On March 4, 2016, at around 11 AM, Sir Poops quietly passed away with help from Lap of Love.
That morning I woke up with tears in my eyes. I was hoping that he would go in his sleep. But he didn't. He was hanging on for me. I get that now.
Anyway, we did what we usually did when we got up in the morning. I took my levoxyl first thing. Then, took Hair Ball and Sir Poops outside to do their biz. Hair Ball on a leash and much assistance for Sir Poop's who was now paralyzed on his left side.
After, I fed them both, making sure Sir Poops got a whole can of his favorite food with a dollop of peanut butter. He ate it all and licked his bowl clean. Immediately following, I took him outside. The last several weeks, his food had been running right through him.
For a good 10 minutes, I let him sniff the air outside and watch the neighbors across the street. Something he loved to do. People watch. He loved socializing and snooping. Sir Poops was always the first in our house to know if something was happening across the street. He'd stand at the door and wait to be let out in his better days. He loved watching humans interact.
When the 10 minutes was up, I took him inside and cuddled him. He pressed his head against my chest. Something he had been doing for several weeks. We sat for a good hour before I walked him around the neighborhood in my arms one last time. He loved his walks, especially when the weather was cool like now.
At 10:15 AM, my best friend and her hubby came. They were there for support.
Not long after, Dr. Nil with Lap of Love arrived. She was soft-spoken, compassionate, and professional. She explained the procedure, asked me where I would like to do this, if I wanted a private or communal cremation, and took payment for the service.
By 10:45 AM, we were upstairs in my bedroom. Sir Poops loved my bed, especially the pillows. Prior to Dr. Nil coming, I had spread a sheet and a puppy pad out on top of my comforter.
Once upstairs, my best friend took Hair Ball into another room while the doctor injected a sedative into Sir Poops who was in my arms. He had a moment of anxiety while receiving half the medication. Dr. Nil stopped and waited for him to calm down. When he did, she gave him the rest. Within seconds, he was snoring in my arms.
This was my friend's cue to bring Hair Ball back into the room. It was then, that I laid Sir Poops on top of the sheet and puppy pad.
"I love you," I said several times into his ear. "You're a good boy. And I'll see you again in heaven."
Hair Ball sniffed at him and then just wanted all of the attention for himself.
My friend scooped him up and took him back to the other room. It was time for the final injection.
I was laying beside Sir Poops when it happened. My tears were falling all over the side of his face as I rubbed his exposed ear. Within seconds, it went cold and he gave up his spirit. I bawled like a baby. So did my friend.
Dr. Nil quietly said, "Go get Hair Ball, he'll need closure." She covered Sir Poop's with his favorite blanket.
My friend retrieved Hair Ball.
Three times he circled around his brother before he plopped beside him and sniffed. At one point, he stuck his head under the blanket. After, he got up and jumped off the bed.
Dr. Nil gently took Sir Poops paw and pressed it into a flat piece of plaster and clipped off a piece of his fur. A keepsake of him I'll have forever.
"I need to go and get my basket," she said. "I'll be transporting him to the crematory in it." And she left the room.
I cried. My friend cried. My fur baby was officially gone.
When Dr. Nil returned, she wrapped the puppy pad around him, and then put him into the basket. "His remains will be scattered in the Butterfly Garden, at the Pet Cemetary, in Sarasota. You can visit anytime." She covered him with his blanket and handed me a pamphlet on Honor Thy Pet.
She allowed Hair Ball and I one last kiss and sniff before she drove off with Sir Poops.
I found Lap of Love to be wonderful. This was the best thing for Sir Poops, and I would suggest this in-house service to anyone with a terminally ill pet. They're even there for you after your pet's passing. Very nice people.
I want to thank everyone for their comments on my last post. It's been tough. And right now, the house feels strange and has a weird silence in it.
Hair Ball has had moments of pacing and refuses to eat his food where he and his brother ate together. He feels as lost as I do, I suspect. But in time, we'll get better. At least Sir Poops doesn't feel obligated to stick around for me and suffer any longer.
Hope everyone is well.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
