Looking back, I can see I have always had sun grins. Funny how you notice things like that. The first picture is my first dog, Helen and Mom. The top picture is me. The third is me and some one I don't remember.
Helen was given to me by Helen, therefore, her name. Mom said we got into trouble one day for pulling all the tissues out of the box. I was putting them back in and Helen was helping too. She would carry one over and stuff it in the box opening with her nose. I wonder if Mom used those tissues after that?
I was in trouble again, who me, I never did anything wrong to get into trouble! I think it was playing in the clay with my good clothes on, Mom was coming after me with a switch. Helen stood between me and Mom and growled! Mom was so shocked that I missed that whipping.
Helen lived to about sixteen. She was worn out. Sometimes, Helen would cry when she moved. I was home alone, when she started crying again. It was awful.
I called the neighbor and asked will you shoot my dog? Terry came and he was shocked when I handed him a gun. He said I thought you wanted me to give it a shot. No, I said, Helen is suffering and I can't stand it any more. Can you put her down?
I had already dug a grave in the barn lot and found something to wrap her in. I told Terry I had taken her out there and said my goodbyes. If you can wrap her and just throw enough dirt over her so I can't see, I can finish.
Of course, the tears are rolling. I cover my head with a pillow and never heard the shot. Terry came back, handed me the gun and said it's over, Gail. She went easy. I hugged him with tears flooding and went to the barn lot and cried on Helen's grave until Mom and Dad came home.
I told them. I know they were proud, although they never said a word. Dad's hand on my shoulder and Mom's sad eyes said it all. Helen was not suffering any more. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, making that decision.
NOTE: I know this may sound harsh to some but the times were different. You only used a vet if it was an animal that made you money, like a work horse or a cow. Dogs were special but they only got rabies shots. If your dog died, you got another one and life went on. After all, it was just a dog.
