I'm so sorry, Hmama. If your baby lived to the ripe old age of 17, you must have been an excellent dog mom. I lost 2 beloved old ones in 2008 + a rattie, and am currently caring for another with terminal cancer. I know how tough it is-- the losses just seem to keep piling up.
I feel for your D-- when my sis and I lost our childhood dog, he was exactly same age as she was, so she couldn't remember a time without him.
((((hugs))))
Max was always such a low-maintenance guy, had that mixed-breed strong genetic foundation. I think it helps D that we have 3 others and getting back into a school routine today was a good thing.
M60 H52 D20 M14 yrs OW-old gf from 1986 bomb-5/18/08 H filed for D-9/10/08 D final 4/24/09 xH remarried (not OW) 2012