The two-mile drive from our home on the north end of the island to the center of our little town was long enough. Even the short distance after turning onto the main street and passing the three churches, the fire station, the seafood restaurant, and the pizza place before arriving at the vet’s office seemed long. But the ride home with our soon-to-be-seventeen-year-old black Labrador whimpering in the back seat seems infinitely longer.

We had taken Lizzie to get help for what we thought was a urinary infection, her sudden loss of bladder control creating a sense of urgency for us all. We had taken her to get help, perhaps a pill or a shot that would cure whatever was ailing her. But suddenly, Ernie and I are the ones who need help.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of the m

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