Our Nefertiti, Queen of our Hearts, was with us for 13 ½ years. She was in good health most of her life and enjoyed countless walks, had a queen’s treasury of toys that we played with daily, slept with us, celebrated life’s joys with us, and was such a steadfast comfort during challenges. Nefertiti was always good for a laugh and never allowed me to dance in the living room alone. On our walks, a true Queen, Nefertiti expected everyone we came by to stop and pay her homage, and no one could resist her golden beauty so we met most of our neighbors this way! At the park or dog beach she loved to smell everything and play fetch, carry sticks no matter how big, and after a swim in the ocean she loved to dry off by rolling around in the sand. Working from home I spent more time with Nefertiti than anyone else: she was my best friend.
Our walks gradually became slower and shorter and then medication for arthritis with every meal. We kept her comfortable and happy in her golden years and loved her with all our heart every day. 
I wish to focus on Nefertiti’s life, on the love she gave us and on the exquisite beautiful gift of her being our beloved member of the family rather than on her illness. I will say that all of her life she had a tremendous fear of the vet and I always knew that when the time came, if we had to make that painful heartbreaking decision to “help her out of her body,” then we would have that service conducted at home.
I am just so tremendously grateful at the divine providence that connected us with Dr Forslund for this service. She is the most compassionate and loving veterinarian. I say that with total and complete sincerity. Dr Forslund, thank you for being who you are and for the tremendous service that you provide. The incredible detail and care that she takes to provide for the comfort of both the pet departing and the family saying goodbye is just extraordinary. Rather than saying goodbye in the clinical setting of a vet office, Dr Forslund’s service allows for the comfort of all involved being at home. I knew that the last experience Nefertiti would have would not be in a veterinary office but at home, surrounded by her mom and dad, feeling loved and safe. Thank you again, Dr Forslund. Nefertiti’s departure from her physical body into Spirit, albeit deeply painful for us to say goodbye, was a truly sacred and beautiful experience. Although we are still grieving and will always miss her, we are at peace knowing we not only gave her a good life filled with love but also a beautiful, peaceful, loving departure.
We know she is at the Rainbow Bridge with her “Uncle” Cody, the beloved Border Collie who showed her the ropes when she was a puppy. She is free of the old body that gradually became painful and unusable (as it happens to most all bodies eventually). We love you, Nefertiti. Thank you for being our Queen!
Lisa & Dirk Barkemeiler De Wit
Chino Hills
Tattoos Honoring our Beloved Dog
Lisa: Nefertiti, a Lotus Flower, and an Ankh
Dirk: Nefertiti and The Eye of Horus