Thanks for your thoughtful words, Jill---while I sure wish you had never experienced the trauma of watching Semuta and Gary go downhill the way they did, I really appreciate your taking the time to share the experience. It was a big shock when Caramel started--very firmly--refusing the food. I had never experienced that before. I didn't have time to wonder 'what next' since things moved fast after that once I realized his rear legs were letting him down. But the idea of hooking him up to tubes, or anything else invasive, when he'd already been suffering so much, would not have been something I wanted. So thanks for articulating that. It helps move me along. Kerry
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jill Poe Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 11:54 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Caramel Kerry, I'm so sorry about Caramel. Unfortunately, I know how you must be feeling and, like you, dread having to go through the same thing again. When I lost my Semuta to lymphoma this March I second guessed a lot of things. His last days were VERY similar to your Caramel's - he went downhill fast at the end and I ended up taking him to the emergency clinic in the middle of the night to end his suffering. You can never know beforehand whether a cat will respond to aggressive treatment or just have a worse quality of life before finally succumbing. Semuta wouldn't eat the last few days and I knew he never would again - he had a bleeding tumor in his belly and would vomit anything he ate anyway. Gary (FeLV+) stopped eating when she had a severe URI but she allowed us to force feed her. If a cat doesn't allow force feeding, your options begin to dimish (and become more invasive and expensive). I think you'll look back in a few months and realize you made the right decisions. I'm so glad you had some quality time with Caramel before he passed! I took a couple days off and had a long weekend with Semuta before he died. He seemed pretty happy and comfortable until the last few hours and I'm grateful we had those days and that he wasn't uncomfortable for very long in the end. Jill __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
