On Monday, May 22nd, 2023, during the twilight hours, my darling Teddy transitioned from this life into the next. After rallying last month from pneumonia, pancreatitis, and other health issues, my sweet baby took a turn for the worse over the weekend. I spent our final days at home giving him around-the-clock care, and on Monday, I took him for what would be his last visit to his care team at AtlasVets. I called my mother and had one of the most heartbreaking conversations of my life.

I then went to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG), which took fantastic care of Teddy during his hospital stay last month. After reviewing my options, it was time to face the truth.

Teddy was very sick.

One of my dearest friends had met me at VEG. After speaking with the Doctor and reviewing Teddy's test results and xrays, we realized the kindest thing to do for my sweet baby was to allow him to transition in the most loving well as possible. So I called my mother again, and in tears, we decided that was the best thing to do, the only thing to do to honor our lifetime of love for the most opinionated (and spoiled!) dog that ever lived.

After moving Teddy to a private room, we spent the remainder of our time together, cuddling, kissing, and talking. Before Teddy's final journey, I told him how he came into my life almost 17 years ago. My friend was kind enough to record us; that video keeps me together today. I want to keep the footage private for now, but I am including the audio in this post. I want everyone to know the origin story of the fantastic adventures of Teddy and Nikki.

It was a match made in heaven. Every morning and every night, I would say, "Teddy, I love you." Every morning before we started our day, I would give thanks in prayers for having him in my life. He saved, kept, and inspired me to be my best self. I know it’s hard for people to believe, considering my social media reach, but I live a very solitary life. Teddy was not only my constant companion, but he was my only companion in many ways. I literally and figurately would not have survived the pandemic without him.

Sweet dreams, my snuggly buggly, my little monster, my sweet babboo; words can't express how much you were loved. Thank you for choosing me to be your mummy. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for making my house a home. Thank you for believing in me even when I didn't believe in myself. Thank you for coming to me last night in my dreams and letting me know you were okay.

I will look for you on the rainbow bridge, my love.

-Mummy