Tomorrow, July 6, would have been Nickels 13th birthday. He was euthanized by an uncaring vet last August 28th. It came as a complete shock and she never even offered me options of creamation nor a phone call or card. They just threw him away. It is not only his birthday, it is my Birthday also. He was my birthday gift from God. This past year has been extremely hard without my precious Nickels. Our business is failing. People want everything for nothing and then they are still rude. I don't know how much more my Husband and I can take. We live in Tulsa and after 8 years here we have not one friend we can just "do" lunch with. Neither of us have family besides each other.

I planted a beautiful vegetable garden at our Condo last year and gave out all we had in a gesture of friendship. Cu%%bers, 4 varieties of peas, cantalopes, lettuce and such. I tended it lovingly for hours every day when I should have been spending the time with Nickels. I didn't even know he was sick. This year I was planning on making a memorial garden to Nickels in place of the vegetables. I looked out my window the other morning and there were 3 dog owners with 6 dogs deficating and not picking up after them. I just don't understand why people are so heartless and I feel so angry at the blatant disrespect towards all my efforts. Hopefully we can liquidate our business this year and leave. I just can't stand how mean the people are here in Tulsa.

I went to the doctor last week and from all the strain of the past year they listened to my heart and wanted me to go to the E.R. We can't afford health insurance and the only thing that we have left is our little condo and I am not risking losing it to be homeless. The doctor ran an EKG and found that I've had a heart attack but we're not sure of the damage the attack has done.

We just now got back on the internet because we couldn't afford it or cable or any of the small luxeries we used to take for granted.

I just wanted to tell ALL OF YOU that your kind compassion and support means more to me than you will ever ever know. I shed tears for each loss that you have suffered. I pray that time will heal all of us and we will one day have a reunion in Heaven to celebrate one of His greatest creations - our beloved pets. God Bless each and every one of you.
Michelle

My heart goes out to you.... As I read your post I felt such compassion and sadness for you. Your little angel is so sweet and dear in the photo...how could anyone do such a senseless act and claim to love animals....that Vet should be ashamed! I truly hope that you can find your way to peace and comfort by remembering that love is stronger than any finite end that we humans may contrive...in fact it is the only thing that does last....forever. Trust in that love to encompass your heart and revitalize your spirit.

Blessings and Peace,
Kathryn

Dear Michelle, I too really feel for you. Nickel was your anchor and your comfort, your baby and your love. There again, I would love to administer one of my hard, bang on right where you are coming from kicks to the vets who were so uncaring to you. I have found that vets can be insensitive to a point but this is ridiculous.
Please know that even if you had been able to keep his ashes or bury Nickel in your yard, his spirit left his body as soon as life left him now he is with you, here, there and everywhere, they can be where they want once they are free of their bodies.
But this doesn't help us much when we are missing their physical as well
It doesn't help either when other things in our life aren't going too well.
Sometimes, we hold on to the wrong priorities, you have sort of seen this when your kind intentions of providing lovely produce went unappreciated. Perhaps Nickel is your guiding light, he wasn't left for you to bury there because you will not stay there for much longer. Go ahead and work at liquidating that business and moving towards more satisfaction. There are better things for you there and Nickel will help you find a better life, believe in him and what he can do for you. Dear Michelle, stay good, stay strong and life will reward you, believe in it, it's yours to have just like the 13 years of Nickel's love were yours to have. And try to keep on gardening where ever life takes you, vegetables are your health, they will make your heart healthy(Dr. Dean Ornish says you can repair dammaged hearts with a good diet) buy or grow the best and make them your mainstay. My grieving made me lose sleep, I can not counsel you about that. But I have often had business or other worries that I could deal with: Try my trick to get yourself to sleep if you worry about your business: imagine yourself putting all your troubles in a huge white sack, tying a rope around it and hanging it up a tree outside your home then going back inside to sleep. Visualize this before going to bed and you will probably have a good nights sleep.
Hugs, I know how hard it is after the last 13 years made so rich by Nickels....hugs again.....may he light up your path.