Assignment 4 – First Person Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9138639@N03/577756028/

One of the most significant events in my life occurred when I was forced to make a life or death decision for another living thing.  My beautiful Shaded Golden Persian cat, who was not only my pet but also my companion of 17 years, was stricken with gastrointestinal cancer.  Through a combination of Eastern and Western medicine and a high-quality diet, we were able to keep the cancer from spreading and prevent her from losing too much weight for 17 months.  But in the end, cancer won.  Cancer always wins.  It spread to her bladder and she began losing more weight. I could no longer deny that Fluff was very ill, even though she had good days and bad days. I had to step up to the plate and do the right thing.  I turned to everyone, even psychics, seeking confirmation that letting her go was the right thing to do. I finally realized that the answer was right in front of me. She was sick and she was suffering. I made her a promise when we first found out about the cancer that I wouldn’t let her suffer.  I decided it was time to keep my promise.  Somehow she knew that I had made the decision – she even seemed relieved.  On the morning of her last day, we sat together on the floor amidst a bunch of old pictures of her that I had dragged out, and I pet her incessantly until it was time for her to go to sleep.