At Rest

The Wonderspouse had taken a half-day following the late night Prom, so we slept in and had pancakes for breakfast. I then dropped him at work and went to have lunch with my friend Scharwenka.

While I was at Scharwenka's house I got the phone call that I had been dreading, but somehow knew would come. Athena had not had a good night. She'd been sick all night, and was terribly terribly poorly. She was also not gaining weight, hardly surprising since she was unable to keep any food in. I understood the subtext very clearly from the tone of the vet's voice.

I called the Wonderspouse, and we arranged to meet and go to the vets in the afternoon. He arrived at Scharwenka's house and we drove straight to the surgery.

Our darling beautiful girl was struggling. We kissed her and stroked her, she managed to purr for us. We talked to the vet. I had to sign an official form, and at 5.30 pm a pale pink solution was injected into her drip tube.

We were with her, stroking the beautiful soft fur, as she slipped away. The vet left us with her, and we held her and kissed her. I played with her ears as they turned white and cooled. The Wonderspouse sobbed behind me and I turned round to comfort him. We kissed her again, the last time I kissed that beautiful soft fur between her ears, I felt her ears, cold against my cheeks.

Arrangements have been made for cremation. We do not own our house, so have nowhere she could be buried. We will keep her ashes with us, wherever we go.

This picture was taken shortly after she died. It is the last picture of her. On looking at the pictures I am struck by how different she looks in just the few minutes between life and death.

We left her eyes open because they were so very special and beautiful.

Thank you beautiful darling girl for being with us, for everything you did for us. We will miss you so very very much.