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Signs They Send After They’re Gone

Have you had “an awesome one” like Aimee wrote about? The kind of pet where your bond is ultra-powerful? So powerful that they find ways to communicate with you even after they’re gone? When I interviewed Sandra Worth she had mentioned experiencing something along these lines. A day when she felt her beloved Rex’s presence so strongly she knew his spirit was still with her. Ever since we moved to Nashville Budly doesn’t do it as much as he did when we lived in Jacksonville, but he used to send hellos to Wayne all the time –via tennis balls. Wayne … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Jul 30 – Aug 5

Goodbye July, hello the hot, hot heat of August. Things were not too hot last week in the Pets Blog. Aimee and I tried to keep things cool. Although we did sort of get off on a morbid tangent at one point during the week. (I should say I did, in respect to the matter of pet’s dying.) Happily we also covered plenty of other, less sad, topics too. Monday, July 30 Sharks fascinate me so I was pretty excited about Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. But when I watched their inaugural program, Oceans of Fear, I couldn’t help but wonder … Continue reading →

Can They Sense Death’s Presence?

In previous blogs I wrote how I suspected both Mackie and Budly knew their time was up when they died. Both acted differently than normal, broke their routines, seemed as if they were trying to savor their last moments as well as communicate with their humans that it was time to part ways. But can other animals also sense when the Angel of Death is hovering near? Do Cats Have More Than Good Night Vision? Something I don’t believe I’ve previously shared about Budly’s passing was that he wasn’t the only one acting strange –so was Mr. Meow. The night … Continue reading →

Tabby’s Special Powers

Right after my mom died my heart hurt, but not to the extent it’s been hurting the last few weeks. I think I was sort of numb the first several days following her passing. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and to be honest, a little relieved. Knowing something’s going to happen, but not knowing exactly when, then to see my mom tormented in the manner she was…I was just thankful she no longer had to go through any of that. That none of us did. But now the tears everyone said would spontaneously start to flow for seemingly … Continue reading →

Going “Home” – Who Will Be Waiting for Me?

Ever since her stroke last Tuesday, my mom has been talking about “going home.” How her people are waiting for her. Aunt LaLa (her mom’s sister), Pearl (her sister), her mom, and her dad…all of whom have passed away. Yesterday she was particularly adamant that she had to get up and get going home because her people were there waiting for her. “Your people are here, Dorothy,” Wayne said. “Courtney, me, Murphy and the cats. You’re not going home just yet. No one’s there.” “That’s true. I do have to go by myself. But I don’t want to. I don’t … Continue reading →

Was Tabby’s Behavior a Harbinger of the Stroke?

My mom had her stroke on Tuesday, but reflecting on it now I’m wondering if Tabby knew something was up on Monday. Ever since my mom moved here, Tabby’s been her girl. She’s on her lap whenever possible, guards her room at night, watches the sun rise with her in the mornings, and in general keeps tabs on her wherever she goes. Basically, they’ve become best buddies. But on Monday, Tabby was even more of a shadow than usual. Right from the time my mom woke up she kept talking about the cat. “Come see what this cat is doing,” … Continue reading →

Tough Decisions: Watch the Euthanasia or Not?

April always brings to mind Budly because he was born during this month and died during it too. (Born April 21; Died April 23) Among the many memories I have him, the one that is guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes and which still haunts my heart is his very last moments. The ones right before he was euthanized. We were given the option to be in the room, or to wait outside until it was done and then come in to say our final goodbyes. Wayne and I didn’t even need a moment to discuss it. We wanted … Continue reading →

Dementia, Depression, and Therapy Dogs

Since my mom is now living with us, I’ve been trying to better understand how to negotiate her dementia. One of the things I knew would help would be Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby. That’s how it was that we launched an informal but very personal pet therapy project. Homework Assignments Another thing I’m doing is reading anything and everything I can on the subject. One book I stumbled across at the library was Keeping Busy: A Handbook of Activities for Persons with Dementia. It was the “outcome of a program of activities for persons with dementia, developed at the … Continue reading →

The Pros and Cons of Hospice Care

Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine report that Americans are not taking advantage of high quality hospice care at the end of life. One author from Harvard Medical School points out that only a third of Americans are under hospice care when they pass away. High quality hospice care is intended to help a terminally ill person deal with pain and live the best life possible in their final days. Emotional support is just as important as medical support during this time. A recent survey found that almost all families who had experienced hospice care would strongly … Continue reading →