Exactly one week ago today, I lost my baby angel kitty, Snowball, of 12 years.
I’ve gone through this before with previous pets, but this one hit the hardest. I was there with my two dogs when they took their last breath, my bird Snowflake of 14 years when she passed and now my precious baby Snowball who I loved and cared for like my child. It’s always hard, but even harder when they’re in severe pain in front of you and you can’t help them. It doesn’t help when you live in the land of the unknown and have to travel 45 minutes to the closest emergency vet while your baby is dying in the car. And then to not have him go peacefully because he’s screaming in so much pain. I have beautiful memories of Snowball. This last memory stabs me in the heart. He ended up having a clot that dislodged from his heart and paralyzed him, his heart filled with fluid and he couldn’t breathe. Heartbreaking is putting it lightly.
I found him as a one-pound kitten starving to death because his mom died. He was screaming and running back and forth next to a dumpster. He literally looked like a little Snowball rolling around, hence “Snowball.” After he went under the dumpster and it took an hour to get him out, I picked him up and carried him in my arms and held him there forever. He was my first cat. I believe he thought I gave birth to him. I went through five years of allergy injections to keep him. I loved him so much. Now his brother Spice and I have his memory to hold onto. We’ll meet again at Rainbow Bridge.
Just think how awful this story is for animal lovers and non-animal lovers to listen to. Now think of your human babies and human loved ones and how much they would miss you like this if you were to suddenly die today. Snowball went from being a (seemingly) perfectly healthy cat, to dying in a matter of seconds in front of me.
I’ve heard stories of (seemingly) healthy people going out for a jog and dropping dead suddenly just down the block. There are so many varied stories like this one. Sometimes you don’t know that there’s a silent killer lurking in your body. You “feel” fine, but what really is going on on the inside?
Some illnesses can be prevented. Some can’t. You never know when it’s your time.
The day before Snowball died I dropped coffee all over my desk. I have carpet on my desk for recording so this made for a real mess. I was livid. I was tearing everything off the desk. My keyboard was ruined. And it was the end of the world. I had already been frustrated because I had four companies that I had to record for and I was suffering from a sinus infection that had gone into my chest. The next day I spent cleaning everything, not being able to breathe and then running out of the house to pick up more medicine for my nose. I was running around like hurricane Erika, instead of just playing with my kitty Snowball on his last day. But I never could have guessed that later that day I would never see him again. Not having my Snowball sleeping on the back of my chair while I record IS the end of the world. Priorities. God put that one in perspective for me.
So, I leave on this note…
Follow up with your doctor. Find out what’s going on on the inside. Get treated. Eat right. Exercise sometimes. And love like there’s no tomorrow. Because for some, there isn’t.
If you need help finding a doctor or have questions about anything, I always welcome helping those in need. Send me a message and I’ll do my best to put you in touch with the right people.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that’s one in every four deaths.” -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
Throughout the month of October, each Monday I discuss relatable and teachable topics with Breast Cancer experts. Watch or listen to Today’s Talk with Erika and find helpful links in the info sections.
Take care of yourselves. You’re all you’ve got. Plus, your family, and your pets, need you.
In Loving Memory of Snowball, 10/2008 – 10/1/2020
