[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE: Chelito

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Dear Audrey,  I assume you can pass along my sincerest condolence wishes to 
Ricki on the tragic passing of her beloved little Chelito. Ricki, it just 
plain hurts to our cores when we fight and fight an do everything we can and 
still our precious ones slip away. Often you get the gift of a long and 
happy life with your piggy, often that doesn't happen, but the quality of 
your life together remains no matter how long or short.  It is with great 
reverence that I try to consol you for even a moment or more, God willing. 
During an illness our piggies do suffer and poor Chelito had to put up with 
many indignities during his long condition but he came very soon to know to 
his very core that you were there trying to make it better, to heal and to 
comfort him, and he came to rely on you for that and to love you for it. 
It's so sad that the deepest bonds little piggers make is when they are 
being cared for in illness and he loved you for your efforts, for every 
mouthful of forced food, for every time his little mouth was opened for a 
vet, he loved you.  My exotics vet, who is a very special vet always seemed 
a bit confused when my piggies would turn tail and run off the examination 
table and up onto my chest until they could bury their little heads under my 
chin. I cant imagine why he would be surprised!  I have seen this same story 
written so many times that I believe it, and I believe in the Rainbow Bridge 
so I know he is up their swapping stories about all the things you did to 
help him with all his new piggie friends, and between great wonder mouthfuls 
of fresh grasses with absolutely no pain. And she will greet you when your 
time comes as  will all of your passed loved ones. I'm so sorry that she 
died especially after every thing you did that should have worked, it's just 
that teeth are really hard to correct no matter how skilled the vets. I 
honor you for loving him, for caring for him and please accept my word, on 
faith at least, that the stabbing pain in your heart will diminish with 
time, replaced by the many recurring memories of the good times and the 
happy moments. You gave Chelito a great chance and he knows it, and happily, 
you know it. That you did all that you did will comfort you, and if your 
memory brings back those nagging doubts that maybe you could have done 
something better, faster, or different and thus saved him, well, just flush 
those thoughts, it is not possible to have been perfect all that time. It 
seems everyone has a regret, but hindsight is 20-20, you did the best you 
could for a very long time and when the time came to help him to the Bridge 
you were there for him again. There is no better piggie mom, you and the 
many who have found themselves. Although it's not my place to say so, thank 
you so much for trying so hard.
Sandy and Shipwreck Sam