I'm sorry that you had to go through that experience, ML. Your grief is real and completely valid, and don't let anyone tell you that it isn't. Take all the time you need to heal, and don't be afraid to share your feelings with your friends.
There will come a time when you will remember something Shasta did and you'll laugh. You will get through this. I've done it with two long-lived dogs myself, one of which was one year old on the day I was born. I still remember Choppy, the feisty little dachshund who loved us fiercely, with fondness and misty smiles, and Darwin, the terrier-mutt mix who loved to play in the yard with my brother and me when we were teens. Shasta occupies a special place in your heart, one which no one else can. And that is the way it should be.
Shasta was very blessed to be loved by someone as loving as you are. My prayers are with you.
