GRIEVING LOU-LOU

When I left my blog the last time, I was all "stay tuned for great pet stories". This was an obvious topic for me to choose as we have (had) 4 cats, a dog, and a Guinea pig. Well, not so "cute-sie" and fun right now being blessed with the life of daily being loved and getting to love, so many sweet animals.

The sting is still tangible. We've just lost a family pet of 15 years.This is the actual e-mail I sent today to family & friends.
Our hearts our troubled....

You've received this e-mail, because you are close to my husband. It seemed important to me to let you know Dana had to put his kitty-cat, Lou-Lou, to sleep yesterday as Lou-Lou's quality of life in the last few weeks had become painfully "un-catish" and distortedly weak. The Veterinarian speculated cancer, as text-book Jaundice was claiming his body. Dana held Lou-Lou in his arms as he went to sleep. Very peaceful.

I have placed two favorite pics of Lou-Lou, below.

Dana has had a rough time of it, as he's struggling with the bombardment of unsettling ,complicated emotions & grief that come with the loss of a pet. Only those who have "been there" and lost a pet of many years and/or treasured memories can appreciate the oddly awkward & very "un-trivial" wave of emotions that such a void can prompt.

In an effort to deal with the haunting saddness my heart sags with too, but mostly in an attempt to let my husband know "I understand" , and.. "It's okay", and.."You're not crazy for hurting", "I love you, hon", I wrote a short poem for my husband.

*. Something funny, and true: Lou-Lou MIGHT be one huge reason Dana & I got married. I recall Dana clumsily changing his tune about "being a dog person who happened to own a cat" and "not really being a cat person", to "not really NOT a cat person"...immediately after learning that I was very MUCH a cat person.

Please put Dana in your prayers. <3,>
A BRUSH WITH LOVE

I watched the love between two souls, Dana brushing Lou-Lou, it's all a farce,
"He is a cat person!"
(Quite obvious between the two).
Twitching tail at every stroke, and thankful grin from tail to ear,
it was hard to tell who enjoyed it more,
Dana or Lou-Lou dear.
Haunches high, back arches, too,
both playfully obliging,
quick cheek brush 'cross owners' hand,
purrs and playfulness, combining.
Tear splashes down upon his friend,
gently lain 'neath tree house knolls,
suddenly feeling whisked back in time...
I watched the love between two souls.
-Vickie Gunderson Bostic