Didn't See It Coming...

Hi there, this is my first posting here. I've come, like many of you, to share my story and find some solace in the company of people who are going through the same thing as I am.

Last Tuesday I noticed my 12-year old cat Katie (my avatar is a picture of her) was not acting like herself. I noticed a lump on her side that I hadn't felt before. I am a veterinary technician so I took her into work the next day. The vet at my clinic referred Katie to an ultrasound veterinarian. On Thursday we got the diagnosis: Katie had a massive pancreatic tumour that had wrapped itself around her left kidney and had cut off one of her ureters. The vet said the condition is extremely rare and we would have only started to see signs within the past week. She said she would be surprised if Katie made it through the weekend. I was devestated. My family and I spent Thursday night and Friday morning with Katie and Friday afternoon we took her to my clinic and I held her as she was euthanized. So in a span of 4 days, we thought she was sick, got a diagnosis, and lost her. If you had told me 2 weeks ago this would have happened I wouldn't have believed it. Katie had so much personality, so much spirit, and then bam, she's gone. I think it's because it was so sudden and unexpected that I am having such a hard time with it. She was only 12, she should have had so many more good years left. We see cats at the clinic who are 19. It's just.. not fair. Anyway, thanks for listening, I know there are others who feel the same way I do and that is comforting in itself- that I'm not alone.