Patches Hatcher is in Doggy Heaven.

Patches Hatcher

Age 3, October 28, 2007 - May 29, 2011

You will be in my heart always...until we meet again. My sweet girl,

Nickname: baby girl, momma"s love

From the moment Michele brought her to me I fell in love with her. The joy Patches brought into my life is so great, which now, explains the great sadness. From the time we brought her home she loved playing with balls. We bought the tiny tennis balls and she could barely hold it in her mouth. She loved to play tug a war with them. She rarely barked but during tug a war she would. She had soo much energy. I remember the first time I took her to Woodward Park. We walked towards the lake. She was so small, I assumed she would be scared. The next thing I see is her running right off the edge. I almost died. She was on a long leash. I ran and saw her paddling happily towards the ducks and swans. It was one of her favorite things to do. She could do it for hours just running along the edge looking for a way to get them and jump in. She never got one, thank goodness. Another thing she loved to do was lick and bite at the pool. I don't know why. You'd think we smeared meat all around it. While we hung out in the backyard or went swimming, there she was walking around the pool with her licker. When we were in the pool and hit the side of it she would bite at the pool and pull on the belt that goes around the pool. She would always make me laugh and brighten my day. I am going to miss her soooo much. I miss everything, her laying in bed with me, it taking her three tries to get on the bed, my morning licks all of my face, he sitting on my shoulder, her little body on me trying to look out the car window,following me around everywhere, going to the mailbox with me and zig zagging to everyones yard, her sitting in between me and steve, biting the vacuum when I'm cleaning, Our walks behind our house in the Almond Orchard. We would walk on the path and I would release the leash. I would just watch her speed off down the way then she would look back at me and with all speed she would run back so proud. To see her that happy, make me glow. then she would go down the rows smelling everything but always knowing where I was. The last walk we took on May 29, 2011 @ 5:30 was our last. The kids, steve and I went to John's Incrediable Pizza and I ate so much. So when Derek and I got home I jumped on facebook for a while and then decided to go walk the dogs. It was like any other day. They were sooo happy to be running free and I was loving the fact that we had the orchard right here. (a little county life with my city life) We went down the almond rows, Brody always close by me and patches doing her own thing. I just called patches, we were headed back home. She came up to me like always then ran over about two rows. That's when I heard her yip. I ran over there. I thought she got a sticker in her paw, which almost always happens. But instead I saw her lying on her back and a big coyote looking at me. I was running towards her not thinking and picked her up. The coyote and Brody were gone. Now my heart pounding. I didn't see anything wrong with her so I yelled for brody and starting walking away from the house to where I thought the dogs went. Luckily I had my cell so I called Derek and told him to hurry to find Brody. I told him to look by the canel since I was in the middle. Luckily in about a minute he called me back and say he found him. Relieved, I sat down with Patches and put her down but she couldn't sit. That's when I saw blood. I grabbed her and walked home. God, it took forever. I felt like I was walking so slow. My legs were so heavy. Just as I was getting to the house Steve and the kids got home. I went straight to the kitchen to shave the area that was bleeding. It didn't look bad. So I got a washcloth and sat down on the couch with her. Again I tried to stand her up. she did a little better but still her back leg was dead. Some blood came out and we knew we had to get her to a doctor. Steve called two places and then we left. As soon as we got there they took her from me. I looked down and saw all the blood on my shirt. They looked at her, wrapped her and put her on oxygen. They recommended putting her down. My body was weak, I was light headed, my heart breaking. what can you do to save here? that was all I wanted to hear. I wanted a second opinion. We waited, I cried. The next doctor starts saying the same thing. I can't take it anymore..I leave the room leaving Steve to deal with it. I don't care about the cost, I just want my baby. I pray and talk to her. Be strong baby girl, mommy loves you sooo much. I can barely breath. It feels like forever. Then I see Steve coming out crying. No!!! not my baby was all I can say. While they were talking about what to do, she died. I went back into the room so they could bring her to me. Everyone is looking at me, half of them crying with me.. she looks like an angel sleeping. So now here we are without my baby girl. Why did I take them for a walk, why didn't I have them on the leash, Why didn't I run faster or get her to the vet faster.