Luke, my Mr. wiggles ,and my best friend helped me through some of the most difficult times in my life as well as put me through on of my toughest situations.

In the summer before my 2nd grade year my mom had gotten me a puppy. He was already named Luke, although I personally though he looked a lot like an Oreo. He had the cutest little brown freckle like spots all over his shimmery white coat of medium length fur. Luke was a very hyper puppy and never seemed to want anything but attention. He was mine, my responsibility, my best friend. We grew very close. Luke would love chewing up everything including my crayons and pencils every time I tried to do my homework. He wasn’t just the average dog, he was special to me.

I grew up with him and Luke was everything to me. Although early in my sophomore year in high school, Luke had gotten very sick. He was always such a happy dog and would light up every time I walked in the door. The morning he woke up sick I was Spending time with my boyfriend, at his house where we had just gotten Don Pedros. My mom had called me. I remember her saying that Luke hadn't been wanting treats, didn't seem to want to go outside, and that he had been puking over and over throughout the morning. I broke down when my mom said, "Paige I think you should come home." She had a sense of seriousness in her voice and i was so scared. Tears ran down my face and my first thought was to get home right away. I gathered all of my things and headed home.

When I had gotten there Luke was laying on the dinning room floor and I had called his name. He was slumped to his side with his head turned to the side resting with his paws overlapped, eyes open yet filled with worry and hopelessness. Luke did not come wiggling in like he normally does, he didn't even budge. I went over to him, laid my hand on his head and rubbed under his ears like he likes. Nothing. He only peered up at me with droopy eyes. My parents, Neko (my boyfriend), and I rushed him to the vet.

They ran test all day while we waited hours. It seemed like ages. I personally spent that day curled in blankets like a burrito sobbing from time to time while all kinds of thought swarmed by head.

That night when we had gone back to the vet for results they had told us that they didn't think Luke would make it the next few days and that his liver seemed to be failing. They gave us the option of putting him down right then and my dad and I started to cry. Giving up on Luke was not an option. They said we could take him home although he may not make it threw the night, and the next morning we could bring him back for a couple more test.

Well, that night we took him home and he slept in my room. Normally he would sleep on my bed but he didn't even have enough energy to get up there. I made him a cozy spot on the floor with a couple of his favorite treats and a warm blanket he loves to sleep with every night. He had noticed and laid yet more or less seemed to through himself down. In the middle of the night I woke up to him curled up next to me like he did any other night. I thought he was all better and I got this overwhelming feeling sent through my body. I couldn't help but smile and press my lips to his wet nose.

The morning we took him back the vet had said hes only gotten worse. They had found internally bleeding all around his liver, it was spreading and there was nothing else they could do. We were running out of money. My dad said it was best to put him out of misery, we went ahead and told them it was time. They gave us an hour to spend with him in the room. The look in Luke's eyes was as if he had no idea what was going on. There wasn't a single dry eye in the room. I was the one in the room when they put him down, as I held him. I lost my best friend that day.

Throughout this whole experience I have realized that nothing truly lasts forever and the most important thing you can do is live life day by day. Live everyday like your last and spend as much time as you can with loved ones no matter how old or young, sick or healthy, just make sure you make the most of the memories and time they have left, together.