tomorrow

Tomorrow I am taking Pate in to another vet to just get a second opinion.  His arthritis is so bad.  Is the metacam worth going back on?  Is the rimadyl a bad medicine for him?  My heart breaks listening to him use every ounce of his energy to go up the stairs; one painful step at a time while I listen and remember younger days when he would bounce up stairs with no effort.  Age is always a slow process but suddenly adds up.  Is Pate really 13?  Has 13 years really gone by with great speed?  I'm just not ready.  I'm not ready.

I am hoping for some hope.  Tell me that Pate has another year at least.  Tell me that we can somehow manage this and find a magic pill.  Tell me my little buddy is not suffering. 

I noticed today that he didn't eat his breakfast.  Is he smart enough to know I'm watching him and knew I'd reach for the treat dogfood rather than the diet?  He gobbled that canned dogfood down without hesitation.  He left the diet dogfood he's been on for years untouched.  He's still my smart little guy.