Hey guys-
It's been awhile since I've posted here. Life is pretty crazy-busy,between school and work and all the animals. I've been reading postshere when I can, but I don't have much time type out any replies.
Some of you may remember Napster, the hamster I rescued a little over ayear ago:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=1461&forum_id=1
We only had a year together, but in that time he was transformed from ascared and quivering mess into a sweet and loveable hamster that justwanted to be held.
He had a stroke on Wednesday, September 28. For the next two days hewas weak, shaky, but not entirely without spunk (he fastidiouslyrearranged the toilet paper I put into his nest to keep him warm). Healso started going to the bathroom on himself, so twice a day my momand I would carefully clean him. He wasn't too happy about beingcleaned, of course, but we always made sure to give him plenty of TLCafterwards.
On Friday, September 30, around 8pm I took him out of his cage, and momheld him while I cleaned his bottom. I also noticed that his chest waswet with drool. His teeth appeared to be overgrown, but I didn't wantto take care of that right away, for fear of stressing him too much.
After he was clean, I sat down on the couch and laid him on my chest.He stayed there for over an hour, cuddled in warmly under my hand, andfast asleep.
At 9:30, he started to stir a little, and so mom and I took theopportunity to get a better look at his teeth. I had to weigh thepotential stress it would cause him against the fact that he could verywell starve to death if this was left untreated.
Turns out I didn't have much of a choice to make.
He had another stroke, in my hands. It was very fast. As he wasbreathing his last, I held him, and stroked him, and told him it wasokay. He could go. I leaned over, kissed him, and whispered into hisear,
You've been a wonderful boy. You can leave now, it'salright. And he was gone.
There's nothing I would have done differently. No better way I couldhave imagined for him to spend his last night. And yet...it hurts somuch.
[align=center]
[/align]
[align=center]
You deserved a much better start to life
than the one you got.
But the year we had together, short as it seemed,
was precious. I miss you, little man...
[/align]