I've known Buddy since he was a kitten in Waco, TX. He grew up bigger and more cross-eyed than his three sisters, and he had a nice, deep meow that reminded me of a weed eater being fired up. This last weekend I visited Houston and stayed at The Whites. He normally sits on the couch next to me, digging his sharp claws into my skin and leaving specks of white fur all over my clothes. This time, however, he remained still on his pillow at the far end of the couch.
"He's not been eating," CW said. "He hasn't even been drinking water, recently."
We spent a good portion of the evening with Buddy. We administered his diabetes meds and we tested his sugar levels, which looked good. We put him in front of his food bowl, but he wasn't interested in eating. We set him in front of his water. He sniffed it, gave it an apathetic lick, and then returned to his cushion by the couch.
The next day CW took Buddy to the vet and learned that he suffered from cancer and a failing liver. The vet ran all possible tests and determined that nothing could be done to save his life, and that the painful end was imminent. Buddy was an old cat and his time had come.
It was a sad weekend. It's always sad when a family losses a loved one. The reason I'm telling this story is because I learned something important. CW and his wife went into the room with Buddy. They held him tightly, said their goodbyes, and were with him in his final moments. They faced their grief head on and showed their love for Buddy, regardless of how hard it was. This may seem like common sense thinking, but there are some who may not know how important it is to be with them until the very end.
No one likes death. No one wants to die, but we all do. The important thing is that we are surrounded by those we love when it's our turn.
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