Thank you so very much, everyone, for your prayers, good wishes and support. It would have been much harder if I hadn't had PT to turn to when I needed to release my feelings. I am going to post about Dude in the memorial forum later but I can let you know now that Dude, as I had hoped, died peacefully in my arms at home on Friday late afternoon. He gave me the most incredible gift in the hour before he had to leave me. After I gave him his last pain med shot at 4pm, he became a little restless and I decided to try scooping him up very gently and putting him on my lap while I sat at the computer table. I thought he would get down, but for that last hour he sat quietly on my lap, leaning into me and purring softly as I stroked his back. He even gave me a few head bumps, two under the bosom (he always was a ladies' man) and one to my head. The vet who came was the partner who is excellent at these times, very soft-spoken, patient and understanding. While Dude lay in my arms after it was over, he told me that his 15-year-old Sharpei (?sp) had died that Monday. We talked for a while about letting go, trying not to be selfish, facing what we have to do, it was a very supportive talk. I spent five minutes with Dude after the vet left, tucking the lock of hair under his front leg and putting the flowers on him, telling him how much he had meant to me. Then I wrapped him in a small red blanket and took him back to the vet.