Pet Hospice Care Update: Remembering my Beloved Mikey

[soliloquy id="399"]This is a blog post I prayed I wouldn’t have to write. I had to put Mikey down last Friday. I’m heartbroken. He was in rough shape after his second round of chemotherapy, but I was hopeful that he was just fighting off an infection. That didn’t come to pass. I met with his oncologist on Thursday and she gave me a look. I knew that look. I’ve given that look. It’s not a look you ever want to be given. Mikey had an advanced case of lymphoma from which he wasn’t going to recover. I tried to manage his pain with medication, but that did little to ease his suffering. Normally he follows me wherever I go, but all he wanted to do was curl up alone under my daughter’s bed. Clearly, I was not managing his pain. I couldn’t allow him to suffer, so I gave Mikey the only gift I had left to give.I would be lying if I said that there haven’t been any tears. The past week has been filled with them. I’m an animal lover and have had my fair share of pets. I’ve loved each and every one of them, but Mikey was special. He’s been there for every major milestone in my adult life. He was there when I finished veterinary school. When my first daughter was born, Mikey had to make space for another baby in the house. He had to do it again when my second daughter was born. And he was there to comfort me every time I came home from a long day of consoling people going through what I’m going through now. This one is going to hurt.Though I’m deeply saddened by the loss of my Mikey, I’m overwhelmingly grateful for the time I had with him. It’s a simple fact; pets have a much shorter lifespan than we do. Inevitably, most pet lovers will have to experience this ultimate loss. While that pain can be agonizing, it’s SO worth it. I wouldn’t give up a single second I spent with Mikey. I truly believe he was a gift that was given to me. He taught me compassion and unconditional love. He made me a better person. I hope that his spirit of love and compassion will live on through me so that I can share it with others experiencing loss.