I just don't know where to begin. For the past month I've cried and cried.

If you havn't read about Frankee in this Forum, he was named after our best friend and next door neighbor that died recently. He and Frank bonded on the 2nd day that we rescued little Frankee. He would spend hours with Frank and they both bonded. Frankee knew that Frank was in such pain from the horrible cancer that ended his life. Frankee would never bite or scratch Frank. They spent hours together watching TV. One day we came over to pick up Frankee and Frank laughingly told us that he changed the channel with the remote and Frankee tapped him on the arm, looked up at him, as if to say, "Hey, I wasn't done watching that!"

Frank Leon Sweet passed away at the age of 57 and it is a very very sad time. Frank was one of the most special souls that we have ever met on the planet. Before he died, he told everyone that he wanted Frankee at his funeral. His funeral was held in the Catholic Church and we brought Frankee. The baby was such a comfort to all of the people gathered to celebrate Franks life. When we named the kitten, I told Frank, "We named the kitten after you. For the rest of his life I hope that you can hear us, on a daily basis, saying, Frank, We Love You. Frank, your such a Good Boy!, Frank, get down off the counter for the final time!" Frank was honored and when we got up to eulogize him at his funeral, this brought a laugh, breaking the sadness and tears we all shed for our best friend.

I'm including a picture of Frank and Frankee. It was the last photo taken before he passed away and the family is deeply comforted by it as we are. I'm also including a couple of others. The one with the upstretched arms is Frankee napping with his "daddy". He LOVES his daddy.

I've checked in every couple of days to read all the new people that have posted about losing their very special babies and I've cried for all the sadness. I wanted to post words of comfort but this is a very incredibly hard time and I just couldn't seem to do it. I'm having such a hard time trying to get going again, but my precious Frankee helps so much.

The other day I brought out one of my precious Nickels rabbits foot keychains that he loved so. These are the only toys Nickels would ever play with. I would throw them and he would bring them back. I miss my precious Nickels everyday but wanted to see if Frankee wanted them. To my amazement when I first threw the rabbits foot, Frankee ran and retrieved the rabbits foot, walked back to me, dropped it at my feet and sat down waiting for me to throw it again just like Nickels did! He's only the second kitty that has ever fetched that I have had. I can't tell you how much joy this brings. I finally do not cry when I look at these toys. I feel like Nickels is still here through this plain looking little gray tabby that is growing at an amazing rate.

I pray for everyone on this board. I am so very sorry for all of the losses and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of all your losses. I pray that one day God will bless each and everyone of you as he has us through this special little soul. God Bless you all.

Michelle

Daddy and Frankee napping. Frankee LOVES his Daddy!

I've finally grown into my sweater! Merry Christmas!!

I'm getting to be such a big boy! As you can see by the background, we're remodeling and this photo was taken during one of our "busy days"! Frankee is a big help. He is approximately 3 months old here. We picked his birthday for him, with our Vet telling us about how old he is, August 21st. God truly sent this plain looking tabby to us and all in our circle. Please read his story in an earier post under this forum, "New Beginnings".

Frankee and Mama Wassi. Wassi is a 13 year old Siamese rescue kitty. She is a very private kitty and not a "cuddler" until Frankee came along. She always hisses and growls when our other kitty comes close. She's definately a loner but loves Frankee like he is her own.

Michelle
i was thinking of you, and wondering, how you are doing, you, and Frankee, and Grandma and your friend Frank.
i am very sorry to hear, that your friend Frank is gone.
so little Frankee was spending a lot of time with Frank, that is just great,
you can tell from the photo how Frank loved Frankee...
it must have been very comforting for Frank
thank you for sharing the photos
Eva

you told Frank, that you would say
Frank, We Love You
Frank(ee) You are such a Good Boy...every day
for a long, long time
how wonderful

Eva,

Thank you so much for your kind words. They help so much. Seems like everyone is having a rough year and I wish we could all have a break for the heartbreak of loss, be it human or furbaby.

Mom finally got out of the hospital after 6 long weeks of incredible pain and suffering in the Acute Care Ward. At least she didn't lose her leg. Each time we visited we had to "suit up", gloves, smock, and face masks. She had to have daily shots in her foot and also some in her stomach. This is incredibly hard on an 88 year old lady and the alzheimers is a blessing as these bad memories fade. I can't believe that you only need to take a 10 day course before you are allowed to care for our elderly parents. It's a little better in the new nursing home but also lacking in so much. We are trying to move her to one that is around the corner from our house. It's hard though, since the State is picking up part of the bill. They pretty much run the show even though she is paying the majority of the bill. All we can do is pray.

I'm relieved to know that Frank is no longer suffering. At the end he was surrounded by all that loved him. I know he is around us and is Frankee's Guardian Angel. It's also a comfort to know that he is watching over Nickels and Cassie, our white German Shepherd that passed away last year. She also LOVED Frank and she was his dog also. We gave her to him since our lives were so complicated and they were so close. We all live in the same building so we felt she was still ours.

Thank you Eva for your words of support. They help so very much.

God Bless you and your Family. I hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season.

Michelle

Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures. This is the time of year it is difficult to smile but pictures always seem to do the trick. Your warm thoughts are being returned to you many-fold.

Dear Love Them,

I keep looking at the beautiful picture of your kitty. My Son brought a wonderful black kitten home that he named "Miss Patch" (had a with patch on her stomach) after his Dad killed himself. We were not prepared for another pet but, how can you say no when your child has been through so much? Anyway we came home one night to find Miss Patch had been mauled by Dogs. It was on a Saturday and we didn't have any money to take her to a vet. We kept her comfortable until Monday morning when we took her in and they put her to sleep. Tore me apart.

You are so right when you refer to this a tough part of the year. Dad died of a massive heart attack on Thanksgiving years ago and I havn't celebrated the Holidays in over a decade.

Anyway, I was adopted and at 48. I have been posting all over the internet looking for my baby sister for the past 10 years. I found her this week. We are running up phone bills at an incredible rate and I find that I have tons of family and am so happy that they have opened their lives to me. BUT, my family all these years have been my furbabies and especially around the holidays I am so depressed. Frankee is my "miracle child". According to our Vet he shouldn't be alive. I protect him with everything I have and have a tendency not to discipline him as I should when he scratches on things he should not. He's such a good boy and usually behaves himself when I ask him to. His feelings are easily hurt. I'm thinking about turning him into a therapy cat since he helped Frank so much and does so well at the nursing home. He only attacks MY hands and seems to know who to "carefully love" and who to "viciously (LOL) love".

Thank you so much for responding to my post. It is a gift that couldn't be any better if it came in a beautiful package with a bow. You are helping me heal and I will keep you and yours in my prayers. I look forward to reading your posts. I always check this site everyday, though I may not post.

Love,
Michelle

I have 183 pictures of this precious 3 month old kitten and feel we have a kinship. ( He and I both being adopted).

What wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing them with us and I am very sorry for the loss of your friend and Frankee's namesake.

Thanks for your words. Since you enjoyed my avatar picture..maybe you would like to see my thread in Pet Loss...How Do I Stop Crying? I think you will relate to many feelings there. Also. ..in Tributes I have 2 threads of wonderful pictures that can make you smile also. One is Little Guy in Pictures#1. The other is Little Guy had a Sister.

I'm so sorry what happened to the one kitty but am happy about Frankee. Don't hesitate to put more pictures in this forum..We all love that...I think because these pictures are taken of happy, healthy babies we love. Those were the best of times. One of the moms here had such a great thought..I spread it when I can. It went something like....The pain of losing him/her is never ever greater than the joy of knowing him/her. That's so true..even though the pain still hurts like..you know what.

It sounds like things are coming together for you in a better way. We all need to feel that and are happy to hear when someone is able to rise somewhat above the pain of loss and especially when we know some new baby is getting lots of attention...that's healing for us all.

Thank you Ken. It's such a hard time but this little guy distracts us from all of our pain. My Husband and I truly believe he is a PERSONAL gift from God. If we hadn't have taken him he would have persished. No one wanted him and when we took him he blessed us with helping so many. Thank you So much GOD! You truly do send us what we need.

Thank you Ken. Each time you post, I read them and am energized by the way God works in your life. You help so many of us with your words. My Husband and I have cried over your special Daddy Cat. I wish we could have had the strength you had, saying goodbye to Nickels. Thank God for people like you. You are truly an inspiration to what the perfect world should be. We will meet in the next world and rejoice being returned to those who have loved us. Thank GOD for our babies. Thank you Ken and know that Daddy Cat rejoices in all that you do to help the rest of us. He is truly a special soul and is playing with Nickels and our other babies as we talk about them until we meet again.

God Bless you and your Family,
Michelle

Thank you so much for your kindness, Michelle. You know, I think that we were all put here to do the best we can do with the special skills we have been given. Most of the people here, including yourself, have been called to take care of the little ones who can not take care of themselves. It is so wonderful that you gave Frankee such a good home. His personality just shines in your photos of him. It just reaffirms the fact that all of these furkids are special souls and deserve the very best that we can offer them. Please give Frankee a head scratch for me.

Ken Albin

Dear Love Them,

Your posts and photos are such a comfort. I will always remember what you said about "The pain of knowing him/her is never ever greater than the joy of knowing him/her". That is such a comfort and so true. My happy place is looking and reading about everyone's special babies. Years ago on Halloween, I was sitting in a truck waiting for my friend to come out of a convenience store. A beautfiful black kitten jumped through my open window and into my lap, scared me to death, and after trying to find where he came from I adopted him. I named him "BOO". Boo was so precious. Long story short, he got out of the house one day and I couldn't find him. A couple of days later I found him dead, in a dumpster. He looked just like your baby and I will never ever forget him. There is something special about those beautiful black cats.

It is such a terrible holiday season with Mom ,finally, out of the Acute Care wing of the Hospital and in a new nursing home, and our Best Friend Frank gone. It's amazing how many tears the human body can produce. Anyway, the new Nursing home requires paperwork from the vet showing all of Frankees shots, even though I did not want to immunize this kitten, before he can visit her. He is strictly an indoor kitty and with everything that I have read about the pros and cons of immunization, I chose not to immunize him. So, we'll be taking him to the vet and getting him his shots so he can visit Grandma. We have no choice in the matter. Rules are rules.

Love Them, Thank you so much for your post. It's like a hug from Heaven and lightens our hearts so. I love each and everyone of you on this board and pray for you all. I pray for all of you and hope the Christmas Season will lighten your hearts with happy memories of your precious babies.

All my Love to all
Michelle

Frankee has finaly grown into his christmas-sweater
thank God ( and your help) he is the perfect healthy litte cat
i do love the picture so much, where Frankee is sleeping in the arms of your husband, just too cute !
best wishes this week for his neutering
thinking of you, Michelle, and your family
Eva

Your pics are wonderful! Frankie is adorable in his little sweater.

For me the posting of pics of my Goliath really helped me progress a little bit more, each day at a time, through the healing process.

And as I read more and more what others have to say about their new babies, it is opening my mind to at least thinking about having a new furry kid to love and nuture.

Thank you so much for sharing