While holding Peaches for the first time, I realized that miracles do come in small-unexpected bundles. A warm feeling of familiarity came over me as I gazed down at the tiny kitten that had all the markings of
a red American Maine Coon cat.
Over the next ten years, Peaches grew into a lovely, graceful lady. She walked with an elegant gait, always answered when spoken to, gave sweet cuddles especially when she sensed sadness, and loved to have me kiss her behind the ear three times and say, “I love you.” At night, Peaches would sleep next to me while I put a protective arm around her, a ritual we had done
since she was a kitten.
Soon after her tenth birthday, Peaches started vomiting. During the next five weeks, I was told that Peaches was suffering from a hairball, dyes in her cat food, and food poisoning. Tests came back negative on all of her blood work. Peaches appeared to be a healthy cat except for the vomiting, which had subsided with hairball ointment. Still, I felt that something was wrong, I could see it in Peaches’ eyes. Finally, our veterinarian agreed to take an x-ray of Peaches’ stomach, something that should have been done in the first place. The x-ray and the bariums that followed showed a large tumor, which was later determined at the Cottonwood Animal Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah to be lymphosarcoma.
During the next five weeks, a local veterinarian administered chemotherapy to Peaches. Day after day Peaches struggled to live, but the drugs were too hard on her. On November 28, Thanksgiving Day, Peaches collapsed in her litter box. Throughout the day she salivated and her bowels continuously moved. I knew that the end was near. I thought about the 2-3 days following each chemotherapy session when Peaches’ eyes told me she didn’t know if
she could take much more.
During those times, I explained to Peaches that while I loved her and wanted her to live, I also wanted her to do what was best for her; my only request was that I be with her if she chose to depart. Peaches seemed to select this day to begin her journey, a day I had off from work.
I stayed next to Peaches side throughout the day and into the night. At 3:00 a.m. I awoke to find Peaches little head near mine. As I sat up noticing that she was barely breathing, Peaches started to vomit. I immediately prayed to God, desperately asking Him to spare her from further pain. At the end of my prayer, Peaches laid her sweet head down and exhaled her last breath. I carefully picked Peaches up and kissed her three times behind her ear and told her I loved her. I then placed her on my bed and put my arm
around her until dawn.
Now Peaches is next to my bedside in a flower-adorned urn. I think of Peaches each day, my love for her is eternal: past, present, and future. My hope is to be with Peaches again, someday. Until then, I know that Peaches is in a serene peaceful place chasing butterflies.
Peaches, may God always be with you.