FW: making that painful decision

[Guest guest]

Dear fellow animal lovers,

 

This email was forwarded to me by a friend who was kind enough to take in and foster a very sweet 18-year-old cat who otherwise would have been killed in a local shelter. Though Bob was fine when he came to her, several months later his health had declined. Of course we took him to the vet, had different tests done, and gave him different medications to hopefully help him get better. Then it was obvious we had to decide what to do; and she forwarded this email to me the day she made her decision. Since I personally had to make this kind of very painful decision three days ago, I thought it might be helpful to send this out to other people who care about animals. This was also fairly recently the topic of discussion on one "animal" email list. I hope that it helps to make those inevitable very difficult and painful decisions at least a little easier for everyone.

 

Nadine

 

 

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A friend sent this to me and although it made me cry (a lot!) I saw a lot of truth in it.

 

"When I was actively practicing law, I had occasion a number of times both for clients and for my own family to draft a Directives to Physicians. These documents, together with a Power of Attorney for Health Care, instruct treating doctors and the family what to do if and when the person is not able because of illness and incapacity to make health care decisions. I have often thought that it unfortunate that animals are not able to hire a lawyer to draft similar documents for them. If they could, I think this is what the documents would say:"I do not understand treatment protocols, I do not understand many of things you talk to my veterinarian about. I do understand one thing--I understand pain. I am not like you. If you have a terminal disease, you can talk to your doctor and make the decision about your life. If your doctor tells you that you have a terminal disease that will end in pain and suffering, you can make the decision for yourself. You can say to your doctors, "I understand that I am dying and there will be pain at the end, but I am willing to put up with pain to see Paris one last time." I am not like you. I live in the moment and that is one of the things you love about me. My nature is not yours. I hide my pain because I am a pack animal and the pack is threatened if the members are weak. This is my nature. I may be in much more pain than you realize, but I cannot let anyone know. Because I love you and want to do what you ask, I will try to respond if you ask me to go for a walk or play with a toy. That does not mean I feel better or that I am trying to tell you it is not my time. I do not understand why I ever have to be in pain, but if I must have pain for a while to get well and live a happy life again, I will trust you to make that decision for me. If I am in pain and I will not get well, I also trust you to make another kind of decision. I know that making the decision to let me go will cause you great pain and sorrow. But if you delay that decision I am the one who will suffer because I cannot speak and I cannot tell you it is my time. I have no power, and I am completely at your mercy. If you love me, you must let me go while there is still a light in my eyes. Do not worry that you might make the decision to let me go too soon. If it is too soon, you will never know. If it is too late, you will live with the guilt for the rest of your life.I would like to say that my opinion on this matter is theoretical, but I am sorry to say that it is the result of many years of waiting too long with too many dogs.