| Author | Message | ||
     greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4479 Registered: 5-2001  |
Mom is a little pissed at me. I called the lake house this morning to see how she is & her friend's hubby answered the phone. I asked if mom is behaving & he chuckled & put his wife on the phone. Never did answer the question. So, Friend & I are going back & forth about whether she'll come back to the lake or go home for the next two days. Another one of her posse, the hysterical one, called me to tell me how weak & frail mom is and how they are scared for her. So, I called her case manager & they are going to do a home assessment. Mom is apparently afraid to eat when she is alone, so they'll probably be able to have someone come everyday to help her eat & give her IV fluids so she won't dehydrate. She's mad because I called the case manager. Tough noogies. She'll be mad no matter what. But, I must say that regardless of how things are going with mom, Oprah would be proud. I'm all perky & upright in my correctly-fitting, not old & stretched out bra.  | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4496 Registered: 5-2001 |
This is not a good day. Even my perky, uprightness is not comforting.... as it were. Today is the day we will let our beloved furball go. I've been trying to distract myself all day, even came into the office for a few hours. TS stayed home, with her curled up in her lap all day. She let us know last night that she is ready. She is a very special kitty and I will tell you more about her later. It's time to go to the vet now....  | ||
| LilLB Citizen Username: Lillb Post Number: 656 Registered: 10-2002  |
Oh Greentree! I'm so sorry.... No matter how right the decision is, it's always a heart-wrenching one to have to make. | ||
| las Citizen Username: Las Post Number: 163 Registered: 10-2003 |
My heart breaks for you both today. Remember the others will also be in mourning - they'll need - and want to give you - lots of loving tonight. Hang in there. Hugs and chin scratches to you all. | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 961 Registered: 8-2003  |
greene - I am sorry to hear that ! furballs are pretty smart, though. they know best. hugs to you and TS | ||
| CLK Supporter Username: Clkelley Post Number: 1064 Registered: 6-2002  |
Oh man, that's hard. My heart goes out to all of you tonight. I thought about starting my own blog to tell all about my cat, but didn't do it. She is nearing that place too and I'm pretty upset about it - I thought celebrating her life might help. I'm not ready for that yet, but it might work for you. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 1558 Registered: 6-2001  |
Oh no! I'm so sorry You were right, though, she let you know and you did right by her. It's the most difficult decision we pet-lovers have to make, and it's one that never gets any easier. Hang in there, keep the memories and funny stories alive, and she'll always stay with you. | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 1730 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hang in there Greenetree. Just remember that your baby had a wonderful life with you, had all the comforts that a cat could want, and most importantly knew she was well loved. And maybe she is going to a place where there is always an empty lap, a can of tuna, a field of catnip, and a person who appreciates dead mice on their doorstep. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4499 Registered: 5-2001 |
Canned tuna? Canned tuna???? Oh no.... Miss Thing ate sushi-grade tuna. In the last month, TS roasted chicken thighs. She never lost her appetite. Just turned her nose at mere cat food. Even the good stuff. Let me tell you about Sunny..... Nine years ago, at the beginning of May, we had to put down our eldest. It was the first time (as an adult) that either of us had gone thru it & it was so painful that we swore we would never get another cat, that when #2 was gone, we would perhaps consider a goldfish. Well, after a month, our second was so lonely. It was clear she missed her older sister. So, we went on a search for a friend. We didn't want a kitten - our kitty was 11 years old and very shy. We wanted an older cat who wouldn't torture our baby & one who had a complimentary personality. A friendly, out-going cat. I put the word out. Almost immediately, our vet told us about one who had recently been abandoned at the office. I went to see this cat. The story was that she was an indoor cat, about 5 years old, very friendly with the office staff. She had belonged to a teenage girl whose parents kicked out the cat when the daughter went to college. I never believed the story - she had chlamydia of the eyes, skin allergies and was very, very sweet. No family would put her out. Unless, of course, she was an outdoor cat who wasn't receiving proper medical care and who got "too expensive" to deal with. Her name, at the time, was Sunoco, because she'd been found at a Sunoco station as a kitten. So, Sunoco & I met. She was sweet enough, but I wasn't sure. We got along, but it wasn't love at first site. TS came home from work about an hour later, so we went back to the vet together. Sunoco took one look at TS, hopped into her arms and said "I'll take her". The vet had been treating her for her medical issues, so she was safe to bring home. I gathered the meds, since TS was bearing The Queen. When we got home, TS put her down in the foyer of our apartment. She looked at the other cat (who went and hid behind the couch), said "I can tell you are a wimp so this is not a problem". She proceeded to do one lap around the apartment, in & out of every room. She returned to the living room, looked up at TS & said "It'll do" and plopped down to have a bath. Sunny decided to keep us all. But, the bond she & TS had was amazing. The first time TS scolded her, Sunny walked away, glanced back at TS & threw herself onto the floor. She curled up in a ball, back to TS & refused to budge until TS sat next to her & groveled for a good 5 minutes. This pattern of sulking when they disagreed continued until about a year ago, when TS gave up on scolding her. We figured out early on that she was actually part dog. She never got over being an outdoor cat - when we lived in the apartment, she would howl to go out & we would leave the door open so that she could prowl the hallway. She liked to sit on the neighbors' door mats. We never worried; one sound from the elevator or stairwell & she was back in the house. Moving to Maplewood was a little harder. The campaign to go outside ran from March to November. Occasionally in the winter, after a good snowfall, we'd open the door & say "go ahead". She'd step out and change her mind. In the good weather, we'd put her on a harness and leash and let her come out with us. Every once in awhile, she'd escape. It was a game to her. If she ran out the door & we saw her, we'd yell "Stop"! She would drop in place and roll onto her back in the grass, waiting to be picked up & carried back into the house. Purring so loudly that she could be heard 10 feet away. Now, if she managed to get out & no one noticed, she'd go exploring. She was enamored of the backyard of the neighbor behind us. Fortunately, she never felt the need to bring gifts. Once, I was lying in my hammock on a beautiful, perfect summer day. I'd been there for about an hour, reading the Sunday Times. Something caught my eye & I glanced over into the next yard. It was a cat. I thought to myself "That cat looks just like Sunny. Hey! That is Sunny"! Lord knows how long she'd been out, but most of my heart failure episodes are directly related to her escape acts. Another time, she got out, but wasn't ready to be caught. She ran for the very large, thick Wysteria hedge two doors down. You haven't lived until you've had to crawl under a hedge to drag out a cat who is pretty much giving you the finger. People thought she was an outdoor cat because she had a collar with a bell. Nope- it was so we could hear her sneaking toward an open door. And she could appear out of nowhere - she could sense someone a block away approaching the house. We had to lock her up to bring groceries in the house. Sunny was very vocal. Sweetest cat you'd ever want to meet. Wasn't shy, but liked things her way. If you displeased her (by not sharing good food or opening the door) she would bark at you. Never bit, just liked to let you know that We Are Not Amused. She was the Alpha, but loved for the younger ones to play with her. Every once in a while, she'd indulge them and let them take a playful swipe. Then, she would calmly proceed to bash the silly beast on the head. Powpowpowpow - quickly & it was over. On occasion, she'd walk past the middle one & pop her just for GP. About a year and a half ago, she started losing weight, so after 4 days of not eating, I took her in to see Marc Levine. She'd been a 12 pound cat & was down to 7 pounds, overnight. He opened a can of tuna & held it in front of her. She looked at me & said "at least he's not dumb. His offerings are better" and proceeded to devour the can. The weight loss worried him, so we did some tests & found out that she had leukemia. Not FIV, just regular old leukemia. We decided not to treat her - chemo doesn't work so well in cats and is as horrible for them as it is for humans. And why? It's not like she needed to be around to watch her kids grow up or to go see the Northern Lights before she died. We decided to keep her pain-free and at home. I brought her home. TS & I both cried and said (mistakenly, in front of her) "whatever Sunny wants, Sunny gets". She had about 3-6 months, but certainly not a year. Sunny being Sunny, she proceeded to take full advantage. She ate what we ate, plus her own food. Special kitty milk to prevent upset tummy. Food on demand, in whatever quantities she liked. She gained back up to 9 pounds. A year later, she started to fail a bit & then rebounded. It had gone on this way since January 2004. About 3 weeks ago, she dropped weight drastically, almost overnight. But, she never stopped eating, drinking, using her litter box or yelling to be let out. Last Friday, she stopped jumping up on the counter & started peeing in odd places. We put a litter box upstairs so she wouldn't have to go to the basement & got her an antibiotic in case it was a UTI. Monday, when I fed her, she reached for something & fell over. I had to pick her up. She looked at me & said "you know what you need to do, don't you"? She was down to 5.5 pounds. I called the vet & asked how late he'd be open the next day. TS came home, we cried, held her & agreed that she had asked. Yesterday, as I posted before, TS stayed with her all day. After all, TS was Sunny's cat. Sunny was so happy - she was ready & knew it was time & we were going to help her. The other cats curled up with her & The Monster gave her a bath. She spent some time outside with TS, walking around the yard (her version of seeing the Northern Lights, actually). She had some sushi & at 4p, got ready to go to Marc's office. Let me tell you why I love Marc Levine: I went to the office yesterday morning to get a tranquilizer. I always tranquilize cats before taking them to be euthanized because they hate the vet so much & I don't want their final moments to be stressed. I walked in & didn't have to say a word other than "I need a tranquilizer". They handed it right to me & said give it two hours ahead of time & come whenever you are ready". At 5:15p, Marc called the house to see how we were & if we had decided for sure. We said yes & brought her down. Sunny was very mellow,but still managed to bark at him when he gave her another sedative. TS held her & I held her paw until she was zonked. We both held her as she laid on the table and Marc gave her the final shot. He stayed and talked with us a few minutes about the whole thing & listened to our stories about her. We will get her ashes back in a couple weeks; we will plant something for her in the back yard & bury her there. After all, she never did agree with our assessment that she was an indoor cat. She never stopped eating, drinking or purring. She was very weak and couldn't walk very well the last two days. But, I am so at peace. My biggest fear when she was first diagnosed was that she would have one single second of pain. And I know, deep down, that she didn't. For nine years, pretty much to the day, she owned us & we all loved each other. She just had the greatest personality. Excuse me while I go shed a tear now..... | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 963 Registered: 8-2003 |
Excuse us all while we shed tears. Thanks for your Sunny stories. Sounds like a dream...again, hugs. | ||
| las Citizen Username: Las Post Number: 165 Registered: 10-2003 |
Wow - she ate and drank for you both. She lived for you because she loved you so. You are a rich, rich family. | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 1733 Registered: 9-2002 |
More tears here (hope no one comes into my office or I'll have to blame allergies). Glad she had such great mommies. | ||
| redY67 Citizen Username: Redy67 Post Number: 1991 Registered: 2-2003  |
greentree I am so sorry for your and TS's loss. That was a very touching story. I am going to get a tissue now..... | ||
| Debby Citizen Username: Debby Post Number: 1877 Registered: 5-2001 |
It sounds like you gave Sunny the best possible life, and the best possible end of life. Is that her in your avatar? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4500 Registered: 5-2001 |
No - that is The Monster-aka- Goddamit Ashby No. I'm going to post a pic of Sunny, tho. Along with the funny underwear I gave mom for Mother's Day. Don't worry, the cat is not wearing the underwear. Thank you all for the nice thoughts & words. It helps to have other people know who she was. I need to do some real work, but GMF is flying real high these days.... She annoyed the •••• out of me last night, so I'll have to post more later. In a nutshell - she called & spent half an hour telling me how, basically, she is more physically needy than her daughter (you know, the one going thru treatment for cancer?) and how I need to come in and take her to look at nursing homes. The conversation ended with her reminding me that she is poor and paid for this phone call so that I should call her and pay for the next one. I plan on calling her in a few days and saying I can only afford to talk for 3 minutes because I am paying her daughter's medical bills. Nevermind the fact that I told her that I had just put my kitty down and didn't feel like talking. I guess being talked at doesn't count. Baby Bro is flying in tonight since this is a chemo cycle week. Normal Bro and I agreed that we would make sure he actually got on the plane and arrived in Ohio before telling him that Saturday is GMF's birthday & he will have to take her out for lunch. | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 964 Registered: 8-2003 |
OOOhhh that's so MEAN. Maybe HE can take GMF to look at nursing homes, as a b-day present? | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 1564 Registered: 6-2001 |
Oh greenie, you got me twice in one day. And you're wrong about her not feeling the need to bring gifts; she was the gift. And I bet GDIAN! grows up over the next few months. How is (oh dear, senior moment...) the cat you sought companionship for doing? And please make sure that baby bro tells GMF HFB from MOL! | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4510 Registered: 5-2001 |
Bets- I can't believe that you remember that we were calling him "GDIAN" (pronounced Gideon) last year! You never met the companion-seeking kitty. She was 17.5 when she died in 2002. I guess that we are pretty lucky that Sunny, at 14, is the youngest we've ever lost. No, I think that The Monster has grown up as much as he will. Believe it or not, he has settled down quite a bit. He's three now, but there was still the Great Mud Incident a few weeks ago. Fortunately, the mud dried into dirt & came out of the window seat cushion, but I'm still finding clumps of dirt in my briefcase. This morning, I heard TS start screaming from the kitchen. She'd just swept up the kitchen floor & when she turned her back to get the dustpan, he plopped himself on the dirt pile & refused to move. She rolled him from side to side to get the dirt up. Both the cats are now on diets. In trying to keep weight on Sunny, they both reaped the benefits. So, it's Kitty Boot Camp time. They each need to take off about two pounds. Baby Bro got on the plane & is now in Ohio. I called this morning & mom said "Why didn't you tell him that it's GMF's Birthday on Saturday? I had to tell him that he could bring her over here as a bribe". I told her that it had been a conscious decision to wait. She said it was sneaky. I said "You wanted him there, didn't you"? She said she saw my point. I then told her about how GMF wants me to call so that she won't have to pay for calls. Mom told me that she's going to give her a calling card for her B-day. I said "Don't you dare - at least this way I only have to talk to her every few days". I told mom that I would tell baby Bro to take GMF to a diner for lunch & say that he had to hurry home because "Mother is Ill". I said "Don't ask me to handle her & then get in the middle. I know what I'm doing". Mom agreed. We'll see how long it lasts..... Mom relented & told Baby Bro that he can clean out her pantry. It will keep him happy (being The Cleaner and all). When I spoke to him yesterday, he was seriously considering having a dumpster pulled up to the house while she is in chemo today. I told him I'd kill him. As I keep telling my brothers: we can talk to her about simplifying her life & downsizing after she is done with treatment. He told mom that he is scared to feed her because if she gets sick he'll feel that it's his fault. I'm very proud of him for facing his fears & going to help her this week. I really hope that they don't kill each other. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 4512 Registered: 5-2001 |
My friends and loyal readers, I have come to bid you adieu..... I have just received an e-mail from The Cleaner. The new alarm system that I installed at my mom's a few weeks ago is now in the garbage. Why? Because it beeped every 3 hours because the battery on one of the sensors needs to be changed. I am going to hunt him down and beat him over the head with the base unit. Unless, of course, I use one of the cords to strangle him. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 1432 Registered: 9-2003  |
Is the "adieu" because you're en route to your mama's, or cuz you're gonna kill the installer and get the chair? **** I am very, very sorry for the loss of your kitty. I'm glad to hear she had a peaceful, painless goodbye.... |
