Kirsten, I think you and I are alike in many ways. I, too, had to leave my beloved cats and a dog behind when my husband and I separated. I was without them for nearly 2 years. When we were first separated, I cried every day and cried myself to sleep every night but, eventually, I had to come to terms w/our being separated and trust that God would take care of them. And it was so. Also, like you, I can count the number of friends that I have on one hand, except, of course, for my PT family. Fortunately, I do have a good catsitter but her mother and I had been friends for 20 years and, after all those years of verbal abuse from her, I'd had enough and told her so a few months ago. I haven't heard from her since. No apology, nothing. Seeing that her daughter is my catsitter, I worry that she may decide not to watch my kitties for me any more, (so far, she has been wonderful) which would inhibit my visits to my son until I could find someone else that I can trust. However, I know how the Law of Attraction works: what we give our attention to expands. So I've chosen not to focus on the possibility of something negative happening and instead to focus only on the good. My pets were all fine while we were separated and yours will be, too. You will only be separated by miles. Love knows no distance. Trust. All is well, Kirsten.