My thoughts are with you, Martha and your kids. It is shocking how deep our grief can be over the loss of our pets. It is so hard not to second guess our actions and blame ourselves, but we all try to do our best. Endings are never easy and having to make the decision, to give the direction, to end a pet's life is a horrible, horrible, responsibility. But it is also a gift -- you were able to relieve his suffering.
Clearly you loved Jack-Jack. He's immortalized on your podcast and now has a chair in the Jill Schwartz Memorial Library. He accomplished much, coming from his side-of-the-road origins.
Modern life has moved away from it, but having a period of mourning, where you can cry, reflect, remember and cry some more, helps.
