Saying Goodbye

After Cali's safe return to us a week ago, I breathed a sigh of relief and was ready to move on to Christmas celebrations. Sadly, things turned bleak again just a few short days later. Friday night Trent & I realized that something wasn't quite right with our other cat, Chester (his paws grace the banner at the top and inspired the name). After a quick online search and a phone call to a friend, Trent took him to the emergency vet closest to our home. Our initial thoughts, and the vet's, was that it was simply a case of a blockage in his urinary track and he should be home by Christmas Day.

I was shockingly calm and collected as I put him in the carrier for Trent to take him as well as when Trent returned home later. It wasn't until a call at midnight, just 2 hours after he had left our house, that things began to take a different turn. I won't go into the details. Suffice to say, as we learned more, it became more evident the path we should choose. We loved him immensely, but didn't want him to physically suffer more as well as, selfishly enough, us to suffer more emotionally or financially. We are grateful for the staff at the emergency vet. Grateful we noticed something soon enough that his pain could be managed in his last hours. Grateful we got to spend some time holding, rubbing, and talking to our sweet boy. Telling him much he was loved and how sorry we were that we wouldn't have more time with him but how blessed he was to get the best gift this Christmas - the gift of Heaven.

There are so many things we will remember about him ... his loud purr, his pokey-paws, how he loved to snuggle in our bed on cold nights, the way he'd lay across my hands at times while I was trying to type on the computer or walk back & forth in front of the monitor leaning his head toward me for a kiss, the way he'd sit in Trent's lap and hug his leg ... and so many other little details.

He was sorely missed yesterday and will continue to be. Each of our cats has their own stocking with a small frame ornament attached. I removed Chester's on Christmas Eve and hung it on our tree. He will be with us in memory especially in that simple way each Christmas season. Rest in peace our sweet boy. Thank you for ten and a half wonderful years.