Goodbye to Adam

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
Sadly, I had to have one of my 16 year old furbabies euthanized. He was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma this past July. He started to fail right around Thanksgiving and lost much weight. Yesterday afternoon he was so weak he couldn't even stand up. I knew than it was time. Here he is when he was healthy and strong.


Adam.jpg
 

debodun, I am so sorry. Pets are members of our families and it's so hard to lose them. We have been through that too many times. It's terrible to have to make that choice, but it's the last gift of love that you can give him. It takes a lot of good care and love to keep a cat around for 16 years. Adam had a good long life. Such a beautiful cat!
 
Deb, I'm so sorry to hear you lost your beautiful Adam, I remember you telling us he was sick, rest in peace little one.

 

Such a fine looking sweetie.
Sending you sincere, healing white light. When felines choose us to share their lives, it is such an honor. And we never will forget that privilege.
 
Sorry to hear that Deb. Very hard to lose a pet but you did the compassionate thing. He had a good long life. Hug.
 
NancyNGA said:
you did the right thing.
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That's what everyone says, but I still feel guilty - like I was cheating him out of what was left of his natural days. I spoke to the vet that did the euthanasia an asked if Adam's condition caused pain. The vet said probably not, but Adam wasn't eating or drinking. The vet said he was dehydrated. I stayed with him. The vet gave two shots; one knocked him out and the second one was the coup de grâce. It was over in just a few minutes. It was too late yesterday to bring him to the shelter for cremation, so the vet kept him overnight. I picked him up this morning and took him.
 
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There does come that moment, you're right debodun, when you just know it's time for them to go. I still remember that morning when I was having my first coffee of the day and glancing over at Lucy beside me on the couch and how she raised her little head and looked at me out of her bleary, blind eyes and I just realized that that was the day. Without finishing my coffee I was on the phone to the vet and we headed off to town in a snowstorm. One more day would have just been cruel.

I sympathize with your pain and heart ache, but you did the right thing for Adam. He depended on you and you came through big time in spite of your own hurt!
 
I'm sorry Debodun. I remember you told us he was ill awhile back. He was a beautiful cat and lucky to have such a good "mom" as you. I hope you'll feel a little better before long.
 
debodun said:
That's what everyone says, but I still feel guilty - like I was cheating him out of what was left of his natural days. I spoke to the vet that did the euthanasia an asked if Adam's condition caused pain, The vet said probably not, but Adam wasn't eating or drinking. The vet said he was dehydrated. I stayed with him. The vet gave two shots; one knocked him out and the second one was the coup de grâce. It was over in just a few minutes. It was too late yesterday to bring him to the shelter for cremation, so the vet kept him overnight. I picked him up this morning and took him.
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debodun, feeling guilt at this time is such a common emotion. I don't know that anyone having to deal with this doesn't experience it. We are so used to caring for our pets and doing everything we can to keep them alive, right up until the time it becomes impossible to keep him comfortable and living a normal life. Nobody knows if he was feeling pain. If he wasn't eating he surely wasn't feeling good. He was probably feeling nausea. We do everything we can for our pets until we finally can do no more because there isn't really a chance for improvement. We think we can control things but we really can't. He would not have lived without your care if he wasn't eating. You did the compassionate thing, the loving thing. You eased his last days. It isn't really much of a choice at that time. I sit here in tears writing this. We may be close to making this decision for our 14 year old dog.
 
So sorry for your loss Debodun! I am a cat person and we had to have our beloved Audra euthanized over 20 years ago. She had stopped grooming herself and was listless. She was in the animal hospital for a couple of days when the very compassionate vet called and said she had gotten worse. I asked her what she would do if it was her pet and she said to let her go. My son and I went over immediately and I held her as she got the injection. My son was a young man then but we both cried. So my heart goes out to you! May happy memories of Adam comfort you.
 
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RainbowBridge.com​
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
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[FONT=&quot]Author unknown...[/FONT]
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hope that helps.
 
What a lovely looking old gentleman you can see character oozing from his face. Hugs to you. Sometimes doing the right thing is much harder than not so take another hug. I had to have a very young dog euthanized a couple of years ago, it was tougher than anything else I had ever had to do with a pet by far as he had no real life beforehand but you must have some super memories and the certain knowledge that you had him for 16 years, that is one very lucky cat these days. Give yourself another hug . No guilt here, just kindness and love. XX Jeannine
 
Oh Deb, I am very sorry for your loss. Pets are family members, too. RIP Adam. I lost a pet in Sept. and it still hurts. They will always be with us. hugs to you.
 
Deb, I am so sorry for your lose! We have been there a few times. I can remember praying at night that they would just peacefully go during the night. But they were all fighters and I finally realized when it was time to let them go. Time will heal and you will remember the fond memories Adam gave you.
 
My heart goes out to you Debodun. The decision to euthanize a beloved pet is an excruciating one that is wracked with guilt, despite knowing we are making the best decision we can to ease their suffering. It is not our place to play God so to speak, therein lies the guilt. I have had to make that decision more times than I want to think about, and it never gets easier. But our pets have their uncanny way of letting us know that they are ready to leave, and we need to respect that no matter how difficult it may be. You did the right thing for your fur baby. Big hugs.
 
I echo what others have said about feelings of guilt about easing the passing of a beloved pet. I always remember the thing my very compassionate vet (the one I still use) said to me when I was agonizing over making this very difficult decision: "It is the hardest and last kind and loving thing you can do for him to let him go in peace." Feel no guilt -- you did the best thing you could do for him.
 

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