It's been a horrible month for me. My Chihuahua, Porter, who was 18.5 years old, was just simply getting worse and worse.

He had several falls either off the bed or on the stairs over the past year which left him with a bad back, and trouble walking with his rear legs. He was losing his sight and his hearing. He was old.

He got worse, then he got a little better. What made me think I could nurse him back to good health was only my stupidity. And my love for him and desperation. But then he stopped eating and drinking for 2 days and I knew. He lost weight very quickly and was ready, and he gave it his all with me for 18+ years. He was my best friend just as Jerome was my best friend.

But my wife was home when the vet came to our house for Jerome and I had to bail part of the way through. This time I brought Porter to the vet, and it was perhaps the hardest thing I ever had to do.

"You were my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye" - Unknown quote, fits for both of my best friends.