In Memoriam - Penny

In April of 2010 I tried to find a home for a precious family of cats who had been abandoned in a southern California shelter by their family as they moved way…..an all too familiar story these days! Back then I had no idea that two of this dear threesome would eventually come to grace my life.

No takers were found, but treasured friend Joelle offered to foster the entire family for us. The trio was rescued from the shelter and flown by air to San Francisco where they were met by Joelle who took them home and lovingly gave them a new life. Very soon the handsome Smokey was adopted, leaving the sisters – dear and very fat Dexter and tiny, cute Pickles.

The girls had a great life with Joelle and gradually began to blossom again, but sadly no takers were found to offer them the luxury of their own home again. No matter really as they were terribly happy where they were – they said! Until……

The girls went to the vet with Joelle as she had a few concerns about their health and it was discovered that Pickles was suffering chronic renal failure. Not to worry unduly yet awhile said the vet; it was in the pretty early stages.….but finally in May this year Pickles was clearly feeling unwell and her kidney function swiftly declining.

Joelle was unable to cope with the healthcare she felt important for her beloved girl and found it impossible to separate the sisters either…. and so Pickles and her twin came to live with us at BrightHaven – with Pickles moving immediately into my bathroom to explore the cute and cozy nooks she found therein - and Dexter diving under the bed swearing she would never come out again!!

Time passed and everyone fell for this adorable pair. Completely devoted, they were never far apart, although for some months Pickles – or Penny, as she was to become. Dexter, who is now Rosie-D And brother Smokey! Dexter rarely came from under the bed – waiting until the house was quiet and then joining Pickles and me in the bathroom to purr and cuddle. At this time I decided to hang the girls’ names to those more suited to such a pretty pair.

Pickles became Penny and Dexter became Rosie-D. Penny blossomed initially, developing an ethereal beauty – perhaps from her new natural raw meat-based diet and with lots of fluid therapy daily, not to mention the veterinary expertise of our wonderful Dr. Jeff Levy, but six short months later we began to see the signs of her radiant beauty fading.

She steadily lost weight and it seemed nothing could stem the tide. Every day Penny ventured into the garden to catch her rays of beautiful sunshine – and nothing stopped her from that until the day before she died, when she was no longer strong enough to make the journey on her own - and so I carried her to her favorite place.

During her last days, Rosie barely left Penny’s side and our nights were spent all together, cuddling on the famous BrightHaven roll-away bed – in my bathroom so Penny felt “at home” in her favorite place. With Penny having clearly only hours of life left with us, Richard and I began to present our Insight Seminar on Saturday 5th November.

Penny lay at my feet in her cozy bed where I could watch her progress carefully and tend to her if needed. Animals stopped by to pay their respects quite often and seminar participants were curious and somewhat nervous to know what would transpire.

Lunch time came and I halted proceedings for the break, as we planned to teach the class about animal hospice care and the dying process in the afternoon. It was then we noticed dear Penners stretching out a paw. I instantly picked her up and held her fragile little body tenderly in my arms and then laid her more comfortably in

my lap as I realized she was very close to the end. Penny gazed in my direction, lifted her head a fraction, took one gentle and very soft breath, and died. She died as gently and peacefully as she had lived and gave our seminar participants the greatest gift they could have wished for – to be present at a death so sweet and easy, that it was one of the greatest life experiences they could have wished for. Far better than any teaching Richard and I could have offered – that is for sure!

 

 

When you are sorrowful Look again in your heart And you shall see that in truth You are weeping for that Which has been your delight... KAHLIL GIBRAN

Tweet

Back to In Memoriam Index page