UPDATE: The torti died this morning in my arms, in horrible fashion. Her lungs filled with fluids from heart failure. She was fine when I went to bed finally, at 4:00 a.m., well not fine, but not filled with fluids. I had fallen asleep early on my couch and awakened at 2:00 a.m. and checked on her before going back to bed at 4:00.
She struggled to breath through the fluid accumulation to the end, a breath, then the struggle to get air. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to dress quickly, get her to a vet, but I knew she had only minutes by then.
I went into the bathroom again, panicked in my mind and sobbing. I pulled her out and held her, hoping to help her breath, with her head and chest elevated. She struggled so, raking in breaths in terrible trauma through fluid. Then she would twist up crying and moaning horribly when she could get no air, and then it would break through and she'd get a small gulp, then the struggle again. I was sobbing loudly by now. There was one final convulsion when she could get no air, then her body went limp and her eyes dilated and I wrapped her in the blankee and was glad her struggle was over. All this lasted only about six minutes. Before I got up, I don't know how long she struggled to breath. Could not have been long.
7 comments:
Rest eternal grant unto her, O Lord;
And let Light Perpetual shine upon her.
Poor poor baby...my heart goes out to her - and you. I almost cried -it reminded me of when my Ginger convulsed in my arms and went...same thing - he couldn't breathe..it's horrible, just horrible. Something I hope to never experience again, yet being a perpetual cat owner, who can say.
Oh, Jody. My heart goes out to you and that poor little girl. Small comfort, but at least she didn't die alone and abandoned on the street. So many poor dears never know comfort or love or care. I am so sorry.
I, too, hope never to experience that again. I may make it. I gave 3 years of my life to hospicing an old dog and 3 old cats in succession, each of whose exits were measured in months. They all died at home, in reasonable comfort right up to within a few hours of the end. Termite died in Jane's arms, and Rosie died in bed snuggled up to me. I'm still catching up on everything that I neglected for them, but if I had it all to do over I wouldn't change a thing.
After being thus cleaned out, we now have 5 young cats, ranging from 7 to 26 months. Since our animals tend to live to ages 15 to 20, there is a good chance that they may all outlive me.
I'm so sorry, I was pulling for her.
I just know she thanks you deeply for being there with her at the end. I hope you can find the peace that she has found now (but don't die to do it). I'm so very sorry for your loss.
Thanks to all of you, for your kind thoughts sent for me and the torti. It's still hurting me to think about it. Bad things happen, just have to keep on going.
Post a Comment