BrightHaven’s President & Co-Founder Gail Pope recently wrote a very moving tribute to this very special being.
“On June 17th 2016 the BrightHaven family was joined by an angel named Goldie who we renamed Ellie, and on February 9th 2018 Ellie returned to join the angels.
Back in 2016 we were told that Ellie would not be staying long and in fact was already on borrowed time and should likely be euthanized. I’m sure you will wish to know why, and so here is a short version of her story.
Ellie had a squamas cell carcinoma on her right eyelid – NOT a huge problem to us you might think and no, it was not, BUT she also had a very large mass in her bladder that threatened her very existence every day of her life. I contacted the best of the best specialists to see if surgery would be possible but again only met with that same word again and again: euthanasia.
Of course at BrightHaven, we do not give up that easily. Dr. Jeff Levy, renowned classical veterinary homeopath, stepped up to the challenge along with medical intuitive July Berrin of The Termple Cat, who together became a formidable team.
This darling girl rose to the task and despite some acute periods when she could not easily urinate, Ellie never stopped smiling serenely and telling us that she, despite her physical self’s troubles, was JUST FINE!
All who met this emaciated angel on earth with tattered fur could not help but love her and even laugh as they saw her determination to live on regardless.
Ellie ate her food eagerly right up until the day before her death, when she also continued to walk (albeit with a strong wobble) around the house to visit her favorite places. Her most favorite daily routine involved helping me to get ready every morning, when she would wait patiently beside me until my hair and make-up were done so that I could then groom her “beautiful” (ahem) fur and dirty face, ready for the day ahead.
Here are two cute and short videos of her:
and then this sweet one – taken shortly before her death:
You probably have guessed at the depth of my love for her. Yes, boundless and as strong and fierce as the love that I held for my Sophie who I knew for more than 20 years, and for little Stella who I knew for only 5 days…!