Oilstrike ... so very sorry to hear about your little pal. It is one of the hardest things to deal with when we get so attached. I lost my little one last April after a year long battle with cancer. She was almost 14 and had been my constant companion.
It's just so easy to let them become such a focal point in your life! You did all you could for Rockie but, sadly, there are times they just can't tell us what's wrong until it's too late.