When You Let Go

Three weeks ago, our ten year old Great Pyrenees, Nana, fell down the stairs.

She had been slowing down of late, but I figured that was expected, as ten years is the lower end of the life expectancy range for these big dogs. But when we heard a scrabbling on the stairs, a thump, and that terrible hurt dog whining, we realized her decline was, perhaps, happening faster than we were anticipating.

My spouse brought her to the vet, which I initially thought unnecessary, since she favored the leg, b...