[alaskayorkie]

This is a little on the dark side, but in my mind it illustrates what they can understand.

I recently lost 14-year-old Eddie after 3 rounds of chemo. When we started it, I knew, at best, it was a long shot and that it was probably going to make him sicker before it was going to make him better. I looked him in the eye and told him I needed him to fight. He made it through the first round and actually started doing better.

For the second round, they upped the medicine and I told him I still needed him to fight. He made it through the second dosage, but was weak afterward for almost a full week. With the third, more powerful, dosage coming up, I told him I left it up to him. If he was tired of fighting, I'd understand. I told him I didn't want to make him feel bad, and if he decided it was time to stop fighting, he could go and we'd meet another day.

He died in his sleep the day after his third dosage. I have no doubt he was fighting for me and left when I gave him permission.