Taking walks, by myself and taking walks with Seamus and Marlowe.
Exercising several times a week.
Keeping close track of what I’m eating and drinking.
Caring for my physical and mental health.
Reading more books.
Taking pictures.
Writing jokes.
Cleaning up after myself.
Holding hands with my wife.
Sitting with my therapist and talking it out.
Fitter, happier, more productive.
I still miss my dog.
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hug
Hug your dogs (good therapy for you and them)
Think of one thing you learned from your dog, and build on it.
Feel the feels. It’s hard not to second guess our feelings when we’ve been betrayed by them before. But being sad over loss is normal and honest. It takes time. And not time to get over it, time to learn to deal with it. The loss will always be a loss. That’s how you know someone was important. Dogs, cats, humans…
reading more books — the best therapy
You will always miss your IMADOG Riley. Comes with being a pet guardian. But you are on the healing path. And we are here for you.
Thank you for sharing Riley with us.
What I didn’t see in the list: Play more games.
Time, my friend. Time….not exactly what you wanna hear right now, but even now…after over a decade…since loosing my little girl ‘Pasha’ and the neurotic mess-of-a-cat ‘Muughi’, I still have moments. What I can offer as comfort is that these moments you’re experiencing now may gradually turn into the kind of moments I have for my little furry kids. Those moments are accompanied with feelings of missing them, but a larger percentage of them are comprised of fond memories. Focus on the silly. It helps.
Should have gone to Coachella. They had plenty of great food. Get well soon.
These are for you Will. https://imgur.com/gallery/Md7zx2M
I still miss mine after 2.5 years. She’ll always be with you.
That’s about the nicest status update I’ve ever seen!
I miss your dog, too. I gotta say, from just the pictures you’ve posted of her I never would have guessed she’d been with you so long. She carried herself like a puppy.
I know it’s not the first time you’ve had to say goodbye to a pet so you know it will get better with time. Here’s hoping it’s sooner than later.
Self-care is so important, glad to read you are taking care of yourself. We’ll always miss our furbabies because they are family. Hugs
When I was 22 I buried a dog that I had since I was 12. Dug and filled the grave myself. Half way through filling it back up, had I not been already holding a shovel that I used to prop myself up, I would have been on the ground bawling my eyes out. Instead I was a leaky tripod.
Glad to hear you’re doing better. I figured no posting for a while meant sadness, etc. Hope to see you back up & on your feet again soon…
As others have said and you probably already know, time will help but you will always miss Riley. Big, big hugs to you and yours.
You always will. Sorry Wil.
Since you are a participant of therapy, I’m sure you probably know that whatever concerns you should be discussed. Openly talking about Riley helps your brain to heal, so that each time you think of her it stings a little less. I would think that writing about her would also be cathartic, and as a result, emotions will come bubbling to the surface and be expelled. By being kind to yourself, and sharing your feelings, these are good tools to feeling better. Life will never be the same. But that doesn’t mean that different can’t be better. Acceptance is key to being more comfortable in the “new normal”. Until then, comforting hugs for you, my friend.
Dogs are awesome, they can fill a void in your life that a person never could. Time heals. BTW Sam & Faelinn are my border collies.
The memories of loss will never be gone, but they will occur less frequent in time with longer gaps. And in time loss will become nostalgia and each time you do remember it’ll be a memory of warmth. Just be sure to fill up those gaps with moments of awesome!
I know what ya mean dude. 🙁 I miss my goof ball, lovable pup too. SHe had that IMADOG kinda look too. Hang in there man. ac
And closing my eyes, taking a deep breath and smile for the good days to be had.
I lost my beloved dog, Emma, in January, and I miss her every day. Your approach is a good one. Living positively, being happy, we can honor our lost loved ones for all of the love that they gave us.
Of course, you do. I miss all my dogs, but are a few that standout above the others for whatever reasons. A way they smiled or when I was in the garden and couldn’t quite get up by myself they ran to give me a literal lift. The way they bird watched with me. Or the way they always put their two cents worth in to an agrugment over something to let me know they were on my side. The dog with the eyes that said, “let’s go buddy. You pick it. I am right here beside you.” That kind of love doesn’t go away. Oh my God I miss Hunter so much there are days when I feel like Mother Nature having a cloud burst. Bless your heart.
One day at a time sir.
I think this is my favorite of all of your postings that I’ve read. Sweet, honest, simple. Thank you for sharing! I’m so sorry for your loss.
I still miss my cat too.
If you get a chance, read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (if you haven’t already). It’s so much fun!
I saved u for the end of the day because .. i feel you .. <3 and a Poet to boot .. 🙂 i wish you would do vids where u just talk about stuff .. u know 🙂 just act like you .. That’s what i enjoy the most .. it’s been over five years now that i lost my Bessie girl .. even now i miss my girl .. so i really do feel u Sir .. take care and have a great weekend 🙂
I miss my boyfriend (ended unceremoniously & for the best). And I miss your dogs, too. Actually I miss your dogs more. That is weird. But true. Dog & Cat dialog always made me forget the crappy days when my relationship hurt like lemon juice in a paper cut.
Hug the canines. And Luna too. Even if she doesn’t think it is appropriate feline behavior she will console herself with the notion that she has left her scent and owns everything anyway. 🙂
Doing that always helps, but I think the best therapy is, as you say, “PLAY MORE GAMES” it works for me.
Ahhhhh. My heart breaks for you. My heart breaks for me, too – I am severely allergic to animals and so cannot have a companion animal. Your post makes so much sense but my spouse does not approve of a therapist and my doctor has curtailed exercise while I go through some physical rehab. I can breathe, choose healthy foods, and read. Always better to focus on the cans rather than the can’ts, I suppose.
I felt better after I wrote down all the little sounds my dog made. Its strange how in tune you get with a dog that you know and miss all the sounds. My dog would let out a big sigh when she knew we are all done for the evening, and she was going to sleep for the night. She had another sound she made when checking on me at the computer. Putting that stuff to memory helps.
But yeah, it sucks. Electronic (Hugs)
You’ll miss your dog for a long time. But it’s good the steps you are taking to heal and it’s good you can also appreciate all the good things you’ve got while you mourn.
that’s a good list for anybody’s life 🙂
Had another friend lose their dog to the Summerlands recently. I suspect that time soften the raw edges around that whole in your heart…but it will always be there.
All you can fill it with is the memories, I suppose.
You da real MVP wil Wheaton. Always remember that
You’ve been listening to Radiohead. This is a bittersweet post, Sir!
Friends are irreplaceable, once lost they exist only in memory (sad but true). Dogs and cats are excellent non-judgmental comrades that keep us sane. Were I in your shoes (only a suggestion, mind you), I would go to the shelter find the most, hopeless basket case of a dog, and give it a home. Give the gift of life to a “lost cause”. LLAP Mon ami.
Sweetie, you will never stop missing Riley. But, eventually, it will not hurt anymore. Remember the good times, as I do with my beloved Savannah.
It’s okay. We had to say goodbye to our dog right after Christmas and I still miss her too, everyday.
Or course you do! (((Wil)))
Glad you’re taking care of yourself losing a pet is hard. I’ve been through it and it does get better. Very creative blog post you and your wife are awesome people.
Be patient; it just takes its time for pain to yield to peace.
I still miss my dogs too. I found some pictures of them this weekend. The pain fades but the missing never goes away.
Chop that wood. CHOP THAT WOOD!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1SUzcDUERLo
Fitter, Happier is Good. I have always thought it sucks that Dogs have such short lives but at the same time I have been in awe of how they live with so much passion. I miss my last dog and our new dogs don’t replace him they just make another animal spot in my heart. Glad you shared your journey, it helps me feel less alone in my own occasional space of sadness over the pets in my past that helped me in so many ways. Stay active, work hard and have fun!
And, despite not normally being a hockey fan, my pride for Winnipeg obliges me to say #gojetsgo
End Rant
Hey, Wil, I appreciate you sharing these things with the world. As an individual who also struggles with depression from time to time, your openness about it is refreshing and appreciated. I admit, my first thought was, “Get over it, dude, its a DOG.” I get stuck-up-ish about depression and hardship due to being a “survivor” of cancer and, apparently, also because I am just a jerk about it. But, truth be told, and all silly avoidance mechanisms aside, I understand. I understand the loss you are feeling, I understand that sometimes there are big things and sometimes there are small things, but they are all things with which we have to deal, and thanks for sharing yours – So we can all, well, not feel better really, but know we are not alone.
Of course you do, you loved her! ((big hug)). Write about her, just for yourself; write her story, so you’ll know, deep down, that you’ll always have your memories to go back to. Time helps with the hurting, but you’ll never forget her, because you’re a loving doggie-daddy.
I still miss all of my girls, including the ones I lost over 20 years ago. After awhile, the happy memories will outweigh the pain. Talking about her with others who loved Riley will help. Sending hugs to all of you, human and canine both.