[Gpdd] Announcement: Eulogy for Ivy

Linda Sánchez veronica.ann at verizon.net
Tue Feb 10 21:33:24 EST 2004


Hello to all Pigs and People,

I am writing with sad news. Last night around 9:45, my precious Ivy passed
away. Although she was seven months old, she was just a tiny baby, never
weighing more than 400 grams. (Penny weighs 1100 and Sasha 950)  She was
never really healthy ever since the night I brought her home in August. She
always had labored breathing and other issues. But it never slowed her
down -she was one happy pig! She had a loving and open personality, always
running out of her hiding place to say hello when I got home. Her lungs and
vocal chords never fully developed, so she couldn't wheek very loud, but she
definitely tried! She was never afraid of anything and never ran away when I
tried to hold her. She loved her cage-mate Penny dearly and liked to use her
as a pillow. She was laid back and easy to get along with, yet bold and
brave as well. She loved to romp in a big pile of hay as often as possible.
Her home has several different floors, and although she was the smallest
pig, she liked to stand proudly on the tallest platform and survey the lay
of the land.  She had also perfected the art of begging for treats, and
never took no for an answer! I knew she would not be able to live out a full
life span with all of her health issues, but she enjoyed every day of her
short life and lived it to the fullest.

She had been eating less and less and last night wouldn't even eat her very
favorite things nor her Critical Care right from my fingers. I knew from
past experiences that she was at the end of her short life. I held her in my
arms from 5:00 until she died at 9:45, taking her to bed with me at 9:00.
With just a soft nitelight on, we settled down together. She was very
peaceful and she knew how much she was loved. She tried to stand a few times
but eventually settled her prety little head into the crook of my arm,
letting me stroke her and love her.I told her her life story, all about how
I found her, how she was so scared in the beginning and then became bolder,
and I shared with her all the loving and funny memories I had of her and how
happy she had made me. I thanked her for sharing her life with me and I
assured her that Penny and Sasha and I would be ok. When she finally
breathed her last, it felt like my heart was going to be torn out. I was
glad her pain was over, yet it is so hard to say goodbye.

I used to think after losing one of my furbabies that I couldn't stand
another loss, that I would never get another pig. Now I know that each loss
opens my heart wider and allows more love and willingness and more awareness
of the joy of living with guinea pigs.

Thanks for reading! And thanks to Ivy for all the gifts she gave and keeps
giving!
Peace,
Linda






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