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Cheri
Age Unknown
Female
San Diego CA
Birthday Unknown
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Joined: 4-January 12
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Last Seen: 15th January 2015 - 01:09 PM
Local Time: Mar 28 2024, 06:01 AM
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Cheri

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10 Jul 2013
Cancer won, Sandy is gone, too soon, too quick.
We had Sandy for 15 years. She was Diego's partner, who left us 1 1/2 years ago, and it seems like yesterday.
We got Diego first in 1998 when he was a kitten, we were spending time between San Diego and Washington and picked his name for our love of the area. Then shortly after, Sandy came along and they were a pair. Sandy and Diego.
They were brother and sister for 13 years, when we lost the greatest little boy, Diego to cancer. Sandy has grieved every night since he left us. She always cries at night just after we go to bed, every night for a couple minutes, then settles in. I felt the same way as she did.
But 2 weeks ago, I began to worry. My daughter came to visit from out of town (she grew up with this kitty, she chose Sandy at PAWS) and said "Sandy's lost weight", I said a little, but she doesn't eat as much any more. I just thought it was her age. She still ate, drank, talked and sat on our laps every chance she got!! She loved to be petted and would stare at your hand when you stopped, then grab it to pet her again. She had the loudest purr, and would purr just when she heard our voice. I can remember being on th phone once, Sandy was sitting on the arm of the chair next to me purring away and the lady on the other end said "Is that a cat purring?" I just said yep, that's Sandy smile.gif She would purr so loud as soon as she heard our voices.
The next day Sandy was in her favorite spot and would not come out for treats. I gave her some can food, but she refused to eat. Not like her to miss a Meal or a treat sad.gif It was the day I started to worry and haven't stopped since. By Sunday she was jaundice and I made an appointment for the next day. She had a blood panel done and the vet saw very high levels of bilirubin and enough other alarms to suspect liver disease, pancreatitis or cancer sad.gif she made us an appointment at the ER for an ultrasound the next day. Tuesday, ultrasound.... Blood work, aspiration. Looks like lymphatic cancer spread to liver,
Won't know til blood test comes back and because of the holiday that could be two days. I paid extra to get a stat blood report from the lab and she stayed in the hospital with an iv to get fluids in her. Wednesday still no blood report but we needed her to eat for her to have a chance to recover, so a feeding tube was put in. Thursday we went in again to visit and the blood work was back. She had the worst kind of cancer (they're all bad sad.gif. Pancreatic with a mass and it had begun to spread to her liver.
So we took her home to give her hospice care. She took to the tube feedings every six hours and perked up some, but never returned to her old self. After the e-tube got an infection and she started to vomit yesterday, I knew she was over it.
I made that awful, hard decision last night to let her go. She took her tube feeding today just fine, drank some water and just never left her new spot on the bathroom tile , where she stayed since coming home from the vet.
I called a mobile vet and they came out to our house so Sandy wouldn't have to be put in the car and on a metal table her last moments of life. She had her dignity until the end. To have my baby girl fall asleep, out of pain in my arms was truly peaceful. She looked content as she slipped away from me, doctors and pain. I do not regret these past two weeks, I did everything I could and I would've continued on forever for her, but she didn't want to. She had a great wonderful full life and she left us on a good day when she wasn't yet in a lot of pain, but still not herself any more.
I have yet to stop crying as my tears hit the keyboard , but I know one day these tears I feel when I think of her will be replaced by a smile. I look forward to that, but for now - I will let them fall. She deserved the best and I know I was the one chosen to give her just that, I believe I lived up to it! I'll miss you, your meow and most of all, your purr.
You will always be my Sandycat, my babycat and I will miss you forever and a day. Til we meet again, enjoy all the love you get from Diego, he's been waiting for you smile.gif
6 Jan 2012
My beautiful Diego left this earthly world Saturday December 31st. It was such a lousy way to start the new year..

He was 13 years old and my baby boy. Doing well until I left him to go home to Washington State for the family Christmas .
Diego has his sister,Sandy, same age, sister from another mother, and the 3 year Boomer, just a nuisance to him, but tolerable. smile.gif
Last October, after many bouts of vomiting, an ultrasound showed a mass in Diego's intestine, most likely cancer and at his age nothing could be done so he was sent home to live out maybe the couple weeks he had left.
He was put on prednisolone which made him feel great and kept his life extended, along with a miracle from God, he lived 14 months beyond the vets expectations!!!
About two months ago he was diagnosed with diabetes and this too did not affect his happy outlook. He never noticed the daily injection I would give him. In fact it hurt me more than it ever hurt him, I even poked my finger and made it bleed, he never lost a drop of blood from the shot. he was still doing well, but I never stopped worrying about that inevitable day to come.
So when we left for five days to go home for Christmas, I got a house sitter who loves animals and is going to school to be a para medic. She thought caring for Diego and his special needs was right up her alley. I left him and Sandy and Boomer in safe hands, but still I worried it could be his last Christmas. sad.gif. We talked to the sitter everyday and was assured everyone was good, so I was not worried, what could I do anyway.
When we returned, he was not waiting to greet us as usual and when he did come down the stairs, I could see he was taking cautious steps. Still he ate and drank and used the litter box that day, but didn't want much attention. The next day he ate, but less than usual and I thought he walked funny. As I petted him, the stomach felt very extended so I weighed him and found he had gained a pound in one week. That is a huge amount for a cat, especially a senior cat! So, I called my vet and when she came over that night we removed almost 4ounces of fluid from his belly. After taking blood to check for tests, he received an iv for dehydration and seemed comfortable enough to sleep the rest of the night, although I did not!
Next morning he ate, but some of the fluid obviously returned and the tests on the blood showed nothing much and the fluid left nothing remarkable..So we got an ultrasound done at our home the
    next day, Saturday the 31st and the results showed the mass, that d--n mass had grown and spread to the lymph nodes And surrounding tissue. The ultra sound techs left just saying how sorry they were. My vet then talked to a couple specialists, but she told me what I already knew.... There was nothing we could do. I asked her to tell me what to do and she helped me make the decision to help Diego go on to the next world. We said our long goodbyes, my adult daughter, her boyfriend, my wonderful home vet and me. He then laid on my chest in a chair as he was first given a sedative to sleep, before the final painless last injection. He could hear every word I said to him up until his last breath and he knew how loved and adored he was. In the end Diego died peacefully, beautifully, and in my arms.
    I am glad I was there and he was home and he was comfortable.
    If I had to loose him, I at least wanted it to be as comforting as possible.
    I have no regrets for I had him much longer than expected.
    This site has given me much hope to know one day I will get past the pain. I will read all the stories everyday and grow stronger with words of comfort from those who know exactly what I am going through. Everyday gets better.
    If I ever find someone who needs the same support, this is the first place I will send them , for I am doing as well as I am in part, because of the kind words I have read here.
    I love my brave Diego, I miss you so very very much, but you will never be forgotten, never.
    All my love,
    See you again some day
    Last Visitors


    1 Jan 2013 - 13:41


    17 Apr 2012 - 17:09


    21 Mar 2012 - 2:44


    18 Mar 2012 - 9:09


    12 Mar 2012 - 17:32

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