How Do I Know It’s Time?

[Lotusflwr79]

Hi everyone,

Today my Lily went to be with the Angels. The last few days were very hard. The miralax stopped working early in the week. This didn’t leave us many options, as she couldn’t have surgery and not a candidate for meds. She was 16 years old. The last 2 days were awful for both her and I and she was in so much pain. My husband and I could no longer watch our baby suffer. My heart is in pieces today. I don’t wish the decision of sending your animal over the Rainbow Bridge on anyone. I only know that my sweet Lily isn’t in pain any longer.

 

[foxden]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Deciding to let a furbaby go is the hardest decision we have to make.
You released Lily from her pain, knowing that your pain would start. She left her pawprint on your heart, and there will never be another kitty just like her.

 

[Candybee]

My heart goes out to you! I'm so sorry for your loss of your sweet Lily. Making that decision to end her suffering was a last gift you could do for her that took a lot of courage and deep compassion. You went above and beyond and did the best you could to help her in life but her health was not up to it. May she now be at peace and I hope that one day soon you will be at peace with her passing. I'm sure she gave you lots of love and wonderful memories to always remember and cherish her little spirit.

 

[Purr-fect]

Hi everyone,

Today my Lily went to be with the Angels. The last few days were very hard. The miralax stopped working early in the week. This didn’t leave us many options, as she couldn’t have surgery and not a candidate for meds. She was 16 years old. The last 2 days were awful for both her and I and she was in so much pain. My husband and I could no longer watch our baby suffer. My heart is in pieces today. I don’t wish the decision of sending your animal over the Rainbow Bridge on anyone. I only know that my sweet Lily isn’t in pain any longer.

Im sorry.

It hurts terribly.

Im glad she isnt suffering.

 

[di and bob]

I'm so very sorry.....I know how much this hurts and how lost you feel. You did so very much for her, more than most,and there comes a time when all the help in the world no longer does anything and you must not let her suffer anymore. You will be blessed for caring for that sweet girl, your love is what she wanted the most in this life and you gave her the world.
The bond you had with that beautiful little girl can never be taken from you, I pray you can use the beautiful memories you have of her in happier times to bring comfort to your soul. Time is the only thing that helps to soften the sharp edges of grief, you never get over grief, you learn a new life's order to live with it. She loved you so much, she would never want the one she loved above all else to be so unhappy. Just as you would want the best for her if you were the first to go, so she wants for you. It's hard, it is so darn hard to go on, but somehow we do it. Try not to dwell on the end and all those should haves could haves, they bring nothing but heartache and change nothing. Celebrate the life, don't let the death overshadow all those wonderful years you shared. Her new journey parallels your own, you are tied together by love, and love is eternal. She will be waiting for you at the end of your own journey, so face the future with hope and joy, she will always be near.
My heart goes out to you, take care of yourself, she expects no less...... RIP sweet Lily. You will never be forgotten, you will forever have a secure place in a loving heart. May the good Lord bless and keep you until you meet again!

 

[Lotusflwr79]

Thank you Di and Bob. I am so, so heartbroken. I’ve never had to make this decision. My whole house reminds me of her. I have overwhelming guilt like I didn’t do enough. I was her everything and she was mine. I don’t have children so she was my baby. I feel like I lost a child. I know she is out of pain. It doesn’t make mine easier. I know it will get better. I am trying to remember our happy times. I don’t really remember not ever having her. My heart is in pieces.

 

[JGombs99]

I'm so sorry for your loss! I, too lost a cat recently, and your sentiments about not having kids, and your bond with your cat as a result really resonated with me. I'm in the very same boat. I also second guessed, and blamed myself. I, too wondered if I could have done more. I think that's only natural. But, know that giving your sweet girl a loving home was more than enough to her. Transferring her pain, and choosing to take it on yourself was the most selfless gift you could give to her.

Please know that although your heart will never be exactly the same, it will recover. It will get easier, and slowly but surely, the good memories will come back to you, and will overshadow the sad ending.

 

[Lotusflwr79]

I'm so sorry for your loss! I, too lost a cat recently, and your sentiments about not having kids, and your bond with your cat as a result really resonated with me. I'm in the very same boat. I also second guessed, and blamed myself. I, too wondered if I could have done more. I think that's only natural. But, know that giving your sweet girl a loving home was more than enough to her. Transferring her pain, and choosing to take it on yourself was the most selfless gift you could give to her.

Please know that although your heart will never be exactly the same, it will recover. It will get easier, and slowly but surely, the good memories will come back to you, and will overshadow the sad ending.

Thank you so much. Just what you everyone is reassuring me is making me feel better. I know I’ll work through this. It just really, really sucks right now.

 

[JGombs99]

Thank you so much. Just what you everyone is reassuring me is making me feel better. I know I’ll work through this. It just really, really sucks right now.

And it will for a long time! But, each day will get a little easier. For me, a new companion helped to ease the pain. She helped me to focus on something good, something new, something happy. She helped me to remember all of the good times, and not the sad ending.

 

[di and bob]

You need to know you are not alone right now, many of us have gone through everything you are feeling right now and know how crushing and draining these emotions can feel. I still look at those special 'spots' and see my little ones lying there, I still think of those last hours and cry because I can't change a thing. But I have learned after everyone of the deaths I have gone through, that you can never prepare your heart for what follows. You can rationalize, you can beat yourself up, you can take all the blame onto your soul, and it still will never bring them back. You can have a twenty year old cat die peacefully at home with no pain and in your arms and still feel the same emotions, the same crushing of the soul.
We all have to work through this pain, to learn to live a new life's order without them, and it is so darn hard........We all have to figure out that all life will end, it's how we live before then that counts. We have to celebrate the life and go on living, not have our joy in living die with them. Time is the only thing that helps, it helps us to learn to live with the unacceptable, to heal the wound on our soul and in our hearts. But we always have our precious memories, we will always have their love.In the meantime we will cry together, we will hurt. It will never go away but we have gained so much more it makes it bearable. With the help of those who have gone there before you, sharing that pain, it lessens the burden.

 

[Antonio65]

I'm really sorry for the loss of your precious Lily, she surely wanted you to put an end to her suffering.
I had witnessed a cat who got constipated due to a disease, and I can assure you I will never want to see anything like that again!!!

Lily is thanking you for ridding her of that pain, now she feels better and smiles at you and wants you to know she's happy. But she will never forget you, just like you will never forget her.
Your bond will be eternal and will win over the boundaries of time and space and one day you'll meet again.

RIP Lily, you're an Angel now, free to run and jump over those soft clouds!

 

[betsygee]

I'm very sorry to read about Lily's passing. It truly is the worst decision to have to make, even when we know that releasing a beloved companion from their pain is also the kindest thing we can do. You're in my thoughts.

 

[Lotusflwr79]

Thank you so much. I will get through this. Your words describe everything I feel. I will get through this. I know it will take time. I just miss her so much.

You need to know you are not alone right now, many of us have gone through everything you are feeling right now and know how crushing and draining these emotions can feel. I still look at those special 'spots' and see my little ones lying there, I still think of those last hours and cry because I can't change a thing. But I have learned after everyone of the deaths I have gone through, that you can never prepare your heart for what follows. You can rationalize, you can beat yourself up, you can take all the blame onto your soul, and it still will never bring them back. You can have a twenty year old cat die peacefully at home with no pain and in your arms and still feel the same emotions, the same crushing of the soul.
We all have to work through this pain, to learn to live a new life's order without them, and it is so darn hard........We all have to figure out that all life will end, it's how we live before then that counts. We have to celebrate the life and go on living, not have our joy in living die with them. Time is the only thing that helps, it helps us to learn to live with the unacceptable, to heal the wound on our soul and in our hearts. But we always have our precious memories, we will always have their love.In the meantime we will cry together, we will hurt. It will never go away but we have gained so much more it makes it bearable. With the help of those who have gone there before you, sharing that pain, it lessens the burden.

 

[Lotusflwr79]

Thank you, everyone. I will get through this. I know time will help.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Rest you gentle, Lily, dream you deep. Your pawprints are on your mama's heart forever.

You and Lily fought such a brave fight together, and at the end, you found the strength and grace to send her on ahead to wait for you, no longer old, no longer in pain. But be very, very sure that her love abides with you still, and will never leave you until you are together again.

 

[Cat Mandou]

Sometimes our furbabies let us know first hand. In 1992, I lost my precious angel, Midnight. She had come down with FIV and although I did not want to do it, I scheduled her for the final vet appointment of her life on the first week of January 1993. But my angel knew how hard that was for me, and on Christmas Day, 1992, at 2:34 pm, she licked my face, purred in my arms, and crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Even after 35 years, the experience is still as fresh as it would be five minutes ago. Your baby will tel you in her own way, dear friend.