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Lionel's Liver ...

Farewell, Sweet Lionel

After battling hepatic liver failure with incredible courage for the past 17 months, Lionel finally told me he wanted to cross over the Rainbow Bridge today.
His pictures tell his story -- what a beautiful, sweet prince my Lionel was! Watching his beautiful silky fur transform into mats he wouldn't allow me to brush or comb had to hurt his pride as much as it hurt my heart.
He endured a lifetime of battles, literally from the day he was born. For unknown reasons the foot portion of his left hind leg never developed, making him a "tripod" from birth. How he came to be at the Oregon Humane Society in June 1996 is a mystery - but someone else's loss was my gain. Because he had "special needs" no wanted to adopt him -- from the first moment he wrapped his paws around my neck to "hug and kiss" me, Lionel stole my heart. He took a large part of it with him when he left today.
There was the December he splintered the stub of his "short leg", which his vet masterfully smoothed and created a "pad" of tissue so it couldn't happen again. Then the December in 2006 when he developed a Urinary Tract Infection ... if he had a crisis it was always in December, over the Christmas Holidays.
Today, on a record-hot sunny day, his suffering ended. Fitting, since he never liked being cold. Unable to hold down food, weak to the point of nearly falling, Lionel laid down in his favorite "box" and looked at me - he "told" me it was time for me to fulfill my promise of loving him enough to let him go. I took his final photographs then called the vet clinic - less than an hour later my precious boy had peacefully passed over the Rainbow Bridge while I held his soft head in my hands and whispered words of my love.
We had nearly 13 years together. A thousand more would not have been enough. He earned the nickname of "Romeo" from a friend who loved him almost as much as I did ...
Save a place for me, sweet Lionel. You'll live in my heart until we meet in person again.

May 2, 2009

Much to my sadness, Lionel's liver disease is taking its final toll. If he survives the month of May to see his 14th birthday on June 8th it will be an incredible miracle.

Though he doesn't seem to be suffering, he is barely eating or drinking, and today I saw that the inside of his little mouth is yellow from the jaundice too. I have to force myself to watch him with a critical eye from now on -- he is too sweet and precious to be allowed any form of suffering.

After so unexpectedly losing his brother Trevor on May 1st, it now will be even harder to let go of my beloved "Romeo". He still greets me with his "Pick me up, Mom!" meow -- but rarely rises from his kitty bed to do so now. It breaks my heart to see these changes but he's been on "borrowed time" for over a year and I can't ask for anything more.

Please keep Lionel in your prayers. I want his transition over the Rainbow Bridge to be swift and smooth, and that I have the wisdom to know when that needs to occur. I know he has many siblings already there to greet him when he crosses over ... it will be hardest on his 3 brothers and human mom who are left behind.

If he could, Lionel would thank all the Catsters who have been so very supportive today regarding my loss of Trevor yesterday. Every one of you, both human and furry, are wonderful.

Send some good wishes my way

My Mom took my big brother Huey & I to the "nasty place" yesterday -- they poked me with needles again and stole some of my blood before Mom brought me home.

Today Mom isn't very happy - I heard her say my "liver is a lot worse" now. Wonder if that's why I'm not very hungry and don't want to do much anymore. I guess being almost 14 yrs old isn't great sometimes.

My 16 yr old brother Huey didn't get to come home till today. They did some stuff to his mouth. Mom's worried about him too, saying she won't have his "results" until later this week (whatever that means). She looks kinda sad today so maybe you could send some happy wishes to her -- and maybe me too.