GriefSPEAK: A Dog’s Grief – Mari Nardolillo Dias

It was a summer romance. Once the season began, as boats began to shed their tarps and placed in their summer slip, I met Radar. We were only a month apart, so we were puppies together, and spent the past summers together chasing each other up and down A dock. His boat, 3Js was only a few slips away from my boat, Raven.  We would alternate between the two until both boats were out of treats. Sometimes we would stop if someone had a good catch and was cleaning their fish, or an Egret on the sand bar, mocking us. “Come and get me!”  I use to tease Radar that he looked like the Target dog. He did not like that and would walk away. Soon, and always he would return. Come fall, we would say our goodbyes, always knowing that next summer, same thing. Same time next year. Not anymore.

This season of sea gulls, egrets and the occasional cormorant, sail and fishing boats serves as the backdrop of our escapades. Until this week.

Radar was my BFF. A funny guy, kind of a goofy personality. He was only three and a half.  We planned to grow up and old together. My mom said I probably would not understand where Radar has gone. When I arrived at the marina yesterday, I still ran down to Radar’s boat. He was not there. Mom said my lack of appetite and lethargy is a sign of my grief. I do not know what the word grief means; I just know I am sad. She said Radar had trouble breathing.

Radar is absent from my summer romance. Missing from our season of escapades.

Despite all the efforts on the part of Ocean State Veterinary Specialists, Radar passed this week from pneumonia.  

RIP Radar

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Access all of Dr. Dias’ columns at: GRIEFSPEAK

Dr. Mari Nardolillo Dias is a nationally board-certified counselor, holds a Fellow in Thanatology and is certified in both grief counseling and complicated grief. Dias is a Certified death doula, and has a Certificate in Psychological Autopsy.

Dias is Adjunct Professor and was Professor of Clinical Mental Health, Master of Science program, at Johnson & Wales University. Dias is the director of GracePointe Grief Center, in North Kingstown, RI.  For more information, go to:  http://gracepointegrief.com/