In May 2004 we were introduced to Gabby. She was a very scared baby girl. Her and her 3 sisters were abandoned at the Midlothian Animal Shelter after being severely abused. 1 of her sisters had breast cancer and it was like the owners tried to cut off her nipples, her other sister had her eyes gauged out and Gabby had the least abuse done to her…she was verbally and physically abused by being kicked around and stuff. Gabby was the only one that was able to be put up for adoption through Lone Star Bulldog Club. We went to South Arlington to meet her. Even though she was scared and not really allowing us to pet her, it was love at first sight. 1 week later we brought her home. It took a good 2 years for her to begin to trust us. Anytime we had fellowships from church or we had parties she always stayed away from everyone She never allowed us to really get close to her. When I would get the broom out ….even to this day she feared it. She finally began to trust us and became a very loving baby girl. We always made sure we never raised our voices at her. When we brought her home she met her big brother Goliath. They became inseperatable. Everywhere Goliath was Gabby was right there too. We lost Goliath almost 3 months ago exactly. Gabby grieved so much. She would sit by the wall and face the corner, she would sit on her bed and face the wall. She really stopped eating also. We started fostering Josh and they became friends but I truely believe she never stopped grieving for Goliath. Last night she came upstairs and slept in her beanbag. Today when I went to get girls from school she went back up to her beanbag. When Zoe, Kasi and myself came home I was in the kitchen and Zoe comes in and says mom you need to come look at Gabby, I said why she is fine, Zoe said MOM come now……I walked around the corner to the end of the stairs and there laid Gabby. Josh was going up to her licking her and laying beside her…..not leaving . We had to put him in his crate because we couldn’t get to her. Her back was arched and she was panting very heavily and she couldn’t move her legs. First I thought she had a seizure and fell down the stairs because of the way she was laying and because she looked like Goliath did when he had his. I immediately paniced because I knew I couldn’t lift her bc she is way over my weight limit. I called our vet they said to bring her in. Kasi went to all the neighbors no one was home, finally about 15 minutes later our neighbor Yvonne came home Kasi ran across the street I was walking around not even able to focus and here she comes. She goes in looks at Gabby and runs home to get a board and 2 long boards and Kasi got a jump rope and they made a stretcher. Jorge her husband came home and immediately came over and they lifted Gabby and put her in my van. I took her to the vet just like we had to with Goliath, only this time I was alone bc James was still at work and unable to focus and crying and my 11 year old is trying to calm me down as I drove Gabby to the vet. They come out immediately with a stretcher and the vet crawls in the back of my van and looks at her and starts feeling her tummy and said she looks like she has bloat…..I told them she hasn’t eaten they immedately put her on their stretcher and ran in with her. The tech walked Zoe and I to a room and said he is already doing blood word and checking her out. About 4 minutes later he comes in and says “Im sorry I do not have good news, Gabby is in heart failure. She is dying and is suffering. Sadely there is nothing we can do” I had to give them the permission to get get everything ready to put her to sleep. They came and got us and we walked to the back surgical room and I started to talk to Gabby to let her know we were there. I leaned down and looked her in the eyes told her how much we loved her. They gave her the sedative….her breathing was still very hard. I petted her and kissed her…..she kissed me back. Gabby never gave many kisses in the 8 years we had her. We think she was abused when she licked ….I am so thankful she gave me that last kiss. Dr. came in and I put my hand under her jaw and I sat and laid my head with her and talked to her as they gave her the final shot. She almost immediately took her last breat before the entire vile of medicine was given. My Gabby girl was gone. Dr. said I am lucky I got there when I did, because she was suffering and she very well could have passed alone. The reason she was laying like she is in the pictures with her back arched is because the Dr. said she couldn’t breathe and her chest was filled with fluid. Today I had to do something that I really didn’t think I would have to for a few more years. Our last Bulldog lived to be 13. Gabby was 10. Gabby’s life started out very rough but when we adopted her I know she knows we loved her. I tend to think she died of a broken heart because she grieved so much for her brother. Gabby was always healthy….never an issue with her. Her last check-up she was completely healthy. The Lord blessed us with her for 8 wonderful years. He allowed us to give her the home she deserved. I will miss her so much. I was closer to her than I was Goliath, maybe because she was abused and I tried so hard to show her the love she deserved. I love you Gabby, you will always be momma’s baby girl.