Over my 4 year college career at Clemson University, I only missed 2 home games. One was freshmen year when I had some sort of sickness. The last was my last game as a senior against BC when Aaron Kelly dropped a pass that would have lead to a touchdown and us to the ACC championship and then orange bowl. I missed that last game because I'd just adopted my best girl from an Oconee shelter and didn't trust a 6 week old pup at the house for 4 unattended hours.
We've lived in 7 different places since then and she's been with me through jobs, GFs (no pigs), a wife (no pigs), and now our 4 kids. She was there for the bottom of the barrel and as well as the highs. Always loyal. She never was aggressive except one time to a dog twice her size when it came running at our small children. She was a part of our family and by my side for 15 years.
I stayed with her today as she slipped out of consciousness. She never whined, but she was in pain. I'd been carrying her around the last 3 days since she couldn't stand any more. She hadn't eaten or drank in 48 hours. She was ready and I think I'm at peace with that now.