The Cat Bordhi Retreat

Yesterday was a very sad day for my family, we had to put down one of our beloved pets. As I walked in to the doctors office to euthanize a very sick animal, the tears flowed and I felt my lips move but nothing came out just sobs. With Mickey in my arms snuggled close to my face getting him all wet with my tears.

The diagnosis was most likely lung cancer and it hit fast, a week ago when I left to go north to San Juan Island, I left a perky healthy looking alert doggie. When I returned he had not eaten for a week and his systems shut down and there was no hope. It cost us several thousand dollars to find this out but we had to do it. There was no hope he was suffering and the most humane thing to do was to put him down.

I wanted to be with him till the end I did not want him to feel like he was just thrown away, he rested in my arms as the sedative took hold. He was restless at first as if in confusion but the attendant who stayed with me a young man named Frank, tenderly stroked him and tried to say soothing words for him to relax and let go. As I was telling Frank that I had been out of town and don't quite know what happened, he asked where I had been.



With Mickey resting on the table, our conversation seemed to settle him, I started telling Frank about this beautiful island I just visited. To both of our amazement he was just there in Friday Harbor this past summer. What a wonderful coincidence (or was it a coincidence?) Frank's face lit up and a smile came to his face with the fun memory he had of his trip to Washington.

I had my camera in my purse still fresh with the pictures I had taken. I started to show Frank the beautiful scenery and the fun I had. And Mickey settled down as if to say smile mommie it is ok ..... and as Mickey took his last breath the vision I have are the beautiful scenes from San Juan Islands.