On Thursday morning I made a very hard decision. Dinah did not seem to be doing well and enjoying the quality of life that she deserved. I arranged for my vet to come to my house yesterday afternoon when the Clinic closed and euthanize Dinah. I immediately started second guessing myself about this decision, because Dinah was still eating and wagging her tail. Friday, though, she did not seem to feel as good as she had, and Friday night she seemed so tired. She ate supper, but it was obvious she was failing rapidly. Saturday morning it seemed like she could barely keep her head up, and she did not eat breakfast. I could not get her to take the Valium that I had gotten for her euthanasia. It did't matter.
My sister had come over on Monday to see her, and when she arrived yesterday to be with me during this, she was shocked at how fast Dinah had gone downhill. Cancer is such a horrible disease. It was just a year and a half ago that I lost my sweet Savannah to cancer, too. I have no doubt that I made the right decision for Dinah. It was definately the kindest thing to do for her--but not for me. I will miss her so terribly. My vet arrived around 2:00 p.m. yesterday. Dinah lay with her head on my lap while the vet gave her the injection. It was over very quickly, and she went peacefully. I read something recently that I think is very appropriate. It was written by Patricia N. Olson, DVM, Ph.D. It is about cats, but I feel it also applies to our wonderful Cavaliers. "And God asked the feline spirit Are you ready to come home? Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul And, as a cat, you know I am most able to decide anything for myself. Are you coming then? asked God Soon, replied the whiskered angel But I must come slowly For my human friends are troubled For you see, they need me, quite certainly. But don't they understand? asked God that you'll never leave them? That your souls are intertwined? For all eternity? That nothing is created or destroyed? It just is ... forever and ever and ever. Eventually they will understand, Replied the glorious cat For I will whisper into their hearts that I am always with them I just am ... forever and ever and ever." It's going to take a long time to work through my grief for Dinah. I'm so glad that I have Madeleine to comfort me and Nick to make me smile. Carol Richards [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.geocities.com/carolscavaliers/ "My little dog, a heartbeat at my feet." Edith Wharton ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
