Rest in peace, Sundae...

[kennethw]

There are so many great people here, and you are all so generous with your time and your concern, that I felt compelled to pen a message about a recent loss, if only to get it off of my chest.

On Wednesday, September 13, we had to put one of our dear cats to sleep. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2003 (three years!). The vets were confident, as he had an isolated tumor, and we held strong for the surgery and ensuing chemo treatments. That process was incredibly hard (and expensive) in itself, but this was no ordinary cat. He was the most gentle and human-friendly cat that I've ever known, and I had the pleasure of having lived with him for 7 years. He was so worth it. He held hands, he held conversations, and he was always, always around and happy to see you.

My now-fiance had already been his mom for 12 years before the cancer. The surgery was a success, the chemo taken to the max treatments, and we carried on with nursing him back into normal catness. For the first few months, I, a freelancer working at home, took care of him as well as possible on my own. My fiance eventually began working at home as well. For the last 3 years, through thick and thin, we've both lived and worked in the same place, while taking care of him.

He never fully recovered, but was the happiest cat ever, and had tremendous periods of relative health and total happiness. Two people constantly feeding him, two people who said his name excitedly every time he entered the room, two warm laps to sleep in whenever he liked. This did not come without a price; we were unable to leave him alone for longer than a few days for fear of his continuing to lose weight. So for three years, we rarely went out for anything more than dinner, never went "away" together, and always worried about him. But we loved him enough to sacrifice for him (though admittedly, I had a little more trouble with it than she did).

More recently, his condition deteriorated, and the increasing medications and subcutaneous fluid treatments, pursued based to the hope and conviction that he could be ok, were obviously not working. In the midst of (and in spite of) all of this stress, I proposed and we started down the path of planning our somewhat complex wedding, which is coming up in exactly one month...

This week, after a particularly bad health issue, we made the most difficult decision we've made together so far (far more difficult than moving cross-country together after having been together for only a short while...) and called a vet.

My fiance loved him like a son, and could not bear to see him go. I bore the task of being with him in his final moments. We were fortunate to be able to do it in the back yard, in the sunshine (his favorite place in the world), and to be able to spend hours with him out there while waiting for the vet. It was fast (too fast), peaceful, and necessary. My last words to him, after the obvious, were "thank you."

It has taken days for me to feel any inkling of the relief that I thought that I would feel after this terrible period ended. The pain of his loss has far outweighed any peace that's in there. We are devastated. Our wedding is in a month. Yet we are thankful to have known him, and are trying to see the light at the end of this very long tunnel, and have the strongest proof possible that we can bear any suffering, turmoil or stress that life can throw at us.

Rest in peace, Sundae, and thanks again for teaching us so many things. The image attached is Sundae in 2002, happy and smiling.

And thanks to you, if you have read this. I just had to get it off of my chest.

[Queen of Blades]

Rest in peace, Sundae.

He was a gorgeous cat, Kenneth. I understand your pain at such a difficult decision. I'm sorry for your loss.

[ada8356]

My mom recently (last Friday) lost her best cat friend so I can empathize.... I am sorry. Our pets are so incredible.

[Mama Bear]

I am crying so hard for Sundae and your loss. He was a lucky cat. You just remember that you gave him a great life... more than most have...

God Bless you Kenneth, I am saying a prayer that he is happy where he has gone, I am sure you are in his heart and that he will be watching over you at your wedding and for the rest of your life.

It is so hard to let them go, isn't it....

Big Bear Hugs...

xoxoxoxo

Sue

[SSLStudio]

This has left me a few tear drops,

RIP Sundae .

Great story telling , you should be a movie director or script writer.
At some point my throat choked up , then the punch line and my eyes could not keep it dry anymore..

[TomH]

Great story Kenneth, but a really sad end, my prayers for you and your beloved.
It's a truth, sometimes animals are better friends than people..., because they are honest to theirs family...

Thomas

[Quagmire]

Rest in peace Sundae. I am so sorry for your loss.

[Scotto]

Sorry to hear about your loss. We lost a cat recently after a similar long battle with illness. After 16 years of living with him, I can still feel the hole where he was. I just focus on the good memories and remind myself how lucky I was to have had such a good friend who shared his love unconditionally with my family.

[kennethw]

Thanks so much for the kind words and sympathy. It's really rough right now, but we'll be ok. We have lots of good memories.

Aaron, please remind your mom that she's not alone, to the point that strangers are going through the same thing. Maybe seeing Sundae's story could help her in that.

Scotto, so true. A friend once told me that he learned to appreciate their short lives by realizing that it just means that we get to "meet" more of these great little individuals during the course of our own lives. They're all unique characters. People who are not pet lovers just don't get that.

[Gatorade]

In the last 6 months I have had to put down both my cat and dog. One to kidney failure and the other was getting dementia and was starting to not care that my daughters hands didn't have food, she was going to bite at them anyway. They were both 16 years old and came into the world just a couple months apart as well. They are missed daily. I am sorry for you but keep in mind that pets don't think about the future, they just live in the present and are happy doing it. You gave Sunday a very happy life and I am sure he loved you as much as you loved him if not more.

[htownmmm]

I am sorry for your loss.


Marty

[crackstar]

That's really sad, I feel sorry for your loss.

Jeff

[Chagidiel]

Sleep well, friend.

[Lyrt]

I also lost my more than 20 years old cat earlier this year and I empathise with you. Growing up with cats, I learnt to not abuse weaker beings.

[PalmettoB]

Kenneth:
Sorry to hear about your dear Sundae. Handsome looking cat.