"On a rainy October day in 2000, I took in a drowned rat of a three-day-old kitten. She was covered in fleas, wheezing badly, and her as-yet-unopened eyes were swollen with infection. I will be the first to admit that at the time, I was in a very bad place personally, but this small, defenseless thing’s life relied on me getting and keeping my shit together. There were months of medications, cleanings, and of course the bottle feeding. In the end, we made it, the both of us, because of one another.
Even when beating cancer twice, the bulk of Geli’s nearly eighteen years were wonderfully healthy. She was a quirky, little, mama’s girl who played fetch in her younger days, walked on a leash, wore a onesie, and sat calmly in the passenger seat during car rides. She’d meet me at the door no matter if I had been gone five minutes or a day, loved a cuddle more than anything, and slept curled up with me every night. Gelion had been my constant comfort and steady anchor through darkness and she had officially spent more time with me than any human being in my life. We were extremely fortunate to have found one another. Peacefully, she took her last breaths this afternoon. I have never been so heartbroken and I would have it no other way.
Geli was my baby and adjusting to her being gone will be a long process. I have no shame in admitting that the next few weeks will be extremely difficult for me. I will no doubt be reclusive, unreliable, and anti-social as I do my grieving privately. Thank you all for your love, support and above all - understanding. In dedication to all of those who have lost: As so many of you have shared the loss of your furbabies here over the years, I have shed tears for you and for the knowledge of what I too would face one day. Thank you for sharing your love and your pain.
-With extreme gratitude to Milton Veterinary Hospital for their loving care over the years."
On a very, very personal note... Part of taking care of myself through this processes will include throwing myself into work as a distraction, but I wanted to share this in case I seem short or disconnected with anyone in the near future.
Angi