"Crystal" August 8 1975 ----- August 8 1999
Cat
When I was only eleven years old
I was taken to pick out a replacement kitty
for one who had run away
(and found in an excellent home several years later).
I was taken to a barn
where many kittens of 8-10 weeks of age were romping around.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man
taking two very small kittens away.
Their mother had died after eating
some kind of farm pesticide/fertilizer
and through her milk all but those two kittens had died.
I just had to have those two kittens.
One did not live very long
but the darling little 3 week old female
that I nursed myself lived for twenty four years.
I am now 35 years old
and last night I held her for the last time
as the vet ended her suffering.
He was kind enough to come to the house
and Crystal loved and trusted me enough to allow this.
She was suffering from
advanced kidney disease heart disease progressive dementia
and had lost her sight a year before.
Her suffering was not great at the time of her death
but it was getting progressivly so.
As hard as this was
I knew it to be the last kindness
I could offer but oh how my heart aches.
I want to thank Crystal
thank her for all the years of her uncompromising love and friendship.
She saw me through all the turmoil of puberty
of a failed attempt at marriage
and most of all
through several years of my own pain and suffering
as the result of a back injury.
Had it not been for her
I would have taken my life
after the second back surgery was unsucessful.
Knowing I could not leave her,
as she often missed the litter box
and tended to be aggressive to people she did not know
I did not.
The third surgery restored nearly full functioning to my legs
and allowed me to return to a normal life.
I am so sorry I could not do more for her.
She had the best doctors
terribly expensive medicines
and whatever else she desired
but even I could not stop the deterioration
that nature requires of us all.
I did the best thing I could for her
but I am sorry I could not do more.
May you rest in peace old friend.
I dearly want to believe that we will meet again
and you will be young and I will be happy again.
I will try not to grieve too badly
for you will always live on in my heart and memories.
I will have some tuna for you love.
Until then,
Jill
| Crystal |
| Jill |