So the day is here when we have to let Maggie go. She is 13, has a hefty throat tumor which is pushing on her jugular vein, has fluid in her lungs and abdomen, and has a heart murmur. We keep telling ourselves we're doing the right thing and that she is in pain. It's really hard to let her go after all this time together. We brought her home on August 10, 1993, when we were both only 22 and not even married yet. We knew nothing about raising a puppy and made a lot of mistakes. But Maggie grew into a fabulous dog, despite her extreme fear of electrical cords and football games. We got her a companion in 1995, Shelby. She both loves and hates Shelby. I think Maggie's absence will be felt the most by Shelby, who has only ever known our home with Maggie in it. We have only a few hours left with Maggie. I hope she knows how much we love her and I hope she understands that we think we're doing the right thing for her. Goodbye, Maggie. You were my first dog after I lost my childhood dog. You represent everything good in the past 13 years, and you're an awesome dog.