I lost my best 4 legged friend on Feb 23,2009, it's just been alittle over 2 weeks now, Charlie was my sweet boy, a beautiful silver grey long haired cat. He had been "sick" for nearly 2 years before I let him go. We had seen 4 vets, tests, Xrays, meds, fluids, blood etc, and great expense. The only symptom was a snotty nose,the vets didnt know what or why either, but on 2-23 my vets said it was time, he was in resp distress, so I made that decision to let him go....still not having any answers as to what was wrong with him, what caused his snotty nose??? Im lost without him, the first week, all I did was cry, I too had to go see my doc to get some help with this...I had him cremated, and he has his own little shelf in my home with his urn, a lock of hair,and his picture. My heart aches for him, I miss his head butts, rubs and ocassional purrs...he has forever left his imprint on and in my heart...thanks for all that read this, as I just need to vent, and let this all out...this song is dedicated to my sweet Charlie....mama loves you now and forever, I'll see you at the Rainbow Bridge sweetheart !! Dawn


The Dance

Looking back on the memory of
the dance we shared, beneath the stars above.
For a moment all the world was right,
how was I to know that you'd ever say good bye?
And now I'm glad I didn't know
the way it all would end, the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance,
I could have missed the pain,
but I'd have had to miss the dance.
Holding you, I held everything,
for a moment, wasn't I the king?
If I'd only known how the king would fall
hey who's to say, you know I might have changed it all.
And now I'm glad I didn't know
the way it all would end, the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance,
I could have missed the pain,
but I'd have had to miss the dance.

Hello, my name is Jorge and I'm so sorry for your loss and feel the pain you are feeling right now, I wish I could say or do something to make it easy for you but I can't, one thing I do can for you though and that is that I'm a good listener and you could talk to me any time you want, God Bless You and also Beautiful Charlie always, take good care and always here, Jorge

dearest angelsflying, i am so terribly sorry for your loss. please accept my deepest condolences. i wish to share so much with you because you have described very similar to what happened with my kitty cocoa many years ago. but is very slow and difficult to type cuz i broke my left arm and wrist. oh i will be fine. but i am using one finger on right hand to type and it takes a longgggg time to type. i must come back and share with you though and perhaps may be of some small comfort at what must be just about the most gosh awful time in your life. truly, i can hear your heart breaking and feel your deep sorrow, devastation and the void you feel from Charlie crossing over.

i have appointment tomorrow to have arm and wrist set, casted and so on. hopefully, then I can use fingers on both hands to type. again, i am fine. i promise. i just wish i could say more to you right now. i am so sorry.

please know that you and Charlie are in my thoughts and prayers as i wing many loving angels to soothe and guide you.

for now, here's something that i can do an i pray it brings you some small comfort, dear one.

biggggg comforting hugs!!!

always, dottie xoxoxox

Please click on Charlie's picture to view and hear. I will copy and paste lyrics in case you are not able to view video. I wish you Peace!



Who can say for certain maybe you're still here. I feel you all around me. Your memory's so clear.

Deep in the stillness, I can hear you speak. You're still an inspiration. Can it be? That you are my Forever Love. And you are watching over me from up above!

Fly me up to where you are beyond the distant star. I wish upon tonight to see you smile! If only for a while to know you're there. A breath away's not far to where you are.

Are you gently sleeping here inside my dream? And isn't faith believing all power can't be seen. As my heart holds you just one beat away, I cherish all you gave me everyday!

'Cause you are my Forever Love watching me from up above.
And I believe that Angels breathe and that love will live on and never leave!

Fly me up to where you are, beyond the distant star! I wish upon tonight to see you smile. If only for a while to know you're there. A breath away's not far to where you are!

I know you're there! A breath away's not far to where you are!

Dearest angelsflying, please click on the angelic lady for Blessing song to you and your precious Charlie. It is just about the most beautiful song I've ever heard and I wish all these Blessings for you and you Angel fur kid baby boy. More Hugs!





Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby. Back to the years of Loo-Li,Lai-Ley. And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow. Bless you with love for the road that you go.

May you sail fair to the far fields of fortune with diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet and may you need never to banish misfortune. May you find kindness in all that you meet.

May there always be Angels to watch over you. To guard you each step of the way. To guard you and keep you safe from all harm. Loo-Li,Loo-Li,Lai-Ley.

May you bring love and may you bring happiness. Be loved in return to the end your days. Now fall off to sleep. I'm not meaning to keep you. I'll just sit for a while and sing Loo-Li,Lai-Ley.

May there always be Angels to watch over you. To guard you each step of the way. To guard you and keep you safe from all harm. Loo-Li,Loo-Li,Lai-Ley. Loo-Li,Loo-Li,Lai-Ley.

I'm so sorry for your loss of Charlie. They give us such unconditional love that losing them cuts so deep we feel we'll never recover. In some ways we really don't, just move forward and someday we'll be reunited with them again. The emptiness is overwhelming at times. Just hold on to the memories. Hoping your tears turn to smiles soon..Hugs.. Ann

Thank you all so much for the kind words and support. The music was beautiful, and the video, I have no words, Im speechless....beautiful also. I love what you did with Charlies picture...I had a good cry this morning, felt good to release...

Angelcare, good luck with your cast today, I would like very much to talk to you more when you are up to it.

Jorge, thank you too, each comment I read helps me through my pain.

Thank you too Ann, I feel great comfort with each word.

I dont get much comfort at home, they think that in 2 weeks I should just snap out of it and get over it, I cant...my heart is broken right now, and I know me, and I need more time to heal. I feel what I think a mother feels when they lose a child, for he was like a child to me, he was sick, and I was his constant care provider, I did everything for him, was there for him, and went through everything right with him, right by his side, I felt his fears and any pain. And after 4 vets, over $2000, my Charlie is gone, and I still have NO answers, cause of all my vets, they just dont know either...But, I was his mama, and I feel LOST without him right now...

Thank you all for listening,
Dawn

I'm so sorry for your loss of Charlie. The level of pain you are going through right now, many of us here understand only too well. Please know that it will get a little bit better everyday, but the feeling of loss will always linger in the background. Whenever I focus to much on the urn of my precious Candy, I can loose it. But in time, the pain did get better, but it took (still taking) months.

Hang in there and know if you ever need to vent, it helps writing down your fond memories of Charlie here.

Take care

Candy's Dad
Hal

Hi, angelsflying, please permit me to offer you my sincerest sympathies in the loss of your beloved Charlie. Losing a beloved companion is never easy regardless of the circumstances or how long we have been blessed with the privilege of their company. This grief healing journey is a very painful one, particularly in the beginning, but it is a journey you do not have to travel alone. We are here for you for as long and as often as you need us, angelsflying. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, and please let us know how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

dearest dawn, cannot type much yet cuz dr. could not set and cast arm so am having surgery to put screws in bones of arm and wrist. dad burn it. will type in abbreviations to say a bit for now and may be a few weeks before i can share our kitty similarities and my cocoa cat's diagnosis and treatments. am so very sorry, dear one. truly i am. will try my very best to tell you sooner though and just type slowly in abbreviations cuz i know how important it is to you. hugs!

i do want to share the following at this time. you said ...

"I don't get much comfort at home, they think that in 2 weeks I should just snap out of it and get over it, I cant ... my heart is broken right now, and I know me, and I need more time to heal."

i sure know what you mean. if i hear, "he was a bird. only a parrot. millions more out there exactly like him. just go get another one. sure you're sad he died but you gotta get over it. stop this nonsense and ..." you get the picture. if i hear that one more time
i think i may spit! now, instead of bird, insert: cat, dog, bunny, iguana, rat, goldfish, ferret and so on. the pain, grief, devastation and many times horror and/or guilt ... it's the same for lots of people ...

others? they just do not get it. many don't want to get it ... please click below for article plus more in the Pet Loss Support Resources and Articles area of this board and here's a copy and paste of short snippet:

http://lightning-strike.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4893

<snippet>

"For pet lovers, the death of a cherished companion can be as painful as the death of a relative or friend. In fact, the death of a pet can affect some of us even more than the death of a relative or friend. All of us have distinctive and unique relationships with every pet that becomes part of our lives. The loss of one might impact us more than the loss of another, but they each shape us in their own way. Grieving for your pet is the same as mourning the death of a human being. The difference lies only in the value that is placed on your pet, or pets overall, by your family and by society in general."

<end snippet>

then please click here for loving message in same area of this board:

http://lightning-strike.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4662

will try to talk more later and i wish you peace!!!

biggggg comforting hugs!!!!!

always,
dottie xoxoxox

ps. here's something else you may wish to read from same board area:

http://lightning-strike.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4814

Thank you moom_beam, and angelcare...your words bring me great comfort.

Angel- so sorry about your arm and your up coming surgery..hope its over soon, and you heal quickly.
When you are more able, would love to talk about our "kitties", when you can type better.

Im back at work again, after a 2 month layoff, and this is helping me...to be busy and out the house, time will help me with my grief for my Charlie, I know...and each day it gets some what easier...but dear lord, I miss him so much still, he was my 4 legged child. I'll keep in touch, and thank you all for your kind words !!

And by the way, my name is Dawn

Hi, Dawn, thank you so much for letting us know how you're doing. Yes, keeping busy does help, but not to the point of suppressing your need to grieve the loss of your precious Charlie. Some people think that if they keep really busy that the loss won't be as painful. But suppressing this very normal grief can be very unhealthy - - both physically and emotionally - - later on. This grief journey has so many twists and turns, highs and lows, ins and outs. Just when you think you've got "control" over the hardest part, something comes along - - a song, a memory, a toy, etc. - - and you feel yourself crumbling as though it is the first moment of knowing that your precious Charlie is not physically with you anymore. Dawn, this is normal, so just go with the flow, okay? Some folks find it comforting to do a memorial for their furkid - - a scrapbook, a garden, making a donation to the local humane society in memory of their beloved furchild - -. When my number one kitty son Eli joined the angels 27 months ago I did a memorial booklet with pictures and poetry, etc., and made enough copies of it to give to the vets and vet techs who took such good care of him during his illness and crises events. They really appreciated the booklet because it focused on his life before he got so sick, and that's how I want him to be remembered. Dawn, please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I will look forward to knowing how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Angelsflying, I'm sorry to hear of your loss of Charlie. We all understand your terrible grief. Peace to you at this difficult time. Lynda

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, great, people here...I really appreciate all the kind words and sharing your thoughts with me.
Im doing better each day, I am taking the time to grieve, there are times I still cry, like when I hear a sad song, or if I look at his picture too long, but the daily breakdowns, for now are gone. And I have made a "tribute shelf" for my sweet boy, on it is his urn and a lock of hair, and pic. He will forever be a part of our family, and never forgotton. I also have a candle burning on a web site, gratefulness.org... as suggested.

Hope everyone here is doing good, and have a great day all !

Dawn

Hello everyone...today marks Charlies 1 month since he crossed to the rainbow bridge...the past few days have been real hard for me, many tears and saddness. I went to rainbowbridge.com and Im having a candle light service for him tonight at 10pm et, great place ! Just wanted to pop in and say hello, hope all is well with you all !

Dawn aka angelsflying

One month is a very very short time....the tears, the pain are still very intense. That's why your recent days were hard. Take it all one day at a time and do what makes you feel better to do that day. If you feel like crying...do it...and then cry again until you feel exhausted. It is all part of the grieving process. Whatever helps is the right thing to do. There will be hard days..after all, you lost your best friend such a short time ago.

The pain never goes away but in time it does get more bearable. My favorite quote is from someone here who said after losing a special one that: The pain of losing him will never ever be greater than the joy of knowing him.

As you can, think about the joy and the good memories. That helps ease the sad ones little by little. It will get easier to remember the joy. But it does take time.

Just know what you are feeling has been felt before and so you are never alone....there is understanding in sharing the pain.

I wish you peace and healing,
Judy