In Honor of Maxwell Gutzler-Swan

I am very sad to share that we had to put Maxwell to sleep last night. Last Friday evening Max was having trouble with his hind legs and getting around was really difficult. On Saturday Carl took Max to the Vet who thought he had a herniated disk and recommended we take him to the Veterinary Surgical Center. The Surgical Center kept him over the weekend and operated on him Monday to find he had a new herniated disk as well as an old one that had fused to his spine. He came through the surgery OK, but Tuesday he was getting so agitated that he couldn't move his hind legs it became difficult for him to breath and they had to put him on a breathing tube.

Because breathing was so difficult, the next step would be a surgery on his soft palette. Even after this, there was no guarantee he'd get movement in his back legs again and he'd have to stay for 4 to 6 weeks at the surgical center to see how he did. Max was agitated and suffering and we couldn't put him through another surgery.

There is a hole in my heart and we miss him terribly. Max was so sensitive, he would get up whenever I was restless at night and see what I was doing. The night I went into labor, when I thought I was just having cramps, Max followed me all over the house and then woke up Carl.

I'm even more emotional since it was a year ago today that my Dad passed away. The picture in my mind is of my Dad at the grill and Max standing next to him, looking up at Dad waiting for whatever grilled treat was headed his way.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of Max

Max is a part of the family