[Gpdd] ANNOUNCEMENT: My sweet Fred

[Takincannon at aol.com]

  It is with great great sadness that I tell you that my sweet, precious 
little boy Fred passed away last night, January 3.
  Just the day before he was frolicking about with the cats, making his happy 
sounds, getting into stuff...bad boy...and I tucked him in that night with a 
treat and a kiss.  I left the next morning to visit my mom...Fred had rung his 
bell that morning, as he always does, and I fed him and gave him a quick hug. 
 He tossed his head in defiance, just his style.
  My son called me about 3:00 and I asked what Fred was doing.  He said he 
had just rung his bell once, so I told him to give him a carrot, but he said 
Fred turned his head away.  This was not like him, but I didn't panic and stayed 
a while longer at my mom's as I had not seen her in a while, but I couldn't 
get my Fred off my mind.
  When I got home, I went immediately to him and he was looking out towards 
me, not huddled in a corner, but I knew it was bad.  His eyes were grey around 
the edges and he was so very weak.   I held him and rocked him, telling him 
how much I loved him.  His breathing was shallow.  I thought I would just hold 
him like that, but I had the sudden urge to take him to the emergency vet, 
thinking they would find a miracle to save him.
I spent nearly two hours at the vet, and they said he looked bloated...it 
seemed I had missed that while holding him close to me.  They said he was doing 
poorly and asked if I wanted them to try other measures to help him.  I knew I 
should just take him home but I said yes, whatever they could do.  And I hoped 
and prayed.  They brought me to the back again and told me he fought against 
intervention, his little heart racing each time, as if he was trying to die.  
Then he took his last breath.  I nearly fainted and they helped me to a chair 
and I held him and rocked him.
  I took my little boy home.  I held him for awhile longer.  I let the cats 
see him and Jerry, his best buddy whom he had chewed a chunk of hair and left a 
bald spot on him a few days earlier, gently nuzzled him and walked away.  I 
placed my precious baby gently in a box on a bed of hay, resting him on his 
little hammock bed.  I placed his food dish with his favorite treats next to him, 
along with his little bell and placed a tiny gold cross on him.  My son and 
his friend, who had just come home on leave from the army, helped me bury him 
in the farthest corner of the yard, where one lone red tulip grows in the 
summer.
  The house is quiet this morning, there was no bell ringing.  I could not 
bear to look at Fred's cage.   I feel so guilty about not being with him 
yesterday, that I could have taken him to the vet sooner and maybe he would be okay, 
even though I know the angels came for him and he is happy and safe and in no 
pain.  I thought about what my son had told me, about that last ring before I 
found him.  I knew that he must have been ringing it for me, letting me know 
he was leaving, and he waited for me to come.   My eyes are swollen shut from 
crying, my heart aches for him.  He was only 2 1/2 yrs old, but it seemed I'd 
had him for a lifetime.
Dear Lord keep him, my sweet, sweet little precious boy,  I will love you 
forever and ever,
Love, Mommy (Toni)