MaggieMae’s life did not start out so great. She was abused and ultimately abandoned on a townhome deck for several days. Our son-in-law had seen enough of this heart breaking scenario. One bitterly cold night he dressed as a Ninja and went and rescued her. She was cold, starving and living in her own waste. He took her for a warm bath and gave her her first solid meal in days. He immediately bonded with her. They already had two dogs and our daughter was not thrilled about a third. We went to their home to meet Bailey (name at that time). Despite what she had just been through she was so very happy. The proof was the light in her eyes and the rapid wagging of her tail.
The kids went skiing and checked their two dogs into the pet hotel and did not want to pay for a third so they asked if we could “dog sit” for them. Of course, we said yes. MaggieMae walked into our house for the first time and made it her forever home. She was happy and comfortable from the moment she walked in the door. I was sitting on the floor Indian style and she came and sat right in the middle. She did this every time I sat on the floor this way. She did this with no one else… just myself.
The kids called to say they would be delayed due to mountain traffic. I told her there was no reason to pick her up because she was already home. Our daughter later shared with us that her husband teared up and was sad that she would not be returning to their home. Yet he knew that she was in loving hands and he would still be a part of her life. To this day we believe our daughter asked us to watch her knowing we would fall in love with her. We renamed her from Bailey to MaggieMae Martinez. The name fit her and she had the same initials as me!
MaggieMae was my best friend. She was there when my human friends weren’t. Her love was unconditional and strong. She really was my therapy dog. We lost both of our dads and grandparents in the span of 5 years. With each loss MaggieMae was there to literally lick my tears from my cheeks. She would nudge me with her snout so that I would know she was there for me. She had some of the oddest rituals with me. For example, when I got home from work she would follow me upstairs, and while I would go the the bathroom she would come nudge the door open and sit close enough that she would lift her left paw up for me to shake….as if we were meeting for the first time. She would sit under my feet as I blow dried my hair…. just to catch the breeze. She was my supervisor when I cooked.
MaggieMae had four comfort/bolster beds in the house… five if you count ours! These beds were not cheap. She absolutely loved her beds!!! I spent the money because of how she had been treated as a puppy. I felt she deserved them. In her younger years she would jump up and always lay on Larry’s side which really ticked him off. That was a major issue between us. He did not want her on the furniture. Of course, anytime she had the chance to enjoy the comfort of it… she would.
MaggieMae loved our son more than anyone. When he would visit her life would come alive. Their bond was truly unbreakable. She would get up and stand at the door when she heard his car pull up. When he left she would sit at the door hoping he would come back. He would play with her, let her on the furniture and give her people food which caused arguments every time.
Her bond with her dad was equally as strong. They took a daily walk at 3pm. If he was in his office working she would remind him what time it was. He took such good care of her anytime she was ill…. which really wasn’t a lot. She had three major health issues in the 13 years we had her. Each time her dad would nurse her back to health. He was very patient with her.
Sadly, this time he couldn’t. We were told she had a mass on her spleen and air in the lining of her stomach which made them believe it had spread. She was also having neurological seizures. Through her eyes she told us that she had endured enough. On 7-17-17 we made the painful and difficult decision to set her free to run to Rainbow Bridge. We miss her terribly yet know that we gave her a final gift… freeing her from further pain and suffering. MaggieMae was a special pet and companion. Her footprints will forever be in our hearts. Be at peace MaggieMae. Be at peace.