Stanley will always be my 'Fat Boy'

LET ME GIVE YOU A BIG KISS XOXO

He always let Makenna do anything to him!

Even cuddled with her when she was sick.

Stanley was the biggest of the litter. Eli wanted him and named him, Stanley just fit. I bottle fed him and his litter, he was one of my children before my real children. He would jump on your back if you bent over, it was almost as if he would come out of nowhere. He always had to be in the mix!

I have bottle fed MANY animal babies. He tolerated ALL of them. Him and Bandit would take over and be a surrogate to anything that I brought home. He had the nickname 'Shamu' for a while because at one point he was so fat he could help but rest after a few steps and could barely make it up the stairs. He would literally fall to the side in slow motion when he was at his best. He was the laziest most laid back cat in our family. Always out and about and loved to snuggle up close.

Last year he started loosing weight and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Even on medication he still slowly lost weight. Yesterday his respirations became increased and I could tell he was struggling to get around and I had to leave him to go to school. I felt so horrible leaving him like that but I had a test and had lab. When I got home after school I took him to work and I had to make 'the decision'. Chronic high blood pressure and hyperthyroidism damaged his heart and kidneys and both of his lungs filled with fluid and he was in heart failure. I had to say goodbye to my Budda Man. One of the most difficult things for me to deal with, to this day, is watching anything struggle to breath. I just can't handle it. I don't even know how I made it though our ordeal when Makenna was in the hospital with pneumonia and RSV. That was the toughest week of my life.

As an LVT I have become 'used to' euthanasia as just a part of my job, it is something that I deal with almost every day at work especially working in emergency veterinary care. Some days are harder than others. I know how to support the client in their loss. I have become quite the pro.

It never gets easier when they are your own. Stanley was purring and doing his head bump and rub love even as he fell asleep for the last time. I will miss him, I don't remember a day where he wasn't in it, either pestering me for food or just laying next to me while I studied. He loved our family and we loved him. He is now with Cloudy, he was the closest with her....or I guess he was the only one who tolerated her attitude. Yes I do believe there is an animal heaven. It's what has gotten me through the past 15 years in veterinary medicine.

So Thank You to everyone who was there for me yesterday including my AEC family and especially Eli. Thank You Colleen for helping me, being honest with me and supporting me as my friend and not as Doctor.  Thank You Juli for taking care of him for me and Thank You Dr. Robertson for helping me put an end to his suffering.