It is with a heavy heart that I pass along the news that our dear, sweet Copernicus has passed away. Our lives are better for having known him.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has offered prayers and words of encouragement this week as we dealt with a suddenly sick pup. As it turns out, Pern had Lyme Disease that had gone to his kidneys. Once that happens, there's no treatment that can cure it or make it something he could live with. In addition, he had stopped eating altogether, so there was no choice but to euthanize him.

We've wracked our brains trying to pinpoint symptoms that we missed. Some clue that could have led us to the diagnosis in time. But the fact is, very often with Lyme, there are no symptoms at all. Pern had no muscle stiffness, no stilted gate, and no fever that we could discern. He was happy, healthy, and incredibly active until it was too late to cure.

Friday was Pern's last day on Earth, so we made it a special day just for him. We went for a walk down the lane, which he's always loved. Granted, he walked a lot slower and had to keep stopping to rest, but he enjoyed it. We took several rides in the car, one of his very favorite things to do. He smiled his big doggy smile and even stuck his head out the window once or twice. A happy day for our boy before he joined his Mom over the rainbow bridge.

Thank you all for loving our little rock star. He made friends everywhere he went and truly believed that everyone wanted to be his best pal. (which was usually true!) We already miss him terribly, but he's touched our lives in more ways than I could explain. As the tears run down my cheeks, I also have to smile, because of the joy he brought to us each and every day.

Goodbye, Copernicus. We'll love you forever and keep your memory alive in our hearts.

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