Whats in a Name--The Story behind JacktheTerrier


{Backstory}   My first dog was named Peaches. I had been living in Foster homes for several years and I was about to go home to my real Family. A family I never even remembered since I had been taken away when I was so young, probably around 4 or 5 years of age.  Now, I was about 9. My foster family, the Parks, got me a small dog to take with me. I realized later it was given to me to help ease the transition. Well, I moved in with my Grandmother and got settled into school and was adjusting well I suppose. But sometime during the summer, Peaches was out. (There weren't any leash laws back then and he frequently was out and never went far.) I went looking for him and just as I saw him, he saw me and came running across a major street toward me. I saw him get hit and then slide toward the curb. I ran into traffic to grab him and drag him back to the sidewalk. I saw that his face was practically gone on one side, from being scraped along the street. I got scared and I ran home. I told my older cousin Denise what happened.  She took me back down the street.  She gathered up Peaches and brought him home. She told me he was gone and took off his collar and gave it too me. I cried.  

{Present Day} I hadn't had a dog since I was a kid. I bought my first house, and my first computer
around 1998. For the first couple years I had some cats, as I had always seemed to have Cats as pets over the years. But I had never even considered getting a dog, perhaps because the loss was so traumatic for me when I was that kid coming back from Foster care. But around 2002 I decided to get a dog and I eventually Adopted one, a chiquaqua which I named Chica, from a nearby shelter. A few months later my cousin Denise, The same cousin that comforted me and gave me Peaches' collar so many years earlier. asked me if I wanted a Jack Russell Terrier that her son had, but couldn't keep anymore, because they were moving. I said sure, so she brought him over and I asked, whats his name.? She said "JACK".  We laughed.  Of Course! What else would his name be? Well, I became very attached to Jack. He was unlike most  Jack Russell Terriers. He had two personalities-The hyper jumping, running, and playing type of personality- and, he had an affectionate , quiet, always want to be on your lap type of personality. I loved that Dog.

So where are we going with this story you are asking. Whats that got to do with Your name being "jack the Terrier."?

I Bought the first Call of Duty when it came out in 2003. It was my first online multiplayer computer game. So when I started Playing online I needed a pseudonym and  innocently enough Jack the Terrier was born.

That's not the end of the story though. In January of 2006, Jack wasn't acting quite normal. I took him to the vet and x-rays were taken. I was told he had a very large tumor.  To find out if the tumor could be removed, he would need to have exploratory surgery. An appointment was scheduled for the next morning, But the doctor told me that it really didn't look good, and that if it turned out the tumor couldn't be removed, I would need to be prepared to put him to sleep, since he would most likely not recover from the exploratory surgery. I took him Home that day. I took Pictures and some video. And I took both of my dogs too the Park. We played and when I went to bed that night, he climbed in and snuggled.
It would be our last night together. The next morning I took him in to the vet. The doctor made me wait all morning- and I realized after the fact that he probably wanted me to have a few more hours with Jack, because he knew the prognoses was slim. Finally he came and got Jack and took him into surgery. Less than 30 minutes later, he called me inside. Jack was lying on the operating table covered with a small blanket accept for his head and a hole where the surgery was done. He appeared lifeless. I asked if he was still alive. The Doctor said yes. But , the tumor was wrapped around his spine and attached to his pancreas, and it wasn't possible to save him. He had a needle prepared and he told me It wasn't going to hurt him. He asked me if I was ok. I said yes. He injected the needle into Jacks Body. I don't remember where. I said "Is he Gone?" He said Yes.
I hugged Jack. I  Kissed Him , I told him I loved him. I cried.

I didn't play much Call of Duty for a while. But when I did, I pondered whether I should Give up the name Jack the Terrier. I eventually Quit pondering and decided to keep it. I Keep it because it Does mean so  much to me now.  I keep it in honor and memory of My Jack.