Autobiography of a Greek Street Dog by Gypsy - HTML preview

EPILOGUE

Having extended Gypsy's life by 6 months with a strictly controlled kidney diet, David and Petra came to the desperately agonising conclusion that she would never fully recover. In the meantime her life would not be a happy or comfortable one.

David knew in his heart Gypsy was dying from the time the Vet explained her condition to him back in December. He discussed Gypsy's condition and quality of life with Petra over and over again. Could Gypsy live a happy life like this?

She could live - yes. But not happily.

For David, as a Buddhist, it was incredibly difficult to justify giving the Vet instructions to end Gypsy's life. For him it was as if he was killing Gypsy himself. The whole concept deprived him of sleep for many, many nights.

Then, after one entire day holding Gypsy in his arms, talking endlessly to her, asking for her understanding and forgiveness, thanking her, crying for hours and speaking with his inner self, David finally told Petra of his decision.

Gypsy would no longer take pills or medication. She would resume her normal diet and everyone would wait to see how things went.

As Gypsy herself has said, though, the damage already done to her kidneys had been too extensive to be repaired. After 2 days of normal food her system deteriorated to a critical level. Although Gypsy never suffered any pain at any time, the Vet, with wet eyes, agreed it would now be unkind and unfair for her to continue living this way.

Around the middle of April, 2002, Gypsy's incarnation was ended. Her body was buried with a simple Reiki ceremony and blessing, candles and prayers deep in the heart of the German forest she had come to love as much as the beaches of Crete.