[X] My Assistant

[djellison]

I'm afriad I have bad news about our cat Suzi.

6 weeks ago, we took her to the vet to have a lump on her side looked at, and we were told that it was a inoperable tumor that had taken hold within a rib, already causing a pathalogical fracture and calcium deposition within her lungs. The prognosis was terminal - and the only timeline we were given was that a dog with a similar problem lasted about a month.

Just over a month later, about a fortnight ago, we began to notice the first signs that all was not well - just sleeping a bit more, eating a bit less, but it was a road we knew we coudn't go down forever and nor was there a way of turning around . This week, we came to a point where we could tell she was not herself - not happy. Her mind was alive and kicking, but her body couldn't do what she wanted it to do anymore. We spent yesterday at home with her before going back to the Vet last night and she went to sleep for the last time with her head on my hand and our faces nuzzling. A little part of our hearts went with her. When I was typing private messages to people to tell them to behave...Suzi would join in and waltz across the keyboard. When typing up a lengthy post, she would squish herself in the way, and lean on my hand as I tried to scroll around a HiRISE image.

I'd like to thank my admin team, from the bottom of my heart, for being so understanding after I first told them what was going on at the end of October. Nico, Emily, Dan, Alex, Mike, James - your words of support were truely appreciated. Words are hard to find at a time like this - but Helen found the best :

Suzi was such a great cat that the angels were jealous. Yesterday we let them adopt her. We know she'll be happy with them.

I just pray that God remembered to get in extra tuna or there'll be hell to pay.

Sleep tight little one. Thank you for being ours.

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[ElkGroveDan]

Sadly it's my turn. I was a bit surprised when I saw Rui's post yesterday morning, as I was scheduled to take my old girl in to be put down a few hours after that.

So yesterday a little after noon I lost a good friend. She was 15. I was there when she was born and had to revive her. She was one of eight that survived that morning and when it came time to give them away I couldn't bear to part with her. She's been with me through the best of times and the worst of times. When it seemed like my world was crashing down around me she'd sit next to me with her head in my lap for comfort. I never thought I would take it this hard. I sure know what the rest of you have been going through with your losses.

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[ustrax]

Sadly it's my turn. I was a bit surprised when I saw Rui's post yesterday morning, as I was scheduled to take my old girl in to be put down a few hours after that.

So yesterday a little after noon I lost a good friend. She was 15. I was there when she was born and had to revive her. She was one of eight that survived that morning and when it came to give them away I couldn't bear to part with her. She's been with me through the best of times and the worst of times. When it seemed like my world was crashing down around me she'd sit next to me with her head in my lap for comfort. I never thought I would take it this hard. I sure know what the rest of you have been going through with your losses.

Dear Dan...Yes I knew that wa sgoing to happen, yes I know I thought I could be of some help having 24 hours in advance but hey!
Dogs make of us the most miserable of creatures...
All i can tell you is...go outside and revive those paths you've walked together...
That is what I'm doing right now...just hope mine and yours just meet each other on their journey and..,.hell!!! this is one of those occasions where i don't know what to say...strange animals those dogs...leaving us unspeechless...

Thank you all of you...you have been, unsuspiciouly, of great help...

UMSF is, truly, a community, thanks Doug for the jkind words and for permitting this release of memories in this house of ours....

Mr. B. is now with his sisters anf brothers, on a Sintra's sunny side, and I'm here, to see him getting to Mars long with the Phoenix will all the family aside...

PS:Dear lyford, that was lhoba, Mr. B successor's... :-)

[ustrax]

Well...this is being truly a dog's year, and not in the good sense of the word...
After Mister Bingo's death, now it is my dearest, precious, more than anything else, Lhoba, that is experiencing some hard times through the last weeks...


Last report tells that she's recovering well from almost 3 hours surgery operation (already trying to take the vet's arm off) but it will take a couple of weeks until I can see here again as I like to, aside me in our walks through Sintra's wilderness.
So I'm sorry and sad for not being around sharing with you all the things happening...
But I'll try to arrive on time for the BBQ and so will Lhoba as she did on the last one where she behaved really well...

Guess that all this time absent I must have lost the landing of the first of our species on Mars right?

[TheChemist]

Hang in there Ustrax, all will go well, we 're with you on this ...