Martha

Martha has come home.
Not in the way we wanted her to come home but it gives us a certain comfort.
We chose for cremation.
She was cremated in the pet crematorium Antverpia Liberty.
We were relieved with the simple and sober way.

Martha forever in our heart (2003-2008)

Last thursday we've decided to let Martha put asleep.

We hope you'll find some rest now sweet girl.
You have been so brave all the way.
You were the greatest.
You were there for Youp to comfort him in his loss of Max.
You were there for Bonnie when she was sick or hurt herself.
You tried everything and nothing could frighten you.
You may have been small but you were the brave one.
A little clown for the children, for us one to hug, friends and family truly adored you, you enjoyed life especially when we went out for a walk or a bike trip.
We all found love and comfort in you.
Ebony misses your hugs.
Youp misses his little girlfriend for live.
We miss "Martha" for everything you were and always will be.
Sleep tight little one...

And those were the days of roses,
Poetry and prose and Martha
All I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows,
Wed packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.*

*Lyrics from "Martha" by Tom Waits
(my favourite song. From the first time I saw you, I new that would be your name Martha)

Martha update

Martha's check up didn't turn out well.
The doctor was no longer able to safe the eye and it has been amputated last Wednesday.
Meanwhile her other eye has been contaminated.
The vet has no idea what causes it.
Now we are fighting to safe her eye with new antibiotics, eye ointment and eye-drops.
We have to follow a strict program. We have to treat her every half hour.
Martha has another 48 hours to keep her eye.
She is really brave and being strong and still wags her little tail when she hears or smells us.
We are so proud of you sweet girl!

Martha had medical surgery.

Martha had an accident about 2 months ago.
She had a hole in her eye.
(a branch? while she was playing? or maybe she scratched herself? We can’t say)
It never really healed and now she was having the one infection after the other.
She has been treated with antibiotics, eye ointment and eye-drops.
At the end the vet proposed medical surgery.
She would place Martha a screen (that means deliberately make a wound)
so the hole would heal faster.
We are not that keen on surgeries cause there is to many risk with the anaesthetic for bulldogs.
So we asked for a second opinion. We were referred to Dr Anne-Marie Verbruggen.
She is one of the best eye surgeons for pets in Belgium.
She told us that the hole was closed but that it would always be a weak point in the eye.
So she also proposed surgery but not by placing a screen because the hole was already closed but by strengthen the hole.
Last Monday, the 16^th of June, Martha had surgery.
The doctor cut a little piece of mucous membrane and saw this over the hole.
Everything went well but it is a tough healing process.
Despite her collar Martha is still able to bump her eye.
We really have to watch her all the time and be very carefully.
Because she is in a lot of pain she walks around in the house a lot
what makes it even a bigger risk.
We hope she’ll get better soon so she can cheerful frisk around again.
She has a check up next Monday, the 23th of June and, hopefully, within 3 weeks the doctor will remove the thread.
Fingers crossed!

No scary picture of our patient because that is so sad. So I made a little drawing.Martha reminds me for the moment at Elle Driver (role for Daryl Hannah) in Kill Bill.

We are so proud!

This week is Martha "Zapdog of the week".
Our little girl in the spotlight!
View her page on zapdog.be