FAMILY PETS SHOULD COME WITH WARNING LABELS – Part 1 – Heartstrings

I’m seriously considering writing a pamphlet and placing them around Humane Societies, Veterinarian Clinics, pet stores and every bulletin board in every store I come across that has cute little posters like this.

WARNING – (Front of pamphlet)
For all of the snuggles.
For all of the smiles and laughter.
For the comfort and companionship.
For the quiet walks and long talks.
For being the keeper of secrets and catchers of tears.
For the truly unconditional, never-ending love.
For all of that…
WARNING!
In 7, 9, 10, 12, 15 years from the moment you bring your snuggly, warm, fuzzy bundle of barking joy home.
They will die.
And unless they get hit by a car or pass on in their sleep, chances are they will get sick first. Either way, be prepared for the one of the most emotionally, heart-wrenching roller coaster rides you will ever endure in your lifetime.
You may hear words similar to, “she’s only got a week at the most. We’ll have to put her down.” And those words.. The very possibility of those words coming to fruition will rip through your body from the tips of your toes to the ends of your hair. You will feel like every piece of muscle tissue, every nerve, every part of any part of you that can feel pain, will feel pain. It will ripple through you over and over and over again. And you will cry. You will cry until you think you cannot possibly shed another tear. And a part of you will feel like you’re going insane because you feel so helpless and there’s nothing you can do.
Because there is nothing you can do.
And if you’re like me. You’ll pray.
I prayed the Rosary over our pup. For those of you who are not my friends on Facebook, our lit’l pup Luci, recently and very suddenly became ill. Fortunately, she is receiving treatment and should be back to her old self within the month. That being said, she was in doggy sickness limbo for over a week due to misdiagnosis by two vets.
Vet #1 said it was a mass and wanted to “put her down.”
Vet #2 said it was a mass, and/or lymphoma, and/or irritable bowel syndrome. She only has a week, at most. You should “put her down.”
Enter vet #3. He said, “I’m the optimist.” We call him “the blessing.” He ran all of the appropriate tests and determined that Luci, in fact, had/has a UTI, a kidney stone and a kidney infection (due to the stone.) A month of antibiotics and our lit’l Luci should be good as new.
I have to tell you. During this whole heart-wrenching experience, I kept repeating over and over, “I’ll never have another dog. I will never have another one. Never, ever, ever.”
And I won’t.
I-will-not.
Ever.
I know people do. Their beloved dog or cat dies and in time, they find another furry friend to bring home. I don’t know how they can but I understand why they do.
I could not. I will not.
The pain I experienced at the very thought of losing Luci.. The idea of experiencing that ever again??
No. Not fucking it.
I know it’s selfish. I know there are hundreds of furr friends out there that need homes. But they won’t be getting one from me. I won’t put myself through it and if that makes me a wuss, so be it. I would rather an entire NFL team beat me and leave me in a body cast from head to toe than feel that pain again.
I can’t. I won’t.
One of the things I found most frustrating during this time of Luci’s illness was the realization that dogs and cats – I speak of them because they are our most common home companions – don’t live nearly long enough! I danced on a double edged sword. At the same time I was praying to God to heal Miss Luci, I was so angry with Him for giving her and her other furry brothers and sisters such a short life span.
Again, selfish I know but honestly, I just don’t get it.
Of course the lesson here is, as it is with all of our family members, whether on two legs or four, is to cherish your time together. This is not to say that our love for our animals surpasses that of our love for our parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles or grandparents. Surely it does not. – At least for me.
But the lesson still rings true..
Be loving.
Be kind.
Be mindful.
We, you and I, and our families, including our furry family members, are gifts.
We should probably remember to treat each other as such…
When I prayed this over Miss Luci I changed the, “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen,” to “pray for Miss Luci, now and forever more. Amen.
It worked.
(Had to give credit where credit is due.)
Happy Saturday folks!

TOMORROW’S POST – “FAMILY PETS SHOULD COME WITH WARNING LABELS – Part 2 – Pursestrings”