Tribute To A Great Dane~ {This Moment} See Beautiful

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Sand Spring Chesapeakes

Tribute To A Great Dane~{This Moment} See Beautiful

Brynn is the brindle in the back with her sister Bousha in the front. Both have crossed over the rainbow bridge.

This Great Dane was a “Great” Dane, her name was Brynn. She passed over the Rainbow Bridge this past Tuesday just two months shy of her 8th Birthday from bilateral Osteosarcoma in her front legs. Brynn was owned by my friend and coworker Margret, I’ve know Brynn since Margret and her family got her as a little baby. Brynn was a beautiful brindle girl who didn’t have a care in the world she had a goofy personality that made everyone smile. She loved her big sister Bousha until she left her a few years earlier. She kept house with 2 small children and kept them safe each day. I will miss seeing this love at work each week. Godspeed Brynn, now you can run free over the Rainbow Bridge with your new legs and back that will never go out again. Peace and love to your family you left behind.

How does one See Beautiful in death? For this answer I went to Wikiquote and this is what I found:

Let us learn from the lips of death the lessons of life. Let us live truly while we live, live for what is true and good and lasting. And let the memory of our dead help us to do this. For they are not wholly separated from us, if we remain loyal to them. In spirit they are with us. And we may think of them as silent, invisible, but real presences in our households.
- Felix Adler, Life and Destiny (1913), Section 8: Suffering and Consolation.

The bitter, yet merciful, lesson which death teaches us is to distinguish the gold from the tinsel, the true values from the worthless chaff.
The terrible events of life are great eye-openers. They force us to learn that which it is wholesome for us to know, but which habitually we try to ignore — namely, that really we have no claim on a long life ; that we are each of us liable to be called off at any moment, and that the main point is not how long we live, but with what meaning we fill the short allotted span — for short it is at best.
- Felix Adler, Life and Destiny (1913), Section 8: Suffering and Consolation.

To me the honour is sufficient of belonging to the universe — such a great universe, and so grand a scheme of things. Not even Death can rob me of that honour. For nothing can alter the fact that I have lived; I have been I, if for ever so short a time. And when I am dead, the matter which composes my body is indestructible — and eternal, so that come what may to my ‘Soul,’ my dust will always be going on, each separate atom of me playing its separate part — I shall still have some sort of a finger in the pie. When I am dead, you can boil me, burn me, drown me, scatter me — but you cannot destroy me: my little atoms would merely deride such heavy vengeance. Death can do no more than kill you.
- W. N. P. Barbellion (Bruce Frederick Cummings), The Journal of a Disappointed Man, Chatto & Windus, 1920.

To live in hearts we leave behind
is not to die.
- Thomas Campbell, Hallowed Ground (1825).

The quotes were endless but I think these pretty much sum up my question on how does one See Beautiful in death. I believe a pet’s only fault is that they don’t live long enough. We would like them to live forever with us but in reality they can’t. As much as it hurts to loose a loved one I believe they die so we can experience a new journey in life. Hopefully we live a long life and in that long life we can have the companionship of many animals to teach us different meanings of life, show us different joys in live, walk a new adventure with us and that is where you See Beautiful. New adventures with new pet’s give us so much beauty to tuck away in our hearts to keep forever and ever long after they are gone. We are born with big hearts that never completely fill up so there is always room for a new being to share our heart with. When I write my condolences to clients who have lost a pet I usually always write “keep their memories in your heart and they will be with you forever”. The beautiful part in that is that no one or no thing can take those memories from you so a part of your loved one will be with you forever long after they pass over the Rainbow Bridge.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…

{This Moment} See Beautiful is a once a month Blog Hop, every 2nd Friday of the month. simply create a blog post that made your day, week, and/or month … inspiring you in Seeing Beauty. Blog Hop inspired by See Beautiful. We thank Sugar and Miss Lydia from See Beautiful.

We are joining the monthly See Beautiful Blog Hop. Special Thanks to Sugar and Miss Lydia from See Beautiful.

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WordPress Family Award

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Sand Spring Chesapeakes

Miss Harper Lee presented me with the WordPress Family Award. Please drop by Miss Harper Lee blog and see what this beautiful Golden Retriever has been up too. The WordPress Family Award was started by Shaun @ http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com. Here is a description of the award and the rules from Shaun:

Award Description:

“This is an award for everyone who is part of the ‘WordPress Family.’ I started this award on the basis that the WordPress family has taken me in, and showed me love and a caring side only WordPress can. The way people take a second to be nice, to answer a question and not make things a competition amazes me here. I know I have been given many awards, but I wanted to leave my own legacy on here by creating my own award, as many have done before. This represents ‘Family’ we never meet, but are there for us as family. It is my honour to start this award.”

Rules:

Display the award logo on your blog.
Link back to the person who nominated you.
Nominate 10 others you see as having an impact on your WordPress experience and family.
Let your 10 family members know you have awarded them.
That is it. Just please pick 10 people who have taken you as a friend, and spread the love.

I present the WordPress Family Award to these very special bloggers in no particular order. Thank you for your blogs that I enjoy reading. You all are so deserving of this award.

1. Misty Shores Chesapeakes Stop on in to see what a house full of Chesapeakes are up too, Cheyenne, Riva, Maia and Titian.

2. Jaspers Doggie World Stop on in and see what Jasper and Nellie have been up to and what tasty treats they have gotten to eat.

3. Tyler’s99 Stop on in and see what Mica and Lexi have been doing on their wood/waterfall walks.

4. Kirbys Dawg Blog Stop on in and see what Kirby has been up too, he is cute as a bug and has great videos.

5. Jones Natural Chews Stop on in and see what Flea has been up to with her hobbie farm and who got tasty treats from Jones Natural Chews.

6. 2 Brown Dawgs Stop on in and see what Thunder, Storm (and puppies) and Freighter have been doing with there hunt test training.

7. Heart Like A Dog Stop on in and see what Sampson and Delilah have been up too and if Delilah has wreck or gotten into any thing else in her house.

8. Long Life Cats And Dogs Stop in and see what the cutest kitten in the world….Pixels is up to.

9. Dogs N Pawz Stop on in where you can learn about dogs. Very good informative blog.

10. Talking-Dogs Stop on in and see what Jeffie, Rosie & Rudy are up to. She what kind of fantastic animal jewelry their mom is making.

I leave you with a picture of the love of my life and the start of my family “Norman”.

A Tribute To My Dad ~Part 4

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Sand Spring Chesapeakes

My dad was the rock of this family. He had a family, a career, great friends, hobbies he didn’t have a care in the world. He was loving life, until the day his whole life changed. That day would be 8/31/1989 when my dad had a mini stroke. With that stroke and many tests later the final diagnosis was:

Malignant hypertension

Bilateral small intracerebral infarcts

Renal Failure

Bilateral small polycystic kidneys

That was a whole lot of seriousness going on. The stroke really didn’t cause any physical damage but the damage was already done inside. All these problems were most likely brought on my cronic hypertension. Dad never went to the doctor. They call high blood pressure the silent killer as it rarely causes any symptoms until it is too late. This was the start of 5 years in and out of hospitals for various problems.

Since he now had kidney failure he needed dialysis. Back then they started with peritoneal dialysis. This was a dialysis he could do at home.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peritoneal dialysis
Intervention
Schematic diagram of peritoneal dialysis
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a treatment for patients with severe chronic kidney disease. The process uses the patient’s peritoneum in the abdomen as a membrane across which fluids and dissolved substances (electrolytes, urea, glucose, albumin and other small molecules) are exchanged from the blood. Fluid is introduced through a permanent tube in the abdomen and flushed out either every night while the patient sleeps (automatic peritoneal dialysis) or via regular exchanges throughout the day (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis). PD is used as an alternative to hemodialysis though it is far less commonly used in many countries, such as the United States. It has comparable risks but is significantly less costly in most parts of the world, with the primary advantage being the ability to undertake treatment without visiting a medical facility. The primary complication of PD is infection due to the presence of a permanent tube in the abdomen.

Setting up for dialysis.

I believe he had to do this every 3-4 days. He was only able to this type of dialysis until 5/20/90 when his intestine ruptured and he needed emergency surgery. Now the only option was hemodialysis.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hemodialysis in progress

Hemodialysis machine

In medicine, hemodialysis (also haemodialysis) is a method that is used to achieve the extracorporeal removal of waste products such as creatinine and urea and free water from the blood when the kidneys are in a state of renal failure. Hemodialysis is one of three renal replacement therapies (the other two being renal transplant and peritoneal dialysis). An alternative method for extracorporal separation of blood components such as plasma or cells is apheresis.

Hemodialysis can be an outpatient or inpatient therapy. Routine hemodialysis is conducted in a dialysis outpatient facility, either a purpose built room in a hospital or a dedicated, stand alone clinic. Less frequently hemodialysis is done at home. Dialysis treatments in a clinic are initiated and managed by specialized staff made up of nurses and technicians; dialysis treatments at home can be self initiated and managed or done jointly with the assistance of a trained helper who is usually a family member.

Dad started out on hemodialysis at Waupun Dialysis Clinic twice a week, as time went by he went to every other day. He would spend 4 hours sitting in a chair getting his blood cleaned. My mom, grandpa and grandpa would take turns driving and hanging out with dad at the clinic. The nurses loved him there as he has such a great sense of humor he was the life of the party on his dialysis days.

I don’t know how he did it but he managed to continue to work, thankfully he had a boss that understood his condition and didn’t let that get in the way of his job. He continued to do the hobbies he loved to do except he did have to retire from the Fire Department. He was on dialysis for 4 years, during this time my mom and grandma got screened to be live donors. My mom found out she had type 2 adult onset diabetes so they wouldn’t accept her. My grandma found out she was borderline diabetic so she couldn’t donate either. This crushed my grandma the most. She pleated with the doctors to let her donate and they wouldn’t budge. She told them that she lived her life and if something happened after the procedure she was ok with that as she had lived her life and she was ok with dying. Anything to let her son live a somewhat normal life. The answer was still no. I also tried to donate but I was only 20 at the time and the doctor said he wouldn’t accept me as I didn’t have children yet and having one kidney is stressful on the body so he didn’t want to take my kidney til after I had kids. If he only knew way back then that I really knew what I was talking about and I didn’t want children. I still don’t have any children and don’t plan on starting now so if he would of only listened to me. That is one of my biggest regrets.

On my dad’s bucket list was to be able to go to Las Vegas. In order for this to happen my mom had to find a clinic near where they were staying and set up his dialysis days. This was easily done and the trip was booked. My mom and dad went on their first trip out of the state since their honeymoon. My dad’s cousin Dick and his wife Sharon went with them. The toured Hoover dam, walked the strip and took in the sites. Little did they know it would be his last trip.

Mom and Dad in Vegas

Since I couldn’t donate one of my kidney’s to my dad I did sign my drivers license and registered with the state of Wisconsin for organ donation. I also am on the National Bone Marrow registry. I also give blood when I can. I might not of been able to help my dad but hopefully I will be able to help someone else out one day. I think everyone should be a part of organ donation as you can make a family in need very happy.

“Don’t take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here”

Yes I will Wisconsin Organ Donation Registry

Organ Donation.Gov

Wisconsin Organ & Tissue Donation Program

Be The Match National Bone Marrow Registry

Becoming A Organ And Tissue Donor Department of Transportation WI

American Red Cross

The Blood Center of Wisconsin

Read Part 2

Read Part 3

A Tribute To My Dad ~Part 3

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Sand Spring Chesapeakes

And then two young adults fell in love and became one.

This all happened on July 20, 1968. Maurice Ray and Renee Sue were wed.

These I Can Promise

Author Unknown

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart’s devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

St. John’s Lutheran Church

Wasn’t my mom a beautiful bride?

The Happy Couple.

They resided in a small town called Dalton. My dad was a electrician and mom was a stay at home mom. They started their family pretty sudden as my brother was born January 2, 1969. They named their first born Jan Lynn Bradley.

Dad and my brother Jan.

On November 18th 1970 came their second child. A daughter they called JoAnn Sue (me).

Ain’t I cute?

My Brother And I.

The Bradley Family.

They moved from Dalton to Manchester then to Markesan. They bought a house in Markesan and called it their home for the rest of their lives. They had 2 healthy children, a boy and a girl so they stopped while the getting was good and left it at that.

Some of my dad’s hobbies:

Dad was a member of the Markesan Volunteer Fire Department for ~19 years. He loved going to the meetings, love to make a difference by serving on the department and helping others out in need. I remember as a kid they would have fire fighting competitions and they would hang a empty beer keg on a cable between 2 squads and they would have to use the fire hose and water to spray the keg and get it to the opposite side. If they did then they won!

Dad’s pride and joy, his boat.

Can you spot me in the above photo? I don’t have very many pictures of me and my dad and when I scanned this picture in I noticed I was in it. Dad loved to fish. My parent’s had to save up to be able to buy this boat and he was so proud of it. I swear I had to wax it twice a year. On his off time we were always going fishing. My Grandma had land that a river went through and we would go there all the time during the summer months and fish in the evening from the shore. Then we got the boat and we spent time on the lake. We would go on vacation once a year when I got older to Hayward just so we could go fishing on the lakes up north because the fishing was suppose to be better “Up North”.

Men’s Slow Pitch Softball.

During the summer months dad was the pitcher for the Friday Canning Company men’s slow pitch softball team. When we weren’t fishing we would be cheering dad on at his softball games. He would have tournaments on the weekend that we would go to also. He taught me how to play, I went on to play after college with my girl friends.

Bowling Winners.

During the winter months dad and mom were avid bowlers, they were on a couples league and each on their own women’s and men’s leagues. They got my brother and I into bowling also. Dad and I entered a bowling tournament and we won first place. That was one of the proudest days. I didn’t continue on with my bowling.

My Birthday Party.

Another hobby as you read in Part 1 was hunting. Dad loved to hunt and he taught me how to hunt. I said since my Birthday was during deer season that would be my favorite time as I had my Birthday party at my grandparents house and I got to go hunting.

Old Hunting Tags.

The Bradley Family Older.

My dad was my best friend as I was growing up. He taught me a lot. I will never forget what a great father he was to my brother and I as well as what a great husband he was to my mom. We had our family up’s and down’s and threw it all it made our family stronger.

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

A Tribute To My Dad ~Part 1

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Sand Spring Chesapeakes

Side tracking from my Chesapeakes for a couple of blogs to pay tribute to my dad.

This is the first of several series A Tribute To My Dad. My dad is no longer with me. He left this earth on April 22, 1994. Even know it has been 19 years since he left me I miss him more and more each year. Time is suppose to heal all wounds but I tell you time hasn’t healed my wounds yet. Guess I just need more time. I loved my dad, he was my soulmate when I was growing up, I looked up to him and I believed that I was always his favorite (a girl can always hope and believe)! He left this earth when I was only 23, I was barely an adult and didn’t get to experience adulthood with him. This is one regret I have. I can’t dwell on the regrets so……. Come follow along in the journey of my dad’s life.

“ALL BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE”

It all started Feb 22, 1946 when Raymond Oliver Bradley married LaVerne Jane Froehlich. This was the start to a very happy family when two became one!

Grandma & Grandpa

November 24, 1946 was the next joy in Ray and LaVerne’s life. Their first son out of six children was born, they named him Maurice Ray Bradley.

Maurice Ray Bradley

What a cute little lad

This poem was written by dad’s Grandma Bradley when he was one year old.

Maurice Ray

There is a darling little boy.

His name is Maurice Ray.

We wish him “Happy Birthday”

For he’s one year old today.

His hair is soft and silky;

His eyes so big and blue,

He always has a winning smile

To give to me and you.

He is a happy little fellow,

And always full of pep.

We think he’s worth his weight in gold,

Our little house hold pet.

Grandma B

1946-1947

Grandma’s favorite picture of dad

After dad was born Grandpa and Grandma went on to have 5 more children. They had a girl who they named Judith, a Son they named Dennis, 3 more girls named Diane, Linda and Cindy their family was now complete.

The Bradley Family

The Bradley Family older

Grandpa and Grandma were farmers, dad started helping them out on the farm at a young age.

Dad on his favorite tractor

Dad did manage time to sneek away and do some hunting, hunting was his favorite past time. This was dad’s favorite hunting dog.

A boy and his dog

I used to go hunting with my dad all the time while growing up. He was a fantastic teacher and that was our time together. He taught me how to shoot a shotgun and took me pheasant hunting on my other Grandma’s land with our pointer then with our Chesapeake Trigger. He then taught me how to shoot a rifle and took me deer hunting on his parents land that was passed down to my dad. Deer hunting was my favorite time of the year as it was during my Birthday. We would pack up and stay with Grandpa and Grandma for the weekend. I had Birthday cake and deer hunting, can’t beat that!

I am blessed that I have the above shotgun a Model 12 -20 Gauge shotgun. It was his pride and joy and now I cherish it.

The Bradley Family as adults

Families are….

One of God’s greatest treasures and the

Embodiment of all that is important in life.

Families are a refuge

In good times and bad, a warm place

Of peace where acceptance reigns.

It matters not

What you do or where you are,

One thing you never doubt is your family.

The members are always there,

Arms ready to embrace with healing hugs,

And hearts with unconditional Love to share.

A family is a gift that’s never

Completely unwrapped, it is

A present for which each

Member is eternally thankful.

Thank you Grandpa and Grandma for such a wonderful dad. You raised him right and I am blessed to be called his daughter!

Stay tuned for part 2