The vet also made a paw print in plaster for us. I will take a picture and post it later. It's a bit odd not having my Boy here, but he's in a place where his health is perfect and Daddy's lap is always open for him to lay on :)
The vet did send us a very sweet card and a poem titled, "The Rainbow Bridge". I will post that up later, as well. They were so good to us, and continue to be good to us. I am so glad I go to Independence Veterinary Clinic (shameless plug) because the staff makes it personal. I can walk in the front door and the nurses all know who I am right away! It makes me feel really good, especially when they inquire about my other pets!
As horrible as Feb. 1 was, the nurses and Willie's Doctor made the experience bearable and comfortable. I guess now would be a good time to tell the story.
At around 9:30am on Monday, Feb 1, I called the vet to get an appt for Willie. They could see us at 10:30. I got dressed and went to clean out Trav's truck, while mom held the boy. When it was time to leave, mom couldn't give Willie up, because she knew this would be the last time she would ever hold him. She did finally give him to me, after I had climbed into the truck. Travis drove me and Woo to the vet. As soon as we walked in, the nurses all knew it wasn't Willie. He could barely walk and had lost another 3 or 4 pounds. We took him into the exam room, and blood was drawn. I talked to the Doctor about the results, which were very bad. Willie was in the middle stages of kidney failure. She gave me options as to how we could buy Willie 'maybe' 6 more months with us, but I knew that wouldn't be good for him. I called mom and had the Doctor explain the results and our options. Mom and I decided the best route would be to let Willie go.
I'm going to pause here, for a minute, to explain something. I strongly feel that, had I not been through what I went through with Dad (making the decision to let nature take its course, which resulted in his death), I would have pushed to get Willie as much treatment as possible. However, I had to put my own wants aside and think of what was best for Daddy, and that was to not let him suffer. The same applied to Willie. I couldn't watch him suffer, and putting him to sleep was the most humaine (sp) option.
Back to the 'story'
After we decided to put Willie down, the Doctor and nurse led me, Trav, and Willie into their "comfort room." It was filled with soothing colors, so flameless candles, and felt very calming, considering the circumstances. I sat down on the floor and had a blanket draped over my legs. The nurse put the IV catheter in Willie's leg and set him in my lap. I just held him and told him "I love you" over and over. The Doctor came in with two syrenges (sp), one had a sedative, and the other was an overdose of anesthesia (sp), which would stop Willie's organs. She told me to take as much time as I wanted, but I told her to just get it over with. She gave Willie the sedative, and he relaxed in my arms. I continued to say "I love you" to him. I put my hand under his chest when the Doctor began to inject the anesthesia. She told me it could take up to 40 seconds for all organs to stop, but Willie was gone before she even finished injecting him. Willie was just ready to go.
I sat there for about 10 minutes, after Willie died, and smelled him. Travis was handing me tissue after tissue, and I was blowing my nose, then sniffing willie, blowing my nose, sniffing willie... you get the idea. I wanted to remember how he smelled...
I finally gave him to the nurse, and it was so weird. Willie's eyes were wide open, but he wasn't there. While the nurse held him, I gave him one more kiss in our "special kissy spot" which was right between his eyes. I used to kiss him there when he was a puppy, and I kissed him there through his whole life... it only felt right to give him one more kiss.
Once Willie was out of the room, I shut the door and buried my head in Trav's chest. I was crying so hard... and he, once again, held me and told me we would get through this. How on earth has Travis managed to stick around through all of this death???
Travis was quiet for the rest of the day, and I know he was hurting, as well. It was a very difficult situation, and I would have liked to have not been there when Willie went to sleep, but I'm not the type of person to let my loved ones go through major events alone, and I'd be damned if I let Willie die alone.
If I had to do it over again, I would still stay with him. He was my sweet Woo-Boy, and I'm going to miss him.
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