Hellos n' Goodbyes

So I have decided that my inner childs name is now Lucy. Thaaat's right...just like the Charlie Brown character. She's innocent and child like, with an unbelievably romantic personality and of course, the big brother. I even live with a beagle (although she looks nothing like Snoopy). ;) AND, Halloween of 1983 my brother and I went trick-or-treating as Lucy n' Charlie. We were so cute!! I will post a pic of me, but I can't find the one of both of us. I think mom has it. Katie and I determined that this would be a great name while taking the three mile trec around Boomer Lake tonight.

So yesterday I had to help a client say goodbye to their beloved pet. Here's my beef. This cat has mammary cancer so advanced that you could literally touch her stomach and feel the knots. The cancer had spread from her lungs to her mammary glands and finally to almost every organ. She was barely breathing by the time she got to the clinic. Shana (one of our nurses) and I literally had to put her on oxygen and heating pads to keep her alive until the doctor could get there. We had to keep her as comfortable as possible so that the doctor would be able to euthanize her with the owner present. It would have been even more traumatic for everyone had she been gasping for air. It was awful! Instantly, I was sad for this woman as she rushed her cat in the very moment I was opening the clinic for business. I thought, "How sad. What a terrible way to start your day." Then, I see that she has been letting this cat suffer for God knows how long, because of her own selfish, inability to let go. I know that sounds terrible, but I can't even imagine letting a cat suffer all day, every day because I wasn't ready to let her die peacefully. At least give them that. Dignity. Another client came in today who has let their cat reach a mere 2# 13 oz and want her to die 'peacefully' at home. I'm sorry, but gasping for air and fighting off seizures is NOT peaceful. When did we determine that we have a right to choose when an animal lives or dies? It was once said, "The question is not can they reason. The question is can they suffer?" I believe that with all my heart. If I ever get that old, to the point where I can't control my bodily functions, I can't see, hear or eat, I don't recognize my family, I can't sleep comfortably and I have uncontrolled seizures, someone please euthanize me. I pray to you. Let me go home. I don't want to be kept alive because you can't say goodbye. Let me go. Give me that gift. I want to go with my dignity and what little strength I have left. Let... me go.

On that note, I bid thee goodnite...sweet dreams.
Love, Liz