Its my Birthday

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Its my Birthday
34
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 10:46am

Today, I turn 30 years old :) Rich and Ike sang to me this morning when we woke up. Tina tried to get Ike to sing with her on the phone, but he kept saying "I will do it tomorrow" or some babble. My parents and family are coming over tonight for dinner, so I have some housework to do. Im making meatloaf. They wanted to go out to dinner but I can control what Im eating here at home better than going to a restraunt.

But the main thing that seems to be happening today is that Dexter, my oldest dwarf hamster, is dying. After doing my morning pet rounds, I realized that Dexter wasnt coming out of his bed, even after tapping on it. So cleaned out his bed and placed him back in it after holding him for a while. He didnt move but he did crack open his eyeballs at me a few times and watched me. He is now resting in his bed on my desk. I just want to be able to watch him and spend some last hours with him while he is passing. Im incredibly sad about this and put Tina through alot of crying on the phone.

Sooo Happy Birthday to me!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-07-2003
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 11:39am

Thank you, Shawna. We never realized that our kitty was so sick. He was diagnosed with diabetes about 6 months ago and we had be regulating it with special food. Last week he just started laying around and not eating much at all. We took him to the vet on Monday and the vet said that they'd keep him there to get his blood sugar under control again - then we'd bring him home and control his diabetes with insulin. Turns out that he also had cancer. :*-( The dr said that kitty was suffering and wouldn't live very much longer so we decided that it was best to have him euthanized. I don't ever want to make that decision again. Anyway, we brought him home to bury him.

After that long story, you asked how I'm dealing....well, it's really rough. I miss him so much (he was in our family for 12 years), but I know I wouldn't have wanted him to suffer. I brought a couple of pictures of him to work with me so I can remember him the way he used to be. I am actually talking about it a lot (as you can see), and pretty much trying to remember the good things. Wednesday night I was a wreck - but I'm feeling better now. I have another kitty who is 2 now - I am already dreading the day when he'll be gone too. I am sooooooo attached to my babies, it's very hard to lose one.

I am so very long-winded....one more thing. Just enjoy the time you have with your animals and try not to worry about what will happen years from now. It will be very hard to deal with, but live for today....and I'll work on doing the same. :-)

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Let's be thankful for what we have today.....no worries. :-)

Amanda

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 11:45am

Amanda, I'm so sorry about your kitty! I get so attached to my cats, and it hurts so much when they pass on. I know how agonizing it was to have to put your kitty to sleep. We got a couple of kittens about 12 years ago, and found out that they had feline leukemia. They were still kittens and we had to put them to sleep! My husband and I just hugged them and cried before handing them over to the vet. It was the most agonizing thing I've ever had to do with a pet. And we only had them for a few months. I can't imagine having to make that decision on a cat that you had for 12 years. My heart goes out to you.

(((((HUGS)))))

~~Linda

~~Linda

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-18-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 11:53am

( \ )

 

Lilypie Baby Birthday

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 11:57am

LOL! Des, you crack me up!!!

~~Linda

~~Linda

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-02-2003
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 12:08pm

you said Dexter is only a year old? thats odd ... the average span of a dwarf hamster is 2-3 years ....does he have health problems that is making his life span shorter?


and if not,

 
 
 
 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 12:10pm
happy bithday! i hope things get better for you today
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 12:44pm

I have only had him a year but who knows how old he was when I bought him. He lost his teeth probably a month ago and started to lose weight...alot of weight. He was always very chunky and over about 3 weeks, I noticed how his weight was coming off and how he had trouble eating his treats.

So I took him into the vet just 2 weeks ago and they said he had lost his top two teeth. So we changed how we were feeding him and I thought he was doing much better, but I guess not. I had to start feeding him small pellet bird food and smash it with warm water. He ate it just fine and that is what I was going to do this morning, smash fresh food for him.

So I dont think there is anything the vets can do. They didnt think that his teeth were gonna grow back and said that he might continue to go down hill. So I was kinda expecting this.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 12:47pm
OMG Des...now are you trying to start a rumor? Man, your killing me :) You should be a standup comedian.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 1:06pm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 1:14pm

I am so, so sorry to hear about Dex. I've got a small "zoo" myself, and I was a vet tech for 5 years in an emergency/critical care facility, so I totally know what you're going through. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Try and have happy birthday!!! I'm sure that Dex wants you to!

Hugs!

Aggie