Need your prayers

[Lorelei]

I would like to share the story of how Teddy came into our lives.

We had another cat, a ginger and white called Thomas James or Thomas J as he was fondly known as. This poor cat was a darling and we adored him too. He only had 3 legs as he was hit by a car and we had to amputate. That was when we decided no more outdoor cats.

Tommy J died in March "99, he had cancer of the mouth and we had to let him go. Again we were heartbroken and again Hubby was away

. After a time, we decided to have another baby to love and thought we would like another ginger as Tommy was such a doll. I looked everywhere, contacted the local rescues and ads and nothing. I decided to stop the search and wait for the right time, it obviously wasn't meant to be yet.

One day, I was in a local paper shop, picked up a paper I never usually buy, opened it up and an advert jumped out at me.

Persian Kittens For Sale.

I read the ad, had always loved Persians and thought how it just felt " right." Hubby was home, so I called him, asked what he thought, he said give them a call. I did and the man told me yes they were available and ready to go and one was a lovely little brown kitten ( seal point.) We went that eveniing, went in the house, the man came down the stairs with an armful of 9 week old fluff and dropped them into my lap. They all went bouncing off except for Teddy. That was it, we had found each other.

Home we went, so excited and enchanted with our new baby. I had never enjoyed a kitten more than Teddy. He was so fun, doing the wall of death around the living room, sending everything crashing in his path, shooting up the curtains, up the screen door, dipping his paws into my soda, he was a joy! One of his favourite games was using my legs as a climbing frame, fine when he was a baby, but when he was a huge 14 pound cat a different story! I will treasure the scars on my legs.

I have such wonderful memories of him that will be with me forever.

Thank you Teddy for letting us love you.

Thanks again Monarch and Mini for being so thoughtful and kind.

 

[monarch64]

Oh Lorelei, I had deleted my post upon seeing Mini's advice that it might not have been the best timing... I just hopped back on for some unknown reason (just a feeling) and saw that you had responded. I'm a little tearful right now knowing that you did see my post and found it somewhat comforting, and I'm so glad to hear it. Please know, Lorelei AND Mini, I would never share these things out of selfishness...I only wanted to share my experiences in hopes that they would bring someone a little light, small and dim as it may be. To me, there is nothing like someone else's remembrances of the love in their lives to make me feel better, I guess.

Maybe the administrators can bring my post back, but if not, suffice it to say, it was full of my good memories of past pets who've crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

I just feel for you, Lorelei, as well as every other PS'r who has posted on losing a loved pet. I wanted to share my experiences as a comfort to you all. Take care, and I wish you the best in finding comfort these next days.

Heather

ETA: thank you, Lorelei, for posting your Teddy's story. It's beautiful and so sweet. He was lucky, and you and your husband were lucky, to have found each other. I'm sure you will all 3 be forever grateful for those 7 years.

 

[Lorelei]

Monarch, your post did bring me comfort and Mini and I both know your intention was to help me, you don't have to explain a thing! It is comforting to know that others have walked in my shoes. Your kindness has touched me very much, so please, promise me you will feel only good from your wonderful post and you did the right thing to add it. I thank you for it, I truly do.

We are so grateful for those 7 happy years with him. I wouldn't have missed them for anything.

 

[Lorelei]

Mini, I wish I could give you a hug too, but as I can''t, heres a flower for you

and one for Monarch

You guys are the best.

 

[monarch64]

Thanks, Lorelei. I feel fine now, knowing I didn''t bring you more grief! Thanks Mini for being a wonderful friend to Lorelei as well... I have the utmost respect for you both! Take care! (Now I will be able to sleep soundly, lol!)

Heather

 

[Lorelei]

I am so glad Monarch! You get a good rest and thank you again! You did only good honestly and you go to sleep knowing that. Mini is the most wonderful friend and I am so lucky to have her, she truly is such a compassionate and wise and understanding person. She has been such a help to me through all this, when at first we thought he had fallen and possibly had injured himself. We didn't know then that the muscle weakness was due to his kidneys, neither did the vet at first and Mini was so great, supporting me and helping me.

Thanks Mini, much love to you.

 

[MiniMouse]

Monarch, no, no no, you misread me, I was really happy to see your stories and I knew Lorelei would appreciate them too. I just mentioned it was too early for Lorelei to talk about Teddy in such a way right now (without tears). I''m really glad your post stayed, it''s an inspiration. All your wonderful true stories are just that, wonderful, and it''s great to hear them. I''m sorry if you misread my message and tried to delete, I certainly didn''t mean for you to do that, as you have helped immensely. I know Lorelei is very much like me and enjoys to hear good animal stories, especially when there is so much cruelty in this world. It is definitely comforting to hear of all the people in this world who really do care for our furry friends.

Lorelei, the story about how you acquired Teddy is so touching. I''m hoping that the same will happen again, so you can enjoy the company and delight of another Himalayan. I know it would bring you and your DH so much joy.

 

[MiniMouse]

Lorelei, thank you for the flower, you are a great person and great people deserve good friends, especially in times like this. I wish there was more I could do, because you deserve the best.
Monarch, your input has been wonderful, thank you for helping a friend, you haven''t put a step wrong, your sensitive posts have been great.

 

[Lorelei]

Mini, you truly are a wonderful person. Thank you so much for your friendship, it truly is a treasure in my life. Monarch did a great thing, so many people taking the time to help me.

Min, quick hijack, can you check your email, I hope we still aren''t having trouble, I received the last one.

 

[monarch64]

Wow, thanks to you both, Lorelei and Mini, for your kind words! (And flowers!

) I had to check once more before going back to bed with my own furbaby (beagle,named Milo) and hubby! Thank goodness it''s Saturday night and I don''t have to be anywhere tomorrow a.m.! You have both been so sweet, and I so appreciate your openness tonight.

Mini, I did misunderstand...thank you for clarifying. I felt a little unsure of posting something so sensitive, and took your words to mean that I shouldn''t have been posting such sensitive material. Reading back through the posts, I understand now that it was not your intent to dissuade me from posting at all. I still think you are such a good friend to Lorelei and obviously care about her feelings, and that is wonderful...we all need more friends like you in this world!

Lorelei, I''m happy to hear that my post was received by you and didn''t cause you any further pain. I am such an animal lover and I felt like what I posted was true to my heart and what I felt your heart could handle at this time...I am glad you know there was no intention of anything negative. Wish I could give you my email...but it will be sufficient for me to read here sometime soon that you are doing better... i forgot to tell you in my big, long, post, that my brother, (former non-feline-lover of many years) has adopted 8 rescue kitties and won''t even give one to moi! I thought that might tickle you! When I had a kitty in my apt. a few years ago, he used to complain that my apt. smelled like litterbox (teasing, of course

) and now his whole house that he shares with his wife smells like one, LOL! bless his heart, when he was little (6-7) while waiting for the schoolbus one day, a cat jumped onto his back and scared the living daylights out of him...he couldn''t stand kitties ever since. But my parents had a few an he slowly warmed up...now he is just a cat lover and animal rescuer. They take all their strays to be neutered or spayed right away, and all of them look a little too well fed, to me, lol! Bah! Sorry for going on and on again!

You take care, girls! I look forward to more interaction here on PS with you both!

 

[Lorelei]

We will with you too Monarch! That is so funny about your brother, I think I read a while ago that he used to dislike cats and now has hundreds of them! My Dad used to be the same. As a child, I loved cats but didn't dare tell Dad, his hatred knew no bounds..... not that he would ever have hurt them, but he was very fond of his garden and used to hate weeding the flower beds only to get covered in cat mess when he accidentally dug into one of the neighbourhood cat's lavatories! Being the horrid little girl that I was, I used to laugh and laugh my head off, much to Father's disgust! He couldn't understand when I got married to a cat nut and all of a sudden all these moggies started calling him Grandad, he wasn't impressed........Anyway, Thomas J began to win him over, slowly but surely, he then began to be fascinated with them and see them as personalities rather than horrible creatures who would #$%^ in his garden deliberately of course just to annoy him! One of the cats once tiddled in his slipper and he didn't realise and put it on! Oh dear, I had never laughed so hard! The cat was forgiven and even Dad saw the funny side after a while, shows how much his soul had grown with my puddy tats!

When we got Teddy, Dad would even make special visits to Teddy, he adored him and would pop him on his lap. So along with your brother, it just shows how these wonderful creatures can convert even the most ardent cat hater! I really did enjoy your story and you know, Mini and I feel we have found another friend and kindred spirit and we will look forward to chatting and sharing with you in the future.

Hugs to you Monarch, hope you have a good sleep with your babies!

 

[AndyRosse]

Lorelei, thank you for sharing Teddy''s story.

Also, how is King doing??

 

[Lorelei]

Hey Rascal

Well it is weird, King is doing much better thanks. I have increased his bute to 2 daily and he is sound

He was on 2 last week and was still lame

So it is odd, I had decreased it and and now increased the dose with Ben coming tomorrow and the digital pulse is lower and the swelling around the coronary band..... I am wondering if he has had a hoof abscess and it has suddenly burst, I can''t see anything so I will have to wait until the shoe comes off tomorrow. He is also lifting the foot for me, poor baby didn''t want to as it hurt him. I know it isn''t founder as I have dealt with this before, and he has had a bruised sole previously and this seems similar except for not lifting his heel off the ground all the time, if only they could talk. I am much happier that he is doing better and I pray tomorrow we find the cause. You know how frustrating these things can be, as they can take a while to show up, you get all the signs and lameness but no actual signs of a pus or bruise until it is good and ready

Thanks so much for asking! He is larger than life in himself and yelling his head off for treats! That''s my boy!

 

[AndyRosse]

Date: 3/5/2006 11:00:54 AM
Author: Lorelei
Hey Rascal

Well it is weird, King is doing much better thanks. I have increased his bute to 2 daily and he is sound

He was on 2 last week and was still lame

So it is odd, I had decreased it and and now increased the dose with Ben coming tomorrow and the digital pulse is lower and the swelling around the coronary band..... I am wondering if he has had a hoof abscess and it has suddenly burst, I can''t see anything so I will have to wait until the shoe comes off tomorrow. He is also lifting the foot for me, poor baby didn''t want to as it hurt him. I know it isn''t founder as I have dealt with this before, and he has had a bruised sole previously and this seems similar except for not lifting his heel off the ground all the time, if only they could talk. I am much happier that he is doing better and I pray tomorrow we find the cause. You know how frustrating these things can be, as they can take a while to show up, you get all the signs and lameness but no actual signs of a pus or bruise until it is good and ready

Thanks so much for asking! He is larger than life in himself and yelling his head off for treats! That''s my boy!

Lorelei, good to hear he is a bit better! Definitely sounds like it might be an abscess. Whatever it is, it sounds like he is finally getting better

. Like you said, if only they could talk, we could all save ourselves and them the worrying and pain.

Just last week Stretch somehow got a small scratch on his hind left fetlock. You would have thought he had broken his leg! He honestly hobbled in on three legs from his paddock.

I cleaned it up and gave him bute. No heat, no swelling, just a little scratch. He limped around from Wednesday until Friday. Saturday morning, he acted like nothing had ever been wrong

. I think he decided that he needed a little vacation from work LOL.

 

[Lorelei]

Isn't it the most frustrating thing???? Ben the farrier was out last week to have a look and King's soles were in beautiful condition, the only thing we could find was a tiny red mark just in front of the frog.....it is possible maybe that is a tiny bruise that was hurting him, Ben seemed to think the mark wasn't anything much, but in view of Stretch's cut maybe it is that mark hurting him......you see these insignificant looking things and panic, thinking it can't possibly be that, but maybe it is

Isn't it so horrible and worrying though, thank heavens for bute! It is time for his dinner in a minute, it is so strange that he is suddenly so much better. I know the bute is masking it, but last week he was so sore and I am, as always, a very anxious Mother as you know yourself Rascal with Stretch and Rascal kit!

I am very glad Stretch is better, I know what a worry these things are

 

[Shay37]

Lorelei, I continue to think you and your DH and keep you both and all your critters in my prayers. I am glad to hear that King is better. Hang in there.

shay

 

[Lorelei]

Shay thank you so much. We are hanging in there Hubby and I ,and I know that all the prayers and well wishes you are sending us is helping tremendously. It means so much too that people have taken time out this weekend to send us a message of support. Hubby and I are saying that we feel so numb, I suppose it is the shock. However King is keeping me busy along with the other babies and I know the prayers for King are doing him good, thank you!

I could feel very alone right now, but thanks to you all I don''t so much. That is such a wonderful thing you have all done, by praying for us and Teddy and King.

 

[Sundial]

Lorelei thanks for sharing the story of how your kitty came into your lives and to pricescope for posting his pictures. He was a truly magnificent cat!!! I know how much you and your husband miss him, but you have some wonderful memories you can treasure. Just keep busy and stay strong, you are in the thoughts and prayers of so many who understand your situation so well.

 

[Lorelei]

Thank you Sundial. It has been so good to be able to share with you all and memorialise Teddy in his thread. He deserves it.

 

[strmrdr]

checking in to see how things are going.
prayers continue

 

[Lorelei]

Storm, thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. You are one kicken guy! Bless you.

 

[Dandi]

Lorelei I just had to say how terribly, terribly sorry I am about your loss of your gorgeous boy, my heart really goes out to you. In two weeks'' time it will be a year since I lost my precious Oggi also to kidney failure, he was 8. I still cry about it now. I''m really thinking of you.

xoxoxo

 

[Lorelei]

DanDi, thank you. I am so sorry for your loss too, we both know how hard it is especially with such a young cat. Kidney failure is such a terrible disease and I am so sad that we didn''t even have a chance to try to save him, if only I had known but he was a picture of health as you can see and stayed that way up until the last.

I can well imagine how much you miss your precious Oggi. You will be in my thoughts too. I never thought when I started this thread to get prayers for Teddy how many people would take the time to support me or understand so well what I am going through. For us pet adorers, it is a painful path our souls have chosen to walk, pets just don''t live long enough.....as Mara said, their little bodies seem to be more frail than we realize, and their souls are so strong.

Sending my prayers out to you too and hope you can remember your darling Oggi with joy and the happy times you shared.

 

[Dandi]

Thankyou so much Lorelei

I''ve been thinking of you today actually

When Oggi died my brother put together a mini collage of him for me

 

[Lorelei]

DanDI, thank you so much for sharing that!! Oh, wasn''t he beautiful and so cuddly, just a beautiful snuggly teddy bear! No wonder you miss him so much!

Thank you also for your continued prayers and thoughts. Things haven''t got much better, King thankfully is ok. Ben came out and as he is so much better decided not to remove the shoe in case we disturb a healing process so I have to reduce the painkiller and Ben will be back on Saturday then we will reasses.

I have to take little Manfred to the vet this afternoon, he has sickness and upset stomach and hasn''t eaten. I know it is unlikey but I am terrified it is going to happen all over again. The vets have squeezed me in for the first available appointment this afternoon, it''s good to be friends with the nurses.

So Lorelei is battered and bruised but far from beaten. I know there are better days ahead.

 

[Catmom]

Hi Lorelei,

I was just thinking of you this morning. I hope things are going a little better for you. How is king''s foot? Were you ever able to determine what is causing his soreness?

Continued positive thoughts for King and your family.

 

[Lorelei]

Hey CM

Well, Ben and I stood in the stable this morning with a barging horse scratching our heads......My take on it is a sole bruise, Ben doesn''t think it is pus in the foot as they are normally in so much pain as if they have fractured the leg. King is moving around much better, although he is on full dose painkillers which I will have to reduce now as you should only keep them on 2 a day for 4 days for his size and weight. So the plan is for me to reduce the meds and Ben is coming back on Saturday morning to take the shoe off if needed. He didn''t want to today, in case whatever it is is healing and disturb it.

I am wondering with Rascal and Stretch going so lame with a tiny cut, King has a tiny red mark on the sole of that foot, if it could be that, just a tiny bruise.........Horses do feel pain more intensely than many other animals it seems, so it could just be that little wee mark. You always ( well I do ) expect to see more of an injury to reflect the discomfort but it doesn''t always seem to follow. Again, if only they could talk!

I will be off soon to the vet with little Manfred and hope this goes well for him.

 

[Blenheim]

Lorelei,

My thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family (both animal and human). This may seem kind of weird, but your stories about Teddy have touched me so much that I actually had a dream about getting a Teddy of my very own, although I know that no cat could ever really replace him.

I hope that King starts feeling better soon!

Blenheim

 

[Lorelei]

Blenheim, I really hope you do get a Teddy of your very own. If you do, it would be one of the best decisions you ever make and I am so happy that Teddy''s short life has touched so many people in such a positive way.

Thank you so much Blenheim for the continuing thoughts and prayers, it really means a lot to us.

 

[AndyRosse]

Lorelei, I''m glad that it looks like it might just be a bruise

Kind of ironic how something so small can cause a horse so much discomfort! But who knows, maybe the bruise is in just the right place. If only they could talk!! Or just paw the ground to answer some yes or no questions LOL.