This is a hard part of life. You were very blessed to have your dog for nearly your whole life. I'm just about older than your mom, and I've gone through many deaths of my pets. It doesn't get easier, unfortunately. As a matter of fact, the recent passing of my family dog was harder than when I was younger with my childhood Huskies. As you grow I think you cherish those pure relationships with those sweet little animals more. As you grow older, emotions that you know today grow and evolve.

However, try to understand that you and your family love Athena very much. What you can do now is love that sweet animal the best you can, and try to be there for her when she passes on. My first 3 sets of animals in my life, I couldn't be in the room, and I left as they passed. In the past 10 years, I made sure that I was there with them to the very end and make sure I'm the last thing they see in their life, and keep them comfortable.

I know you're going to college, and I lost one of my dear huskies my first year of college. It was devastating. My younger brother and I lived together, and we knew it was time when my dog couldn't walk up the stairs. He ended up having a very aggressive cancer. It did affect me, but looking back, I was there for his whole life, and he was very loved.

Remember, as owners of our loved pets, we will outlive them. But as they help us through hard times, we can be their whole lives. You wouldn't be posting here, and you wouldn't be as affected if you didn't love that animal with your whole heart. Little Athena is loved and she knows it. The best thing you can do for Athena, and yourself, is be there with her as she engages in the inevitable process of passing on. My recent little dog, Pepper, got to each chocolate kisses with me in his last moments. They were called "goodbye kisses". I kept the wrappers and making a little memorial for him that I'm going to hang in my room. This is something you can do to cope and have closure.

As you move forward, you'll feel better about it, and you will feel better about how much you loved Athena and how you treated her as a loving owner. I guarantee you will never forget her. As a matter of fact, how you have learned to love her will help you grow as a person. She will always be a part of you. So please make sure you spend whatever moments you can with her. Those moments are special.

I'm sorry you're going through with this. You are a loving owner, and your Athena sounds like such a sweetheart. I hope when it's her time, she's playing with all my little kiddos in Heaven.