Rusty...Not Gone Just Gone On Ahead

After 17 wonderful years with me my beloved cat, Rusty,  has "Gone on Ahead".

He seemed to be doing well  after a Sunday night run to the Emergency Vet Hospital  on March 21 and then a follow up visit to his regular Vet at Southpaw Animal Hospital the next day.
But this past Tuesday morning I awoke to find him unable to get up off of the kitchen floor. I frantically dressed and rushed him up to Dr. Bruce at Southpaw Animal Hospital. After many test, many tears and many attempts to mend my sweet boy we made the choice on Thursday to let him "Go on Ahead".
Anyone who has lost a pet I'm sure knows how heavy my heart is today. The loss of a pet and especially one who was so wonderful for so many years is an almost impossible heartache to heal. Rusty was with me longer than any husband or any boyfriend in my life. He was truly the best cat in the world and I loved him with all of my heart.
I have so many wonderful people in my life to thank for helping me get through this emotional week. First I want to thank my dear son, Christopher, for being my rock and taking me back and forth to visit Rusty while he was at Southpaw this week. He was there with me yesterday when we said our goodbyes to Rusty in the wonderful setting that Dr. Bruce's office provided. We both recalled when we had gone to Cleartwater 17 years earlier to adopted Rusty as a kitten from the Pinellas Humane Society. Rusty was special because he was polydactyl, also known as a Hemingway cat, because he had six toes on his front paws. He loved to have his feet rubbed.
Dr. Bruces, Dr. Drake, the technicians, and office staff of Southpaw Animal Hospital were all wonderful to us while we were there this past week.  I can't say enough good things about how kind they were to us.
I'd like to thank my kind neighbor, Paddy, who supported me on Weds. when she went with me up to visit with Rusty. When I knew we had another day with him we went to GrillSmith and had their "Best Damn Margarita's" to help me relax a little and try to get a good nights sleep.  The celebration was very much appreciated. She came to support me again last evening when she joined me on my front porch on a cool Spring evening while I related the story of my last moments with Rusty. She brought chocolate!
A heartfelt Thank You to my friend Heather and her family. They sent us warm thoughts and well wishes all week.  Kept in touch to find out the lastest on Rusty and Heather created two very special sets of her wonder glass lampwork beads to auction off on Etsy. She created the "Rusty Vet Fund" from Dragonfly Lampwork Glass to help me with his hospital expenses. Her very generous clients scooped up the beautiful sets of beads in no time and she sent me their donations. She then emailed me that her friends Debra & Ted Beach have sent me a donation as well. I am overwhelmed with the kindness of people. Thank you so very much Debra & Ted.

Many Thank You's and hugs to my wonderful business partner, Kathy, who had the beautiful tea roses sent to me not even five minutes after Christopher and I had returned from our last visit with Rusty yesterday. They are so beautiful and so perfect and truly are appreciated. Kathy had stopped to visit with me yesterday afternoon and I shared with her the kind and thoughtful donation Heather had made to help me with Rusty's vet bill. Kathy is my biggest fan of Cherry Chick Jewelry and once I showed her the new Butterfly Bracelet she instisted on buying it. I wanted to simply give it to her because she had so kindly prepared my federal taxes this year without charging me. After a little squabbling, I ended up accepting her check as a donation to the Rusty Vet Fund. She's the best and I'm so very grateful to have such a wonderful friend.
Many thanks to all who had called me today to check on me. I'm still greiving and it's just too hard to repeat the story to each of you so I've put this blog entry together to share with you. I will be returning calls to each of you soon.
Much love and thank you to my dear sweet "Bee" who has been so positive and supportive this week. Thank you for all of the phone calls, thank you for the e-card from "Rusty" this afternoon (even though it made me cry again), and thank you for being with me when Bijan and Bubba "went on ahead" in years past.
I know my heart will mend, I've missed Rusty not being in the house these past few days, and I know that I will never forget him. He truly was the The Best Cat Ever.
Hugs to everyone.....Vicki