Losing my Dude

Some of you may remember Dude who had extensive dental surgery a few months ago to remove many roots all through his mouth. (For those that don't remember him, he is an FIV+ cat who had spent most of his life at a no-kill shelter and has severe stomatitis.) Here is the photo I posted at the time:

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...IMG_0069-1.jpg

I found out today that he has a tumor in his mouth that cannot be treated. For a while after surgery, we thought we'd cured the stomatitis. When we had to go back to depo shots, we all thought that he had become resistant to the effects of the steroids, which does happen, because the effects lasted a few weeks only instead of a month. Last week we switched to pain meds to hold him over until it was safe to give him another depo shot. Dude has always been impossible to examine without sedation because he lived with an extremely painful mouth at the shelter for years, so our looks into his mouth since surgery have been very brief. After his pain med. on Saturday, I ran my fingers lightly around his mouth to see if it was working well and found a swelling. I thought it was an abcess. On Monday, they did surgery, took some needle aspirates and sent them off to the lab. It could have been a bone infection and we were ready to fight that, or it could be cancer. We lost the toss.

I've had months with Dude that I didn't expect to have when I first adopted him last May, but in those months he became my favorite cat and I am devasted by this dreadful news. I asked the vet to come to my home a week on Friday to euthanize Dude, wanting to spend my two week home vacation with him. Then I realized I was being too selfish and so it will be this Friday. The pain med is very effective and he eats well for hours after it is given, and gives me lots of affection - leaning into my body and gazing up into my face while I'm on the computer. It will take me a long, long time to be able to look down at whichever cat sits in my lap as I type and not expect, and long, to see Dude's face gazing into mine. I will at least be able to give Dude the gift I promised him when I adopted him, that he would die in my arms and not simply be found dead at the shelter.

OH Lizzie! You gave this fella such a wonderful gift, a home life he hadn't known in ages, if at all. What a difficult life this boy has had; but made all the better for your love and tender care. God bless!

Thank you for giving Dude the love he so richly deserved to have. It is unfortunate that it cannot last longer. But it is now his time to go to the Bridge. He must be needed there. I am sure he will become your champion fur angel for all the love and affection you have shown him. It will be very difficult to let him go, but know that you did your very best for him and that you did make his life much better. Hugs for you both.

I'm so sorry. I wish you could have had more time together--he obviously loves you very much. You gave him a loving home knowing that he might not be with you long, and that was a very brave thing to do.

I am so sorry to hear about Dude's tumor, and I know much too well about the loss of a beloved companion. Dude sounds like my RB Bear, rescued from a shelter so that he could live out the rest of his days in peace. He was FIV+ as well, and my biggest love bug, and he was a tuxie as well.

I hope that Dude will find comfort in your arms and that he will have a peaceful journey to the bridge. May he have painfree days and nights until that time. Poor guy. I think the shelter cats deserve to have so much more time than they are given at times. But know that he cherished every moment with you, knowing more love than he did at the shelter. Big hugs to Dude from me, I don't even know him and he's making me cry. You can always PM me if you want to chat... it's so hard to lose one you love.

Dudes story reminds me of Tubby 2 . He finally got off the street only to die suddenly about 9 months after.
Dude was such a great Cat and he has his wings and is having a Fantastic Party in his honor at The MGM Grand Hotel Buffet.
Dude loves you so much and certainly appreciated that you gave him all that love and werre there for him when it was time for him to pass on.
Hes making notes at the Rainbow Bridge and will be there to be your guide to so many Tremendous Places when you meet again.
One Fine Day.

I'm so sorry to hear that the news is not better for Dude. What a time that poor old guy has had; but he has known love too. Thank you so much for giving him that.

All my thoughts will be with you.

I'm so sorry to hear about Dude. :( Although it's very difficult, I think you have the right decision. You have given him the best time he has ever had in his life, and I hope it will be a comfort to you that Dude enjoyed that. Remember the good times and know that Dude will be free of pain.

Gentle kisses to Dude and hugs to you.

LES

Poor Dude.

But he will die in the home where he knew love, and not alone and cold.

HUGS to you and that beautiful boy.

All too often the right decision is the hardest to make. My heart and prayers go out to you at this difficult time. Because of you, Dude knew what it meant to be loved and enjoyed a happy and pampered life. Give him all the love and hugs that you can, Dude knows how very much he's loved.

[[[[[HUGS]]]]]

I am typing with a bad case of LES!

Giving him that final gift of holding him as he flies away to the bridge, keeping your promise is the best gift you can give him. I think it will be one of the hardest things any of us ever have to do but in the end, it will also bring us comfort..

All any of us want is to have the ones we love there to see us off on that final journey.

I wish I could take the pain away, from Dude and from your heart. I know how it's aching right now. Thank you so much for being there for Dude and giving him much needed love and attention. And thank you, too, for being there w/him when he crosses over the bridge while you hold him and tell him how loved and beloved he is. I'm so sorry.

This is so sad. :( I too wish there was a ay to take away the pain. But Dude is blessed to have YOU.

I'm so sorry. Thank you for giving him the love he deserves and then giving him the final gift.

It's so hard....LES

I'm so very sorry Lizzie. This must be so heartbreaking for you. God bless you for taking in this precious baby. He knew love and he will carry that with him to the RB.

{{{hugs}}}