Roxy's story begins with coming home to live with her new family at the age of 8 weeks old. We fell in love with her from the moment we saw her standing on the porch. So proud and brave. My husband thought the first time he seen her do the Boxer kidney bean twist that her back was hurt. She made herself right at home, sleeping in our bed her first night.
We learned at an early age of 10 months that Roxy was an epiliptic. After many months of blood tests and working with medication she failed to have many more seizures.
We were involved with tractor pulling and from the age of 5 months old she never missed an event. Where we went so did Roxy. She loved the traveling and meeting people as much as we did. We had our own living quarters so it was home away from home.
A problem developed in September of 1999. We noticed she was fatigued, had a few mini seizures and begin to have some pain around her spine. We went straight to our vet but they couldn't find the problem so they sent Roxy and I to Ohio State University hospital for more tests. They examined her and decided to keep her and do a spinal tap. We later found she had Rocky Mountain spotted fever. We had never even seen a tick. She was on advantage but we didn't know it did not prevent a tick bite. They started her on a medication for it and everything was back to normal for about 4 weeks. Then she begin to have mini seizures and we noticed staring into space or at walls. I took her back for more tests and this time they preformed a cat scan. This was December 15th. They called right after the scan and told me it wasn't good news. I was in shock. I wasn't prepared for them to tell me my baby had something as serious as a large mass on the brain. My world came crashing down around me.
They gave us 2 options....1 put her down.....2 treat her with steriods and and make her free a pain for a while. I thought I could beat the odds and my baby was going to get the best of everything and that all the love and prayers I could say would keep her alive. For a while it was working. She had a wonderful Christmas but on the night after Christmas she had a severe seizure. I held her in my arms and told her I won't let you go and I'll take care of you. The seizures were happening more often and I had to put her on additional medication. I gave her my undivided attention for 9 weeks. I refused to leave her to go anywhere. I wanted to be with her every minute. The day came when I could not over look her staggering, unable to get on my lap or in bed that I knew it was soon. She was so restless and unable to sleep. She walked in circles continuely and the next day I took her in to my vet and said I think she's in pain and upping medication is not working. I ask her to give her a pain shot or something. She gave her two shots and told me you go home now and Roxy should fall asleep in about 30 minutes. We went home and she didn't sleep and couldn't lay. I called the vet and she said you need to think about Roxy now and stop the pain. God forbid I thought I can't do what I think your meaning. After watching her all night, I knew I had to do this for Roxy and not think about me. I put her in the car and some how I made it to the vet's. She ask me if I wanted to stay and I told her yes I would hold her head until she was gone. I prayed to God to give me the strength to do this and as she laid her head down I told her how much I loved her and not to be afraid. The tears are falling now as I write this. When my baby took her last breath I thought my heart stopped too but no it was just broken into pieces. They left me a lone in the room with her and I touched and kissed her all over. I even put my face down in her body so I could remember her smell forever. As I was leaving the vet hugged me and said can you drive. I told her I had just done the hardest thing I had ever done in my life so I thought I could drive 2 miles. My husband was waiting for me in our yard. When I drove up he seen me fall from the car and I screamed "Oh God why did I do this". He said when I saw you coming in the lane I thought maybe you changed your mind. He knew it had to be done but at that moment you wish with all your heart you hadn't.
Roxy was just 6 years old January 12th and on February 15th she passed away. I planted spring flowers all around her grave. I bought a headstone and several memorial rocks too. One that is engraved is very special because it says how I feel.
