I wanted to begin my story with Ross's death, so that the reader is taken through the sad part of this
website first and then can enjoy the rest of it.
My beloved Ross Allen was stricken with something that made it extremely difficult for him to get up off
the floor and made it almost impossible for him to walk. It got progressively worse until he finally could not get up
at all.
This all began on Wednesday, 9/14/05, and by Monday, 9/19/05, he could not even get up to the normal position
that a dog would use to lie on the floor. He could only lie flat on his side.
I did the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life when I agreed to let the vet put Ross to sleep,
which is what he recommended. I loved Ross too much to allow him to go on
suffering.
I had prayed that God would lead me to the right decision and that He would give me the strength to go through
with it, if it turned out to be best for Ross to be put down. God certainly answered those prayers. There is absolutely no
way that I could have done what I did without God's strength.
I stayed with Ross to the very end, talking to him and telling him over and over that I loved him and
that he had been the best dog anyone ever had. I was lying in the floor beside him with his head cradled in the crook
of my arm as he was put out of his misery.
I had been praying that God would heal Ross or make it turn out to be something easily treated. I had prayed
that I would be able to keep my Puppy for a long time yet to come, but only if he had quality of life with no suffering.
God saw fit not to grant me the miracle that I had asked Him for.
I accept that God caused things to go the way that He wanted them to. I believe His word, and it tells me
that "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans
8:28)
When I was asking for that miracle for Ross, I was asking it of the same God who gave his only begotten
Son for me. If God loved me enough to do that, it is not reasonable to think that He would have refused to grant me my request,
had He seen that it would be best for me.
I now pray for God to help me get through this period of grief. It has been five days
since Ross's death, and I am still having several short crying sessions each day. This house is so empty without him! I am
having a very difficult time accepting that he is really gone.
Please keep me in your prayers.
Ross Allen had many friends among my fellow Jeep enthusiasts, since I always took him with me
when I went off roading with my Jeep. All of my Jeep buddies loved Ross, and they have been so kind to post messages
on the Jeep message boards that I frequent to offer their condolences. I have received emails, private messages, and even
phone calls from my Jeep buddies. Their support has helped me more than they will ever know. Thanks, all of you.
The picture below is the last good picture taken of Ross Allen and me. It was taken at Turkey Bay during
one of our " wheelin' " trips by one of my Jeep buds, Joel Werner. Thank you so much, Joel, for taking that picture! Little
did we know how important that picture would turn out to be.
