Hooska's spirit has flown free

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Christine & Hooska (GA), Jul 13, 2010.

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  1. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

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    Jul 8, 2010
    Some of you are familiar with the dramatic and heart-wrenching turn for the worse our lives (me, my husband, our beloved cat Hooska) took last week when our darling one was diagnosed with diabetes as well as liver failure, anemia, fluids around the lungs and one other diagnose I cannot recall right at this moment, but also very serious.

    We were sent home with a box of liver pills and a prescription for insulin. Though we wholly-devoted one week of our lives to trying to save him, despite the fact that neither my husband nor I are cut out for nursing by any stretch of the imagination and we struggled with intense difficulty to help our little guy, Hooska just went downhill so fast: stopped eating, stopped poo-ing, lost interest in everything, couldn't seem to sleep, and saddest of all, no more purring.

    So yesterday morning, we were back at the vet bright and early. By this time, one of his arms had swelled up, his eyes were glazey, and his body was puffier than ever plus his breathing seemed a bit labored. A different vet than the first one we'd had last week checked Hooska out and recommended euthenasia. I was beside myself and said no, no, no! I wanted to have a feeding tube inserted, get liquids in him, have additional testing done, have them do whatever else was necessary...and save my baby!

    A long debating conversation ensued betweem me and the doc. He pointed out that even if they did everything I wanted, he suspected they would find the cat has liver cancer in there somewhere and had become very jaundiced. I said obviously Hooska is uncomfortable and that's why I want immediate measures to be taken to restore his health.

    He said he looks at Hooska and sees a cat who is not only in discomfort, but most likely pain. I asked how one could tell the difference, as many beings live with some discomfort -- it's part of life -- but if he could convince me Hooska was actually experiencing pain, I would consider giving in. Just then, Hooska let out the biggest yowl. It was clear he was concurring with the doctor: yes, I am indeed in pain. My heart broke into a million pieces. The vet called my husband to discuss and came back in the room and said my husband recommended euthenasia. I called my husband, and we discussed it. We decided I would bring Hooska home for just a little more time together for last cuddling and loving and good-byes, and we arranged for him to depart this world from the comfort of our home last night.

    The lady vetrinarian who came over was like an angel herself: she just made this feel like a couple of friends (she plus an assistant) were dropping by, much time was spent talking before she proceeded. Her approach was wholly compassionate and treated Hooska with lots of love and dignity during his departure into peace and freedom from this life.

    Anyhow, just wanted to say thanks again to all you earth-angels who responded to my pleas for help, offered loads of knowledge and information and expressed kind words. Bless you all...and now I will exit this forum. I very much need to move on from this pain.

    Christine & Hooska, GA
     
  2. Michele and Esse

    Michele and Esse Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Christine, I am so sorry for your loss of your darling Hooksa. But at the Rainbow Bridge, they wait for us to join them...and in the meantime, they're playing, laughing, purring (yes, they are!!), and watching us through the holes in the floor of Heaven.

    You will always miss Hooksa. But in time, the pain you feel now will lessen; it will become bittersweet; and then, it will fade into cherished memories. Know that your baby will never leave you; that although Hooksa is not in your arms, he is in your heart - a much safer, more special place.

    And until the pain fades into those cherished memories (and they will, I promise), know that we are here for you, and that prayers are being sent.

    Best-
    Michele
     
  3. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2010
    Thank you Michele. And blessings to you and Esse!

    Peace,
    Christine
     
  4. M L and Cleo (GA)

    M L and Cleo (GA) Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I'm so sorry to hear Hooska didn't make it. He knows you loved him very much and did the best to help him.

    Sending prayers for comfort and strength to you and your husband.
     
  5. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2010
    Thank you, ML. I see your cute Cleo left you at the same age as our Hooska. I was told this is a pretty long lifespan for a cat and we were lucky to have a healthy robust cat for so many wonderful years -- but it's still not long enough, is it.

    My cat Hooska was utterly adorable and I tried to post a picture of him on this forum but kept getting a message I had too many pixels. Does anyone know how to get a picture to take in this forum? I would love for you all to see my handsome boy. He should be seen and appreciated and remembered.

    Thanks,
    lonely me :sad:
     
  6. Ronnie & Luna

    Ronnie & Luna Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I'm so sorry Christine.

    Fly free Hooska, and know you were very much loved.
     
  7. CD and BigMac

    CD and BigMac Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Oh Christine I can feel your heartbreak from here. I am so very sorry. Hooska was one loved kitty; how fortunate he was to have you fighting for him. But you gave the kindest gift last night.

    Please let me help you get a photo of Hooska on the board. I will send you a PM (private message) with my email address. You can email the picture and I'll post it in this thread for you. I'll make sure it is big enough for all of us to see.
     
  8. Lisa and Do Lou (GA)

    Lisa and Do Lou (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2010
    I am so sorry for your loss of Hooska


    Fly free Hooska rb_icon rb_icon wings_cat
     
  9. Jen & Squeak

    Jen & Squeak Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Oh I am sorry!
     
  10. Sienne and Gabby (GA)

    Sienne and Gabby (GA) Senior Member Moderator

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    Dec 28, 2009
    (((Christine)))

    I'm so sorry. I know how hard you tried to make sure you were doing everything possible for Hooska. My heart breaks with yours. I wish there was more I could have done to help you.

    I don't know if you've ever read about the Rainbow Bridge. This gave me considerable comfort when my boy, George, crossed.
     
  11. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2010
    About the picture, thank you CD. Finally in frustration I consulted the Tech instructions and connected to a link that resized my picture of the Hoosk. I see he is appearing here now beside my posts.

    This is one of my very favorite pictures of him. He used to love to lick my face every chance he got. Every morning when I awoke, as soon as the alarm clock went off and sometimes earlier if he was particularly impatient for Mommy's love, he'd jump up beside my pillow and start licking away. Even if I laid down for a moment at any time of day, he was always eager for a "licky-licky" session. Without his scratchy little pink tongue on my face anymore, I must find another method of exfoliation now [weak chuckle]. This picture was taken right after one such licking session. I call this picture "The Look of Love" and it unmistakably is!

    If anyone is on facebook, feel free to check out my Hooska photo album which I've made available for anyone in the world to view.
    I am on fb as Christine Clarke; there are many Christine Clarke's on there: mine is the picture with the curly strawberry-blonde hair peeking over the top of my shades. Please feel free to peruse the pictures of my adorable Hooska. He was quite a guy!

    My Wall is open too. On there my day-to-day life is pretty much recorded, and you'll see it's been all about my cat lately. Feel free to friend me if you wish; if you do, just mention you're from the diabetic cat forum, and I'll respond fairly quickly; otherwise, I have over 40 friend requests I'm meaning to get around to, but they're mostly people I don't know and it takes time to carefully scrutinize each one if they don't write a personal message along with their friend request.

    Love and blessings to you all. You are the most wonderful group of folks I have yet encountered in this world, such caring souls, all of you, and I wish you and your little ones much joy!
     
  12. Jill & Alex (GA)

    Jill & Alex (GA) Senior Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    (((((christine)))))
    thank you for sharing hooska's picture with us. his "look of love" is so apparent.
    i am very sorry for your loss.

    wings_cat fly free, hooska...
     
  13. BobsMom

    BobsMom Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I am so very sorry for your loss.
    wings_cat
     
  14. Mary & Stormy Blue

    Mary & Stormy Blue Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    I am so very, very sorry for your loss of Hooska.

    ~M
     
  15. Dana & Thomas

    Dana & Thomas Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    You did all that was humanly and humanely possible for Hooska.
    Godspeed little Hooska.
    Dana
     
  16. Anne&Muffin (GA)

    Anne&Muffin (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    So sorry to hear about Hooska. I cried with you reading your post.
     
  17. jt and trouble (GA)

    jt and trouble (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Hooska story made me cry too. I'm so very sorry for your loss.
    Jeanne
     
  18. Carol & Smudge (GA)

    Carol & Smudge (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2010
    HI Christine -

    Many hugs & prayers for your here as my loss is very fresh also. Just wish we could fast forward to ease the pain, but i guess this is something we must go through when we love our furr-babies so much.

    Many Blessings,
    Carol & Smudge (GA)
     
  19. Larry and Kitties

    Larry and Kitties Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Sending purrs and prayers at this difficult time.
     
  20. Melanie and Smokey

    Melanie and Smokey Well-Known Member

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    Feb 24, 2010
    Sorry for the loss of your beloved one.
     
  21. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2010
    Sorry everyone for evoking so many tears. No one has cried more than me (though even my husband was teary-eyed throughout yesterday as we spent our last moments with the Hoosk and even in whole-body sobs a few times; I have rarely seen my husband cry, especially with such force), and I have a terrible headache from what seems like crying for just about a week straight now plus nausea at the thought of Hooska being gone.

    Thank you jt for the idea of lighting a candle. Unfortunately, I put the candle in the wrong group. It can be found here: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/mes ... d=11192843. I guess the candles disappear every 48 hours, so I will definitely be back in that site again to light a candle in the FDMB group.

    P.S. Carol, I am sorry for the loss of your darling Smudge.

    Love and blessings to all!
     
  22. Karen & Smokey(GA)

    Karen & Smokey(GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I am so sorry for your loss.

    May all your wonderful memories of Hooska bring you comfort...

    ...'til you meet again.
     
  23. Sherry and Harley

    Sherry and Harley Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2010
    Oh, Christine...I'm so sorry for your loss. I have been following your posts for the past week and was really pulling for Hooska. It is so very clear how much you loved him and how much you did to try to heal him. I was in tears as soon as I saw the subject of your post. It's heartbreaking to come to the board and see kitties lost on what seems like a daily basis. My heart goes out to you and to all the folks who have lost a furry friend. :cry: :cry: :cry:

    Sherry and Harley
     
  24. Sophia

    Sophia Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2009
    Christine, I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet Hooska. My heart goes out to you.
     
  25. MommaOfMuse

    MommaOfMuse Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2010
    Christine,

    I'm so sorry for your lost. It is so very hard to lose our furbabies even under the best of circumstances but to have them leave when it feels like you have just begun the fight is heartbreaking. My darling Muse only made it a week after her dx of diabetes. However, I encourage you to stick around this board, even if you aren't now a momma of a sugar baby. Not only are these some of the best, wisest, and sometimes funniest human beans anywhere, but you will find everyone here knows the pain of losing a beloved family member, the joy of finding the next fur-kid (trust me there will be a next one) and all the struggles in between. There is such a wealth of knowledge here from so many of us that have gained it through trial and error and pure love for our four-legged children.

    Fly free Hooska and land softly safe in the knowledge that your Mom & Dad love you.

    Mel & Muse (GA)
     
  26. dd & savannah

    dd & savannah Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    :( so very sorry for your loss...may you find peace and comfort soon
     
  27. Gail & Houdini (GA)

    Gail & Houdini (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I'm so sorry your beautiful boy has gone to the Bridge. You did everything possible but sometimes things are just out of our hands.

    May you find peace with your memories and just know that he is waiting for you.
     
  28. Christine & Hooska (GA)

    Christine & Hooska (GA) New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2010
    Thanks again, everybody. I stayed away from this forum for a couple of days because I felt drained from so much crying.

    I just wanted to say -- and I've told others this too -- that you all are the most wonderful people!

    I wish you and your cute kitties much happiness, good health, and long life.

    Bless you all!

    Always,
    Christine & Hooska, my GA forever!
     
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