1997-2012

[lunesque]

So, Artemis died about fifteen minutes ago. Um.

I'd kind of expected it to happen tonight, because while dungeonmarm and I were watching Doctor Who, she threw up all over herself and didn't have the strength to move or clean herself up or do anything but collapse in a heap. After dungeonmarm left, I gave her a bath to clean her up and held her for the rest of the night. She had a seizure at three o'clock and then faded away.

I hope she was comforted by having me there? I don't know. I keep crying, which, you know, I expected. But now I'm not sure what to do next. I'm not sure if I should bury her or find some other way to take care of her, and Alex keeps running around the house trying to find her and I'm so tired and not really ready to deal with this yet? Even though I was expecting it? IDK.

She's not suffering anymore. That's the important part.

Comments

[scheherezhad]

I'm so sorry, bb. No matter how much you're expecting it, it's never easy. *all the hugs*

[lunesque]

Thanks. <3

[laurajv]

I'm sorry. Losing them is always horrid, even when it is expected.

On the practical side of things, our vet was very helpful when we lost our Nelly (they knew what was & wasn't legal to do, names of cremation facilities, etc). They also said "well, it's not legal to bury them in your garden, because you have to go down at least 3 feet or raccoons will dig them up, so...yeah that is totally not legal, la la la" , basically, so we knew what we had to do to bury her safely.

[lunesque]

That's a really good idea. I'll contact my vet and see what they say. Thanks!

[kate]

Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss. *hugs*

[lunesque]

Thank you. ♥

[dungeonmarm]

<3

[wintercreek]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. :(

[lunesque]

Thank you. ♥

[king_touchy]

I am sorry for your loss. I always take comfort in the time I spent with my pets, but it's so hard to let them go when they must.

[lunesque]

Thank you. I still have my little cat Alex, though. She's been really comforting.

[theskritabides]

For whatever it's worth, I do think she was comforted by you being there. When one of my hamsters was in his last hours, I had a sudden thought that I was being selfish and maybe he'd rather be alone instead of held, so I put him back in his cage. He immediately started jerking around and didn't stop until he bumped into my hand and stumbled into it. So yeah, I bet Artemis wanted you there.

[lunesque]

Thank you. At this point, I'm grateful I was there for her all night. That had been my biggest fear, that I would be out when she passed.