Saying Goodbye to my Sweet Old Girl

I had to say goodbye to my beautiful sweet old blind girl, Savannah, this morning. When I took her in for her checkup yesterday, Dr. Brown ran blood work on her. Dr. Chandler called me back this morning to let me know that her blood work indicated advanced kidney disease and cancer, so it was time. I’m so grateful to Dr. Brown and Dr. Chandler of the Animal Eye Clinic for helping both me and Savannah adjust to her loss of vision over these past two years, and for helping me make the decision I had to make today. I’m also thankful for Dr. Roy of Gateway Animal Hospital, who has been our long-time primary vet, for helping me with such compassion this morning when saying goodbye. We brought her home and buried her in our butterfly garden.

I know those of you without pets may not understand the grief that comes with having to euthanize your pet, but my animal lover friends certainly do. Benny and I came into our relationship with two dogs each, but Savannah was our first pet we had together, our “first child” so to speak and my first cat, and she gave us 17 beautiful years of cuddles and biscuits. She was the last of a litter of kittens that were dumped on the porch of my assistant’s mother, and when Angie brought that beautiful little ball of calico fur into the office, I simply couldn’t resist. When she lost her vision (due to a blood pressure spike that detached her retinas) she became more and more attached to me and followed me everywhere around the house for comfort. She’d wake me up in the morning with a gentle meow saying it was time for breakfast; when I got home in the afternoons, she’d come out at the sound of my voice; when I sat down on the couch to watch TV, she’d find my lap; and as I washed my face and got ready for bed each night, she’d lay right there at my feet. And now I have to find the right words to tell my girls. I will miss you, sweet blind girl. Meet you at the Rainbow Bridge.