I am still in extreme shock right now. It has been exactly 24 hours since finding my dearest and most loved cat, Turd, struggling for oxygen and dying before my eyes.
Until yesterday late morning, everything with him was totally fine. He's the most spoiled, happy, active, loving companion one could have in this life. He was totally healthy. Just went to the vet a couple weeks ago in fact cuz he was having a bit of stomach troubles but everything looked like it was going to be fine.
Well I heard him meowing a little differently yesterday morning from my bed. I called him and he didn't come which was odd too. I went ahead and jumped in the shower and got ready to go for a drive to the graveyard and have coffee etc. I went into my daughters bedroom before I left to give him a snuggle and a kiss. He's usually be all curled up under her covers. Well he was sprawled out and uncovered and seemed to be breathing hard.
I screamed for Doug, threw his blanket around him, and we rushed him to the vet as fast as we could. On the way there, he had more and more difficulty breathing and was very weak. He was just laying in my arms with a few weak meows and heavy breathing. I was so frightened and was hysterically praying for him to be ok. As he laid on the table he was able to raise up just enough to flop over on his other side. He looked into my eyes and I kissed him and begged him to hang in there. He was so scared and didn't know what was happening to him.
He got a penicillin shot, a shot for lung fluid, and another for shock. We got him immediately into an oxygen incubator and were told to go ahead and leave him and they would call after they did some xrays.
I went to my moms nearby and paced until we got word that he had an enlarged heart, fluid in his lungs, pressure and wear on his other organs, and a paralyzed front left leg from a blood clot. This was like at 3ish and they were still somewhat hopeful that we could take him home and monitor him over the next 24 hours cuz he seemed to be breathing better. I pictured the worst case scenario as him being on heart meds the rest of his life and a splinted leg, if of course he wasn't going to suffer or be uncomfortable.
I go pick up my poor daughter from school and prepare her the best I can for the possibility of him not getting better and the fact we might have to put him to rest. That was absolutely horrible but we went as directed after 5 pm to see if there was enough improvement. We prayed and bargained all the way to the vet but when we got there, he was going downhill and fast. When he saw me and my daughter, he got desperately over excited and went into more cardiac attack and was basically drowning from a rapid increase in lung fluid.
We had 1 minute to say goodbye, I had Doug get my girl outta there, and I held his little head begging them to please hurry hurry hurry and put him out. They got the anestesia in him but he died in my hand before the actual euthanasia meds could get near a vein.
He has been such a blessing in our lives and touched so many others in his short 4 years here on this earth. I am absolutely shocked and devestated. Especially over the past 5 months now since my son died, he has been my source of comfort in my most desperate and darkest hours. He's lifted my daughters spirits with his loviness and I'm sooooo so sad for her especially right now. We lost our dog less than a month before her brother, and now Turd. I expect his ashes soon and we will have some sort of ritual in his name for the kids.
I just can't believe it! My other cat is 13 and he's only 4! I was preparing for Sugar to be next but not my little "turd bird". Everyone please give their pets some love and appreciation today as they are all here to bring us human beings joy and comfort throughout our lives.
Me and Turd:
http://www.taylormclaughlin.com/Tayl...d/kissturd.jpg
My son RIP Taylor and Turd on a warm summer day:
http://www.taylormclaughlin.com/Tayl...aylor-turd.jpg
Turd loving the car:
http://www.taylormclaughlin.com/Tayl...Turd/turd2.jpg
And btw, if ANYONE has pics or photoshops of any kind, please email them to me! I'm struggling with finding alot that I know are floating out there.
RIP Turd, I love you forever and ever!!
June 14, 2003 - October 24, 2007
"Strive... if you fail, at least you tried... to keep your aching, celebrating, wonder making heart alive"
RRRED