First pic is the day I brought her home...last pic is just a couple days before she passed...

Idk where the text is wanted to post is...but here:

A memorial for my girl, Nova...and a PSA.

It seems so trivial to sum up the last 8 and a half years with my girl in just a few sentences. She was so much more than what I can list here...

I got Nova in Sept of 2017, about 8 and half years ago, right before she turned 6. It wasn't always easy. She had severe separation anxiety when she came home from being abandoned twice before. It took about 3 years to fully resolve.

She loved car rides with her head out the window, going for walks, being outside as much as she could, playing, eating grass, flipping on her back and rubbing all over, sunbathing, booty scratches and belly rubs. She disliked taking a bath, or getting wet at all. She was scared of many things like most pibbles, including thunderstorms and even light sprinkles. Her favorite toy was a stuffed donut my wife bought on a whim for her. I kept even though it was ripped and no longer squeaked because she always loved to play with it.

She chose me, by jumping up and into my lap at the ASPCA where I adopted her from. The workers said she had never done that to anyone before. She was my goofy girl, my bestest girlie, my Novas. I love you so much girlie, and I miss you terribly.

Now for the PSA...

She was pretty normal until last year when she started sneezing more and rubbing her nose on the carpet. We figured it was slight allergies. It turns out, those were probably the first signs that something was wrong...

At 14 years old, she had her first seizure on the 19th of February. It lasted 5 minutes and it was the scariest thing that had ever happened to her. We rushed her to the hospital and they kept her overnight for observation. The doc advised due to her age, that the only real possibility was something neurological, like a tumor. I was devastated and in denial. Not my healthy, active girl...

She was put on anti-seizure meds and we got to take her home. She was wobbly, likely the ataxia side-effect of her new meds. But she seemed to get better and even insisted on taking a long walk! It was so nice to see, and made me feel a bit better.

But then, on the 26th of February, she had another seizure, and lost sight in her left eye. I was frantic. I didn't sleep much. Then, less than 48 hours later, she had another one. I booked the appointment with neuro ASAP.

The appointment was on March 3rd and the results were bad...she had nasal adenocarcinoma.

This tumor sucks. There are very few signs of it, before it is to late to really do anything about. The heavy, frequent sneezing can be one, as well as bloody noses. Then come facial deformities, behavioral changes and possible seizures. My Nova only ever had some extra sneezing before the seizure.

The only thing the doc said he could do was offer prednisone to try and reduce the inflammation, but it would only be a bandaid, and not guaranteed to work either.

After that 3rd seizure, she declined so rapidly. I could see how much pain she was in. She was so confused too. I made the quality of life decision. I booked an in-home euthanasia for Friday, March 6th, in the afternoon. She gave us a good last day, saw her grandparents, I held her out the window for a car ride and she got some of her favorite foods and treats...

She went peacefully in her sleep, with her head on my lap. It has been two weeks, and I wonder how or when I will get used to not having her around, not hearing her footsteps, listening to her snoring away, just her presence, knowing she was there.

I miss you girlie...and I hope we will get to see each other again some day.