I have often thought and said on this site that the last gift you can give your pet is to help him/her leave this world without pain, if necessary.
I have rethought this. After thinking about how much our pets love us, I now realize that there is one more thing that we can do. The truly final gift we can give our pet is to be happy, even after he/she p^^es away.
I am trying to be happy for Daisy's sake, but it is hard, since I miss her so much.
Daisy's Mommy
Full Version: The Final Gift
You're absolutely right...but how it hurts to do that!! It was the most agonising decision I have ever made in my entire life...but I know I did the right thing, and the best thing is that he is at peace, not suffering or in pain anymore.
He in turn gave me the best gift, 19 years of happiness!!
Lisa
He in turn gave me the best gift, 19 years of happiness!!
Lisa
I admire your courage but please remember you must let out the grief and not supress it.
Its hard, it takes time but youll get there.
Love Sue
Its hard, it takes time but youll get there.
Love Sue
Is being numb a part of that grief, almost 7 weeks after? Even when the tears are not as frequest, is it normal to just feel emotionally dead? Is this a part of protecting myself from the pain of loss I'm still feeling?
No, it is perfectly normal! I find myself waking up in the morning and saying, "So, it's another day" instead of "time to feed Precious, get ready, go to work, gogogo". I still feel numb, almost like I have a pillow around me, can't feel much emotionally. The rent-a-cats are so sweet and supportive (they're still calling for Precious, it tears me up sometime). I will be busy working with patients at work and then find out one of them has p^^ed away and I get sad all over again. This feeling is so close to when my mother died, except since it's a cat, one I raised from a kitten, it's affecting me much more this time. My friends and family have been very supportive and offer a kind shoulder when I get weepy and start blubbing in the middle of a sentence. I was listening to Beautiful Boy by John Lennon today and it really, really got to me. I had to go to the ladies' room and just sob until I couldn't any more. My boss came to check on me and I told her I was okay. She asked if I needed to leave but I said no, we were in the middle of end-of-month close, so I did the stiff-upper-lip and went back to work.
The day will come when you feel almost normal again, it is just going to take time. You're not protecting yourself, you're going through the grief process, and with everyone it's different. Some get over a pet or family member's death quickly while others have to go through more tears and heartache. Just let yourself grieve as long as you need to. Don't think that anyone will judge you less as a human being for it; after all, you ARE human and we're all different, that's what makes us interesting!!
Lisa
The day will come when you feel almost normal again, it is just going to take time. You're not protecting yourself, you're going through the grief process, and with everyone it's different. Some get over a pet or family member's death quickly while others have to go through more tears and heartache. Just let yourself grieve as long as you need to. Don't think that anyone will judge you less as a human being for it; after all, you ARE human and we're all different, that's what makes us interesting!!
Lisa
[quote]Is being numb a part of that grief, almost 7 weeks after? Even when the tears are not as frequest, is it normal to just feel emotionally dead? Is this a part of protecting myself from the pain of loss I'm still feeling?
Its all perfectly normal, and it lasts for months really, maybe a year were all different.
It eases of then comes back like a full speed train and you feel like your back to square one again.
Let it out and let it go, you know how awful you feel thats not a nice thing to supress inside your body, get it out and let it go piece by piece, day by day.
Love Sue
Its all perfectly normal, and it lasts for months really, maybe a year were all different.
It eases of then comes back like a full speed train and you feel like your back to square one again.
Let it out and let it go, you know how awful you feel thats not a nice thing to supress inside your body, get it out and let it go piece by piece, day by day.
Love Sue
DEAR DAISY'S MOMMY,
I NEEDED A BOOST TODAY, AND YOU FINAL GIFT IS RIGHT. wOULD DAISY WANT YOU TO BE SAD ALL OF THE TIME, OF COURSE NOT. I STILL HAVE REALLY BAD DAYS, BUT FROM NOW ON I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF THE FINAL GIFT.
TAKE CARE,
CHARLIE'S MOM
MICHELLE
I NEEDED A BOOST TODAY, AND YOU FINAL GIFT IS RIGHT. wOULD DAISY WANT YOU TO BE SAD ALL OF THE TIME, OF COURSE NOT. I STILL HAVE REALLY BAD DAYS, BUT FROM NOW ON I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF THE FINAL GIFT.
TAKE CARE,
CHARLIE'S MOM
MICHELLE
I think it makes our pets sad to see us so sad. I don't want my pet to be sad because of me.
What a lovely sentiment...it helps with acceptance too...
I still catch myself when I enjoy my new furbaby too much - I feel guilty for a moment. Or if I accidentally call her Cleo. But, taking care of another cat who needs a home is OK. It makes me happy.
PS. Although I do get tired from my 1 yr cat running around playing all day after years of living with a geriatic cat
I still catch myself when I enjoy my new furbaby too much - I feel guilty for a moment. Or if I accidentally call her Cleo. But, taking care of another cat who needs a home is OK. It makes me happy.
PS. Although I do get tired from my 1 yr cat running around playing all day after years of living with a geriatic cat
The grief process is draining on one for sure. I have good days and bad. And, I've decided to take your advicce and cry if I need to. But, I will also honor Scooter, by remembering how brave he was when he had to get those sub q iv's 3 times a week. I will honor him by remembering his funny ways, and for all the love and companionship he gave us, even up to the very last moment, I felt his love for us.
I, too, have adopted a new kitten. He's about 13 weeks old now or about that. We have 3 other cats also, and little Marcel has helped them with their grief. Things are sure lively around here (and tiring)
. At times, when I catch myself laughing at the mischief Marcel has gotten into, I feel guilty. But, as you said, Scooter would not want me to be sad. I truly believe that he sent Marcel to us, because this little guy does a lot of the same things that Scooter did. 
I miss Scooter so much and it hurts, tomorrow is the 7 week anniversary of his passing.
I will continue on with my journey through grief, grateful that I have such wonderful people here, that understand exactly how I feel, and do not judge me for still missing my baby.
Thank you all for all of your kind words and comfort
Scooter's mom
I, too, have adopted a new kitten. He's about 13 weeks old now or about that. We have 3 other cats also, and little Marcel has helped them with their grief. Things are sure lively around here (and tiring)
. At times, when I catch myself laughing at the mischief Marcel has gotten into, I feel guilty. But, as you said, Scooter would not want me to be sad. I truly believe that he sent Marcel to us, because this little guy does a lot of the same things that Scooter did. I miss Scooter so much and it hurts, tomorrow is the 7 week anniversary of his passing.
I will continue on with my journey through grief, grateful that I have such wonderful people here, that understand exactly how I feel, and do not judge me for still missing my baby.
Thank you all for all of your kind words and comfort
Scooter's mom
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