Did Jazmin die?

Yesterday was a very sad day at the Hopkins home.  Jazmin took a turn for the worse and our pet for almost 11 years died in the early evening.  She was an amazing pet for our family.  Gentle and loving, almost perfect.  She captured my heart when I first saw her in August, 2000.  Tim and I "rescued" her from a beagle farm in Marne where she was full of worms in her stomach and yeast in her ears.  Little did we know how much medical attention Jazmin would require.  The first indication of her list of health problems came when she was around 2 years old.  It was then that we discovered Jazmin was born with a degenerative eye disease.  This disease led to surgery to remove her left eye and replace it with a fake one.  I think people who heard our story thought we were silly to spend so much time and effort on "just a dog".  To us, she wasn't just a dog.  Jazmin had become an important part of our lives and she was too young to suffer.  I'm convinced that she knew we loved her and would do what it took to keep her healthy.  That was definitely true when two summers ago a cancerous tumor was found on the outside of her body.  Tim and I had to decide whether or not to proceed with yet another surgery.  At that time Jazmin was 9 and the procedure was costly, but effective.  The decision was quite easy for us.  We went ahead and had the tumor removed from above her hind leg.  However, at that time we were told it was highly likely more tumors would develop and eventually form inside her body.  Looking back, the surgery was well worth the expense. Our family was given 2 more years with our sweet dog.  Unfortunately, the vet was right.  The tumors did form inside Jazmin's lungs and stomach and they became too overwhelming for us to do anything more for her.  There is a vacancy in our house right now and a big hole in my heart that will take time to heal. 

What would you like to do this summer?

Now that summer has officially started for our family it's time to have some fun!  I asked Leah and Elizabeth what they wanted to do this summer and this is their list:

*Go to Crazy Bounce

*Get a library card

*Skate at the roller rink

*Ice skate at the ice rink

*Watch a movie in the theater

*Beach it

*Spend a few nights at a hotel

*See fireworks

*Have a play date with a classmate

*Sleepover at someone’s house

*Go to Sandy Pines

*Drive to Meijer Garden

*Go to the zoo

*Eat ice cream

*Shop

*Participate in the library reading program

*Have a garage sale

*Save money

*Go to camp

*Do gymnastics

*Take tennis lessons

*Take swimming lessons

*Hike the trails at Rosy Mound

*Sleep in a tent

*Go for a bike ride

*Ride the swings at Dutch Village

*Swim at the neighbor’s pool

*Rock climb

*Play games at Chuck E. Cheese

*Read

What did you learn this year?

Although today was the official end to the 2010-2011 school year the big year end celebration took place yesterday at our annual field day called Anchors Away.  The biggest event is always the dunk tank and this year was no exception.  Leah and her friend participated together while I was "dunked" all alone in front of the school.  It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone.  Both girls had a GREAT year!  When I asked them to reflect on what they learned this is what each one said... (slightly paraphrased)

Leah: I learned multiplication and fractions and how to tell time on the clock. I also didn't know what the attitudes were before this year. 

Elizabeth: I learned about animals and songs.

What animals did you see at the zoo?

I spent most of today with Elizabeth and her class at the zoo.  I was the leader of a small group of 3 girls.  We traveled around the zoo on a scavenger hunt looking for different animals and then crossing them off the list.  Usually my favorite exhibit is the one with the brown bear and grizzly bear (whom we found out were named Boo Boo and Yogi).  However, today my favorite exhibit by far was the lion's den.  There were two lionesses very close to us and we got to watch one of them open and close its mouth several times.  I am amazed at how long the tongue is!  Overall the kids did great despite the VERY hot and humid weather. 

How was the graduation?

Elizabeth officially graduated from kindergarten today.  She dressed up in her "Class of 2023" shirt and wore a homemade cap complete with tassel.  The afternoon kindergartners from both classes sang 2 songs and then were awarded their certificate of completion.  Tim, his mom, Leah, and I were all able to watch the ceremony.  Afterwards there were refreshments available for all the graduates and their guests.  I am very proud of the progress Elizabeth has made this year.  Pretty soon she'll be in 1st grade and in school all day!

Did the balloons launch?

Leah, Elizabeth and I had a fun experience visiting my sister and her kids for Frontier Days.  We battled the heat and humidity by playing on inflatables, cooling off in the slip and slide, and shopping the local craft fair.  Thankfully the weather conditions were right so we were able to witness 16 balloons launch into the early evening sky. We left before the night parade, the balloon glow, and the fireworks, but those are events we are looking forward to attending next year. 

Why are you sad?

Yesterday was a day I had been dreading.  We got the news that Jazmin's health has deteriorated and it is estimated that she has 2-3 weeks left to live.  While we knew this day would eventually arrive, it still doesn't make it any easier to hear.  We feared something was amiss when Jazmin's breathing pattern changed significantly and her appetite decreased.  The vet was able to take some x-rays of Jazmin which indicated she has a large tumor in her lungs and another mass in her stomach.  She also has an enlarged heart.  Right now she isn't in any pain, but is growing fatigued since her body is working overtime to overcome what is inside.  She is still a happy, loving dog.  We're tyring to make the most out of the days we have left together... 

Pictures by Leah