She's giving me "the look"

Ellie, that is. It's been a week now since she last put weight on the bad leg. I had to carry her down the steps yesterday and I have to help her go up the steps. I talk to her alot and ask her to please let me know when it's time. That look has been different the last 2 days. Totally not something I wanted to think about on Mother's Day.

The vet asked 2 important questions:
1) is she still eating? answer - only because I started adding ground turkey and rice to her kibble
2) is she still happy to see her family? - answer - yes but much less so

Margot feels that if those 2 questions are still yes, it's not time yet. But then again, we know our dog better than anybody. She'd like to see how Ellie will do with another medication increase. If she's obviously not getting any relief, then it's time.

It'll be $64.50 to say goodbye plus $77 for a group cremation or $155 for a private cremation. I haven't decided how I feel about that yet. Is it important to me to have her ashes? I know her soul will be gone long before then and that's the part of her I love. It almost feels wrong not to have her remains returned to us though. That's probably just the part of me that doesn't want to let go of her.