Trixie Girl
Trixie girl is gone. She was Thaththi’s companion for 12+ years and lived 5 months more once he had passed, with my friend Andy. I miss her terribly but she was old, sick and suffering and it was her time to go. We put her down because it was the merciful thing to do.
I can still smell her doggy smell – that warm comfort I had known for 13 years on numerous visits to Thaththi’s. Trixie was such a happy, joyful dog. She was so friendly that Thaththi used to jokingly say that she would be greeting any robbers. Her vigour, joy for life and loving eyes and smile will live on in many people’s memories.
What is hard is accepting that dogs come into our lives for only a short period of time. Trixie was rescued by Thaththi when she was a puppy and the water monitor lizards were eyeing her on the road where she had been dumped. He took her in, gave her a home and she in turn became his constant companion. Trixie lived through all of Thaththi’s medical episodes which began 11 years ago; she was constant through it all and was his reason for living especially towards the end.
3 years ago, I discovered the lump on Trixie’s belly during one of her numerous belly rub sessions. The vets confirmed it to be cancer and with her age, it was advised to not operate but let it be. This was funnily after Thaththi’s most serious medical episode where we thought he would not make it. From there we knew, his time was not long and for Trixie, it was the same too.
When Thaththi fell sick last October and was going into hospital, I told him, don’t worry, we will take care of Trixie. And for a month the neighbours’ fed her while she stayed alone at his place. When Thaththi passed, she stayed under his bed – like she knew that he was no more. We were anyway looking for people to take her in and my friend Andy who lives close to me, said she would take her. I warned her that Trixie did not have long but Andy very generously still agreed.
Trixie fitted in well with Andy’s household and befriended Soot, the 8 year old lord of the manor who they said was never welcoming of any other dogs. Trixie being the older one had a good time bossing Soot and the little kitten Kitler who came along around the same time. Trixie never had puppies but her maternal instinct was invoked by Kitler till he grew a little too big and annoying for Trixie. This feisty side of Trixie I had not seen, but then again, she was always alone with my dad who was quite the Alpha male in that sense. Funnily, Trixie’s favoured spot in the house was under Andy’s bar counter – considering my father’s preferred poison, it was quite interesting that she chose that spot.
When Trixie fell ill this time, we knew that her end was near. She was slowly fading and it was heartbreaking because she was such a lively thing and to see her like that was gut wrenching. Part of me had always dreaded this moment coz it was like losing Thaththi all over again – she was my last connect to him. When Andy called me and we were discussing what the vet was saying, she suddenly mentioned seeing a rainbow and I looked out the window from where I was and faintly saw it.
The last time I saw a rainbow in the pond was the day before my father passed away. This too seemed to herald the end for Trixie and it was sad. I now don’t know what to think if I see a rainbow – perhaps it’s a sign of closing chapters to pave the way for new beginnings.
Trixie’s kidneys were failing (again like Thaththi) and there was nothing more we could do for her. She herself went to a far off corner in the garden and Andy said her dogs have done that when they want to die. She survived the night though coz her heart was strong. We then took the call to euthanize her on the 30th of April – a day before Thaththi’s birthday. I told her to go annoy him now.
Trixie was not my dog, she was Thaththi’s, but she was a part of the family and losing her was another reminder of how things seem to be going full circle starting from last year to now. Things from the past are ending, being explained, chapters are closing and I am trusting it can only bring in new things that are meant to be.
I am ever grateful to my friend Andy, her daughters Aary and Amber and her household for giving Trixie the love and care she deserved in her last months.
Bye my Trixie girl, thank you for the unconditional doggy love.
