Dusty's 'time' has almost come *UPDATE post #39, she's gone*

[Taz_Zoee]

Major LES here. I was smiling through tears while reading the lyrics to that song. That is very appropriate.
Enjoy your last days with your baby. You will be in my thoughts.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh my... tears are pouring down my face and onto the laptop. Those lyrics are just beautiful.

Before fostering, I've never had to make the decision to have any pet PTS, my parents always did it. The past year I've had to make that choice for two very special boys. My sweetheart Bear will have crossed the bridge one year ago on July 5th. I was just thinking about him and how it's been almost a year, and how much I miss him. He was my big softy, the sweetest boy in the world. It was so hard to see him go down hill, and have nothing work for him, but even harder was when I didn't know he was even sicker than I knew. They are excellent at hiding their illnesses, and I think they know how much we hurt for them.

Make Dusty's last weekend a good one! I hope you both enjoy camping together. I'm sure she'll appreciate every moment spent with you.

Bless you both, and I'll be thinking of the both of you. {{BIG HUGS}}

[Pawla]

Hope you all have a good weekend camping. I'm not worried about you drowning my computer, I seem to be doing that by myself!

[catmandu]

That of course is the hardest thing we have to do is knowing when Our Beloved Companions are no longer well and when its time to say goodbye.
If its too soon you feel as though you have deprived them of life. If its too late then you feel badly that they have suffered.
Thats wonderful that you will have this final camping trip and a chance to say all the things that you have always wanted to say to Dusty.
We are saying Prayers for you all.

[dionne]

Catlady711-

As of late, I haven't really been responding on any of the threads, but then I started to read your posting.

I'm looking at Abby right now, and I could not even begin to IMAGINE the pain you are feeling about your decision. I know it was a very hard decision for you. The only thing I can say, is just know that you made the right decision, and regardless of who tells you when you "should have", you are making the decision now, and it is the best possible thing for your beautiful girl.

All you can do at this point is just cherish the time you have left with her, and make sure she's comfortable. I am so glad that her last days are good for her.

Take care. You and Dusty are in my thoughts.

Dionne

[pitc9]

Please know that you are in my thoughts.

Earlier this month I made the decision to help my parent’s dog to the bridge. She was 13 and could no longer use one of her hind legs.

I went to the house to see her on a Tuesday night and the second I looked into her eyes I knew she was tired and ready for her trip.
I had a vet come to the house the very next day and her passing was very peaceful and comfortable.

She'll appreciate her last few days being filled with special times and special treats too I'm sure.
{{hugs}} to you.

[slick]

Major LES going on here too. A decision like this is never easy to make. For selfish reasons we want to hold off as long as possible, yet it hurts too much to see our beloved pet suffer. For what it's worth, I think you are making the right decision.

Hold her and kiss her....once for each Pet Talker. After you get home from camping, you'll need to take some time to adjust to life without Dusty but know that we are here, waiting to see some pictures so we, too, can say good-bye to your dear sweet kitty.

Big {{{hugs}}} and try to enjoy your weekend.

PS: Will you have the vet come to your home?? That's what I did with Speckles and it was comforting to hold her in my arms as she whisked away to the Rainbow Bridge.

[AbbyMom]

Thank you for giving her the final gift. I'm crying too hard right now to write more, but please believe me when I say you're doing the right thing.

[momcat]

Major LES happening here. I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling right now. The right decision is often the hardest to make. Dusty knows how very much she's loved,you've given her a wonderful life. You and sweet Dusty are in my prayers.

[Catlady711]

Major LES happening here.

What does LES mean?

[krazyaboutkatz]

What does LES mean?

It means leaky eye syndrome.

[jazzcat]

What does LES mean?

Leaky Eye Syndrome.

You and Dusty are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Catlady711]

Dusty was very playful and talkative all morning Fri. She even played ALOT for a cat her age and health. I think she wore herself out though because the rest of the day she was more tired than normal, and as it is she sleeps the majority of the day.

Dusty seemed to enjoy her last trip to the campground. She rode down very well, although she seemed much more tired than usual. She did stand up in her travel basket a few times for some of her favorite sights, but slept through some she usually enjoys.

In previous summers she would jump down out of the car and jog into the trailer. We don't let her jump down on her own anymore though, we set her on the ground. This time was the first time she hasn't had the strength to walk up to the trailer on her own. She did manage to walk across the deck and inside on her own though. Then as usual promply demanded her bowls be put down and filled, and checked to make sure her sandbox was in the right place.

Fri. evening she did go for a very, very short walk around the picinic table and back. In previous summers she would walk the road around our trailer, about 1/4 mile. She sat looking out the door for a while, then went under the covers of the bed and slept alot. We gave her the lasix injection and she was a good kitty as usual.

Saturday morning she demanded her wet food promptly at 5:30 a.m. and then proceded to talk to us alot. She crawled back in bed with me and layed under my covers for quite a while. She didn't seem to want to go sit on the deck or ride on the golf cart, although in my heart I was sort of dissapointed seeing as this was her very last trip. I wanted her to enjoy everything one last time, but I wasn't going to make her do anything she didn't want to do. She slept most of Saturday under the covers or under the table. She did take a few breaks for meals, drinking alot of water, peeing, and occasionally watching birds outside the door. We gave her the lasix injection and as usual she was a very good kitty about it. Again she didn't want to go sit on the deck, so we didn't make her. Later we gave her the pain pill. Amazingly enough I got it down her the first time and we promptly gave her some mac & cheese which took her mind off having just been pilled. She kept her meds down, hallalujah!! She spent the rest of the night in a drug induced daze, and lay on the foot of my bed staring at the wall until I fell alseep.

Today she promptly demanded her wet food at 6 a.m. then played with her sisal rat and beat up her catnip bag for awhile. She even kicked her 'kick-a-sock' across the kitchen! Then she was tired after about 10 minutes so she came back to bed with me for awhile. The effects of the pain pill just aren't lasting anywhere nearly as long as they used to. When I woke up to stay up but she prefered to stay sleeping until afternoon. When she did wake up she stood by the door and watched birds and butterflies for about 1/2 hour. Then she went back to bed again. We let her sleep a bit longer then when she got up for a drink, potty break and a few crunchies, we let her look around in the cupboards. She's always been a nosey cat. She was named Dusty because she likes to stick her nose into all kinds of spaces often coming out with dusty cobwebs on her whiskers.

Mom and I talked alot about all the things Dusty has always liked to do and remenised about the travels Dusty has been on and some of her neat little quirks. I was close to tears many times. Mom mentioned that I was frequently saying about how she was playing this weekend, and eating good, and enjoying some things. Mom said I was trying to talk myself out of having her PTS, and said to me "it's her 'time', she's had a very good life and she's tired and in pain, it's time to let her go" I about lost it then.

I took lots of pix of her this weekend and almost cried when I held her paw and had her 'waving' goodbye to each and every thing at the campsite and trailer.

She did well on the ride home, but only stood up when we first pulled out, and when we first got home. The rest of the time she slept in her travel basket. She used to rarely sleep on her travels. I brought her inside and right into the cpu room so she wouldn't have to contend with the othre cats sniffing her which she hates. She promptly got a drink and has been mostly sleeping in her basket ever since. She's gotten up a few times for a drink, and a couple crunchies, but basically she does look 'tired' to me. She's not eating as much as she was even a couple days ago, so I'm feeding her more wet food, and so far she's eating it better.

When I go into work tomorrow, I'm going to go ahead and sign the form to have her PTS on Thursday. I don't think on the day of her appointment, I'll be able to look her in the eyes and sign that form then. I am starting to realize I've been deluding myself as to 'how well' I thought she'd been doing, and even though I don't want to say goodbye to her I know I'm not doing her any favors by doing that, it would be for me, not her. So for these last few days she's got with me I'm spending a huge chunk of time petting her, saying goodbye, taking many pix, doing alot of crying, remenising about all the good times in the past, and helping her to enjoy every moment she has left with me. And I'm going to have to stop typing here because I'm going to drown the keyboard if I don't.

Here's some of the pix I took of her this weekend. (the red scabby spots on her legs and belly are where she's licked herself in the last few weeks and the person driving the car is my mom)

[CathyBogart]

*Hugs* for you and Dusty. She is such a lovely lady, and she's lucky to have had you all these years.

[Medusa]

How loving and wise of you to take Dusty to the campground one last time. What wonderful, bittersweet memories you'll have that will make you smile. Give her a gentle hug for me and my fur posse.