No doubt Lane would end up blind.
I didn't think there was much hope for Lane until a lady named "Helen" contacted me. She currently has a blind cat and wanted to help another. She saw Lane's picture and thought that he looked like he needed a leg up in this life.
I told Helen that Lane would require expensive surgery, neutering, and God-knows-what-else. She didn't care. She wanted him and could afford the expense. He somehow felt special to her.
Helen lives on the other side of the city, so Kathleen kindly volunteer to drive "Lane" from the shelter to a meeting place to meet his new "Mom". Imagine adopting a blind Tom cat without meeting him first!!
The meeting went well and Helen immediately took "Lane" to the vets for an exam. His remaining eye was bulging and he needed immediate pain relief and care. The vet lovingly cared for Lane - giving him pain medication.
The news wasn't good. Helen left a voicemail tonight that said her vet indicated poor Lane was in the final stages of active Feline Leukemia. He wasn't a candidate to have his remaining eye removed and he was dying. Helen's voice cracked as she told me the story over voicemail. I listened and put my head in my hand. Helen held Lane and loved him as he passed over to the bridge.
I realized at that moment that the love Helen showed that sweet Tom cat was probably the only love and care that poor cat had ever experienced in his short life. Her voicemail went on to say that she changed his name to "Mike" because he had seemed like a fighter.
"Thank you Helen for giving Mike the only love and kindness he had ever known. I wish they could all be so fortunate."
19 comments:
I have tears in my eyes, but bless Helen; poor little cat but at least he had loving hands holding him as he left his hard life.
So sad, but how wonderful that Mike got to finish his life in loving care instead of the cold horror of a kill shelter. You and the human who took him in did good.
Thanks for sharing that sad and very special story -
They both have a special place in the place where special souls and hearts go -
This is a very special story. He was able to pass on with dignity, which is a lot more than he probably ever expected to get. Bless Helen and you, for all you do.
Josie: YES! That's exactly what I was trying to say: "He passed on with dignity"
Thank you for saying it for me!
-B
Sometimes dignity is all we have, but love is something we can always share. I'm just glad he didnt have to spend what was left of his life in a small cage with no one to give him that love.
God Bless Helen, and God Speed Mike. You were loved. And we are all made a little better for having heard your story.
Helen you are
an angel...
what a beautiful story; so sad but so very beautiful.
Beth, thank you for sharing.
It sucks that we live in a world where sometimes this is the best outcome possible. I guess that why people like Helen and you (Beth) keep fighting - so that someday this *won't* be the best outcome we can hope for.
...annnnnd tears.
Incredibly brave of Helen to adopt a cat to experience such pain in such a short time. As helpless as it makes one feel though, The last thing that cat felt was love...and it will last in him long after his life on earth, I truly believe. I'm so glad he held on through the hell of the shelter to feel someone care and love him before he died. I'd blame PMS for my crying, but that was last week and this is just plain sad, but incredibly touching.
Thank you Helen. Can you begin to imagine if even half the people in the world were as caring as you?
You did a good thing. And I don't expect it's your first either.
Please, please tell Helen how she has touched us. I'm sobbing reading this, so sorry "Mike" passed, but glad he had someone with him, showing him kindness and love. All Universal Blessings and Light to Helen, who is a very special person indeed.
Poor Lane and poor Helen who wanted so badly to give this guy a chance. I am very sad to hear this, I just hope Helen will be ok and not be upset with the rescue.
RIP Lane.....you so deserve it!
I read this and had my morning cry
Thank you Helen
The world would be a better place if we had more Helens's!!!!
Oh Beth thanks so much to you, Kathleen and Helen for making "mike's" last hours good. Tears are coming down my face, gotta go.
I've read this 3 or 4 times now and it makes me cry every time! Poor Mike, at least his pain is over. And Helen, I hope she finds another deserving cat she has as much connection with.
RIP Mike! Bless you Helen!
Thank you everyone for your kind, caring and wonderful emotions for Mike. The minute I saw Lane/Mike on Petfinders, I loved him immediately....in his picture he almost looked as if he was crying with his poor eyes weeping so badly. He had the head of a warrier and the body of a wee one - he was SWEET. He hissed if you put your hands to him (out of fear and pain) but that was the end of that, he like being held. I couldn`t believe the prognosis as I thought I would just need to have his eye removed and then he would be out of pain and he could be my boy. He was only about 3 years old....now he is charming the girls with his beautiful wings. You``re right Josie he did pass with dignity. Thank you Beth for all the great work you do for the discarded...you truly are the angel. Thank you Kathleen for driving through wintery weather to bring him to me.
Rest in Peace Mike.
Helen
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