In happier news: in June 1998, I brought Red, an adult Ridgeback, into my life. Please visit his page, RedMan's Roadhouse. 
Addison was a Rhodesian Ridgeback, a breed known for hunting lions on the veldt. He actually spent most of his time on leisure pursuits -- sleeping, eating, playing frisbee, getting the morning paper and chase those darned squirrels up the willow oak in my back yard.
Addison and I go way back...all the way to December of 1986, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, USA. He was only 5 weeks old. I rescued him from a breeder who was going to do away with him because he wasn't born with the breed's distinctive ridge of hair along the back that grows in the opposite direction.
Addison moved into 338 MacDonough, where he had a roommate named Max (the cat). They were both the same size once, however Add quickly outgrew him...
Add and I moved to Durham in 1989. What a change for him -- now he could play outside! No more leash! Frisbee all day long. Sometimes he'd get a little wild and crazy and destroy the frisbees so they couldn't fly anymore. Oh well, I'd go out and buy another one...He especially loved going to West Point on the Eno with me on Sundays, hiking through the woods and later resting in the sun while I read the paper. Each time I picked up and moved (and I moved several times), he took it all in stride -- as long as we were together, it was OK.
Goodbye to Addison
March 1996: Addison developed debilitating neck pain. A trip to the vet revealed after X-rays, that although his neck condition was operable, massive tumors were also found around the heart and lungs. I could have chosen to go through with the operation, but we didn't know how much time he had left, and the post-op treatment requires 2 months of immobilization. I decided to take him home and treat his pain and neck stiffness for whatever time he had.
April 1996: He had good days, where he was pain-free enough to play with his ball and frisbee from time to time, while resting and having his fill of apples and carrots and profuse attention during the evening. He also had bad days, where no amount of pain medication could make him comfortable enough to sleep well. Toward the end of the month, it was taking more and more medication to keep him out of pain while not putting him in a zombie-like state.
May 6, 1996: Addison was ready to go. He was in pain, didn't want to eat, but he went out milled about in the backyard that he loved so well, staying in the bushes, behind the azaleas, head drooping. I looked into his eyes -- we knew it was time. He finally came in, decided to eat some yogurt, turkey and a few stray rawhides. He slept at my feet for the last time and I comforted him during the thunderstorms that evening.
May 7, 1996 (8 AM): We drove Add to the vet. I sat on the floor with him, talked to him, stroked his head and told him that I loved him and what he meant to me. The injection was administered. He slipped away...silently, peacefully...he was gone.
May 11, 1996: Addison's ashes were buried, along with his frisbee, ball, and squeak toy carrot, in that favorite backyard of his, next to the giant white and red azaleas (he sits in front of them on the prior page). I planted a new azalea there that will always bloom in spring, to remind me of the brightness and joy he brought into my life.
Postscript:I have heard from so many people who have visited Addison's
Domain and shared their thoughts. It's a good feeling to know that I have been
able to convey my feelings for Add in a way that others can identify. It is because
of your email that I was able to cope and
heal. You can also fill out this form
to let me know about your pets.
The Rainbow Bridge
poem
Click here 
to hear Add in .au format (so fierce!).
Miffy
1971-1983
Pam's first dog
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