I was told about your sweet Jasmine, and I felt so very awful. All my life, I have been an animal advocate. We have 7 dogs and 4 cats crowding our little mobile home because I am unable to turn any creature away that needs a loving home. Today's society is becoming more and more desensitized to God's creatures, I believe. I have been through your painful ordeal, watching beloved dogs suffer through cancer. My wonderful Uriel, one of the angels of my life, died years ago from an osteosarcoma in her skull, and we still talk about how traumatizing it was to watch her go through violent seizures. I found a quality, caring animal cancer center in Santa Fe and remember taking Uriel three times a week for treatments that prolonged her life only about six weeks. But as you well know, EVERY minute with them is precious! Jasmine is not "just a cat", as you wrote. She is an incredible creature who has been your companion through life!
I understand your need to spend as much time with Jasmine as you can. I understand the desperation and helpless feeling you wake up with every single morning because a deep loss looms on the horizon. Look deep into her eyes and tell her as many times as you want how much you love her, how much she has meant to you. It is all you can do. In this world, we are given such great joys, and such a wonderful life by God, and it is very difficult to accept the inevitable. But you will be all right. I will pray for you and Jasmine. What matters is that you loved her every minute that you have had her, and she KNOWS this. Animals are so intelligent. What matters is that her illness will be bearable because of your love, your attention, and your patience. What matters is that she will pass on with great peace, full of love for you. It is a very beautiful thing despite the deep sadness.
Losing a loved one like your mother is very hard, indescribable. Yet losing a pet is a special kind of loss. We can't compare it to the loss of a human being because the two losses are different. But for me, it is even more devastating somehow, and that's saying something because I've had so much death in my life. My two older brothers died within one year of each other when I was in college, then my grandfather and uncle the following two years. I think we get over the death of an animal companion a little sooner. For me, the process takes about six months before I can say my pet's name without crying. That's just me. Raul is much more realistic. He is sad when one of our animals dies. He is respectful, but composed. He accepts the inevitable so well. He digs all the graves, and we hold burial ceremonies, each expressing in turn our gratitude for our special animal. The children throw flowers into the grave, along with a favorite toy or item of the animal's. Then we help him replace the dirt. He always says he dreads them getting sick because he knows I'm going to fall apart. Our yard is collecting tombstones, but I'll never stop collecting animals and giving them love, and I hope you won't, either, Christie. They give us so much in return, don't they?
You and Jasmine will be in my heart and prayers. Everything will
be all right, you will see. Here on this earth, she is well taken care
of and loved. And later, she will still be well cared for and loved.
That is the only thought (written to me by her oncologist vet) that gave
me peace through Uriel's passing, and the passing of the 15 other
animals I've had the pleasure of loving in my lifetime.
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