of blood coming from your mouth, I was afraid we wouldn’t even make it to the vet before you bled out. The vet told us we had 3 options, amputates your almost severed tongue, reattach the tongue and hoped it had regained blood flow and survived, or do what the vet suggested and euthanize you at the age of 8 weeks. We chose to reattach and hoped for the best. My prayers were answered when your tongue regained its pinkness and survived. You never did learn how to lap water with your misshapen tongue but you’d stick your whole mouth into the water bowl, close your lips around the water and chomp it down. You now barked like a seal because your tongue didn’t work properly, but your seal bark only made you more lovable.

Two years later my Ole was out playing with the boys and they got busy with friends and didn’t watch you like they should and I found you tangled by your collar, hanging from the chain link fence, neck bleeding. Of course it was the weekend so emergency vet again, surgery to remove flap of skin on neck that couldn’t be reattached due to the way it had torn. The vet removed the nap of your neck fold so now you had tight skin, like you had had a necklift.

You had scars but they made you who you were. My playful, seal sounding barker, who protected me from any man who ever tried to get near me. You must have thought I needed protection. You were my loyal and loving companion. I told you all my secrets.

You sat with me many nights as I cried when I was diagnosed with cancer. You sat with me with your head on my lap as my marriage ended. You were there whenever I needed to vent and you would look at me with your loving, nonjudgmental eyes.

My beautiful Ole, my Ole Canoli, my pale yellow buddy. As I saw you with labored breathing the day you passed away, I watched you change from a pup into a tired, old man and in the blink of an eye you were gone from this earth. I guess you knew that I had finally figured out who I was and that I was going to be okay, so God let you close your tired eyes and let you peacefully slip over the Rainbow Bridge.

I miss you so much Ole. You were supposed to be my boy’s birthday present but you ended up being my special gift. Rest in Peace Buddy, until we meet again. Love, Your mommy Mary