It has taken me Three days to come to the point where I could even come to the site to even attempt to share the nightmare that just won't end...
On Tuesday morning of November 28th we received a call theat my husbands mother had pnumonia. She has been undergoing Chemo and Radiation for the last few months for Breast Cancer so we knew that this was one of those "What's the worst thing that could happen" kind of things...so we immediately started pricing tickets to fly down to Miami from Tennessee where we live.
One hour later my sister in law (my husbands sister) called to say that we needed to get there immediately, so we changed our later flight to the first available which gave me about 2 hours to figure out what to do with my 4 dogs...3 cats...and my gliders. There was Gizzy, my Pit Bull Bull Biter that came to me afraid of anything and everything...but over two years learned to trust ME alone...he still couldn't tolerate anyone or anything else...but I got hugs and kisses every single day...There was his mate and True Love...Gidget...My tiny little love who was shy but sweet, and the BEST momma ever...she had two little joeys that had just shown themselves on the 20th of November...one little boy and a little girl...There was Honey and Butter...these were the two little girls which were Gizzy and Gidgets last two (they came back to back this time-first time ever) which were about 3 months old...The SWEETEST babies that ever came from Gizzy and Gidget...they would come out and love on me whenever I'd open their cage door and I never heard them crab...not even once...Both of them were easy going calm and sweet little babies...and in fact I had lined up a wonderful new home for them which I was going to finalize when I got home...Then there was my Ziggy...He is my one true love...Everyone has their favorites...even if their afraid to admit it...and he is my heart...Then my little Zuri..she's my other white faced blonde paired with my Ziggy...Crabby little snot but if you let her do things HER way she's a little love...
Within those two hours of throwing everything but the kitchen sink into suit cases...I made a million calls to find places for all my babies. I called 3
vets and none had room to board either 3 cats or 4 dogs. None would board gliders under any circumstnces.
Donna...I DID try to call-but then I realized that you were either at work or asleep...AND you are so far from me there was NO way I could have made it to you in time to make the flight.....I tried to think of every possible way because you've been such a dear friend to me AND my babies that you were my first thought...but this time there was just NO way I could make it happen...even if you could have met me...we just didn't have the time to wait...
I found a friend to take my 2 small dogs (Papillons that weigh about 4 lbs) Thank GOD...
The Boxers were another issue...They have a HUGE outdoor kennel which is 20x20 with two of those Gazebo tarp tent roofs and two igloo doggie houses...We usually leave them out during the day or when we're gone SO we called one of my husbands BEST friends...someone he has known for 20+ years...and asked if he would come by and check on the dogs and the cats for us.
He said "ABSOLUTELY" so after making a million more calls to everyone I know...I had NO ONE to take or care for the gliders...I asked the same family friend (I'll Call him "JOE") if he would also take care of the gliders...He said ABSOLUTELY...Keep in mind..."JOE" lost his mom to Breast cancer about two years ago...so he really knew what we were dealing with and he seemed completely UP for it.
I Printed out one of the care sheets that I always send with my babies when they go...and when he got to the house to give us a ride to the airport I took him upstairs and showed him what to do....I gave him just the basic care instructions...told him that if he had to come in the afternoon that he could just put Frozen fruits and veggies in there and it would be ok...Left 10lbs of ZooKeepers out on the rack under the cages...I even put TWO water botles on EACH of the 4 cages because I alway overplan EVERYTHING....
Well, My husband and I KNEW that that was a LOT to ask of anyone...so we payed him in advance for his time and gas...THEN my husband ran up the street to a friends house that we've only known for about 3 years and gave him an extra house key...his name is Martin...My husband asked Martin if he would just keep an eye on the place because we didn't know how long we'd be gone...AND he told him that in the case of an emergancy with "JOE" we might need him to help with the Cats...because "JOE" openly said he HATES cats and he mignt not be able to do the litter boxes so we wanted to have a back up...
We left Nashvile November 28th at around 7pm...and my husband mother passed away at 8:30pm while we were still in the air. We didn't arrive till almost 10 but we went streight to the hospital...and that was when we found out...My husband is devistated...He is only 35...and just last week the Doctors had told us that her prognosis was very good...they believed they got all of the cancer with the mastectomy and that with the Chemo and Radiation they did not believe it would return...so this Thanksgiving was such a special time of celebration because we believed WE as a family had BEAT this thing...and that things Just might be OK...which was the first time any of us have felt that way in about a year...
The service was Monday the 4th...My husband and his sister are not able to function...along with loosing their mother...they lost their father about 5 years ago to cancer...My Brother in Law and I had to do much of the funeral arrangements...Complete NIGHTMARE...
The rest of the week...we had to meet with attorneys..and lawyers...there was no will...and long story short...She owned a Townhome that has a rediculous monthly fee...and mortgage...and the four of us have to figure out a way to finance this house for at least 6 months till it clears probate so that we can sell...NIGHTMARE...
All week I've felt like everything I do is wrong...like Everything I say is out of line...or not my place...but when I ask my Husband he tells me to "Deal With It"...so I am...and throughout all of this...as my heart is breaking from the loss of a woman I deeply loved...I have my 6 year old daughter with us...doing my best to be a Mommy...it has all hurt so much...
Friday the 8th her ashes were "Formally" added to their fathers ashes with a small service which was heartbreaking in and of itself...I've never experienced anything like that as no on in my family has opted to be creamated...but it was so final...and so painful...my only solace was the knowledge that Everything at Home was OK...
....How wrong could I be....
Saturday morning the 9th of December...just after we've gone through this final service...I receive a call from Martin...I swear that man is a living angel...
He tells me that even though he knew "JOE" was supposed to be taking care of everything He had been going by the house every day to make sure that the dogs water was not frozen...He bought a heated blanket for each of their Doggie Igloos because he was worried they would be too cold at night...he has been going in the house every day to change the cats water and make sure they had food...AND each time he would go through the house to find the cats to make sure they were all OK...we never asked him to do anything but drive by and basically make sure the place didn't burn down or get broken into...but this angel has been doing all these things with no mention to us...simply out of love and friendship...a man we've known only 3 years...
He said that he was worred that "JOE" had not been feeding the dogs because each time he would go there would be no food...no matter what time of day he went...He actually went and purchased extra dog food for our dogs because the food was inside one of our cars and for whatever reason "JOE" had locked the doors on the car...
The reason he called me on the monrning of the 9th was to tell me that he had thought we were coming home on the 10th and that he went upstairs to "Tidy UP" a bit before we came home...just to make it nice...I still am amazed at how thoughtful that was...
He said when he saw the big cages he didn't realize there was anything in them...I never had told him about the gliders because "JOE" was supposed to have that under control...
He found my Gizzy wrapped around my Gidget at the bottom of the cage...they were both gone...Both their water bottles were completely empty...and there was no food what so ever...I couldn't bring myself to ask about where the new joeys were...I don't want to know...
He found my Honey and Butter curled up together in their empty food bowl...again both their water bottles were empty and all of their food was gone...Such sweet babies...both as loveable as could ever be...so trusting...so calm...
Zuri was in her pouch...she was still alive thank God...but skinny and not her normal fisty self...
I waited till last to ask about my ZIggy..I just did't want to hear any more...By the Grace of GOD my Ziggy is alive...
When we left I had the worst feeling about my suggies...Never before have I felt this way...but that is probably because I've always fostered them with someone or taken them with me...but I kept telling myself...Tony (My husband) has known "JOE" for 20+ years and he has never let us down before...I kept telling myself that I was just being a nervous mommy and I needed to let go... Right before I walked out the door I took my Ziggy out and he gave me a face hug and a nuzzle like he always does...and when I was snuggling him with my nose I said to him..."Now you just Hang on Till I Get Home".....I've never said that before...but he did...
Just after I found out I called CarrieT...She is the one I got Zuri from and I just had to call someone because I was hysterical...and Poor Martin didn't have a clue as to what to do...CarrieT put me in touch with Bourbon...and I just can't tell you how much she did for me emotionally...I was litterally HYSTERICAL...she knew right what to do...she calmed me down...and she did a 3 way call to Wanda who happens to live about a half an hour from my house...(IF I ONLY WOULD HAVE KNOWN...) By the time we got this all organized it was going on 8pm in Tennessee...but God Bless Martin...he stayed right there with my last two babies and held them and loved on them...he said to me later that if they weren't going to make it...he didn't want them to die alone...This from a confirmed bachelor who is a grumpy older british guy...People never fail to amaze me...
Wanda met Martin one hour later and went to my house to get my babies...I talked to her on the phone at that time too and I was just so hard because my poor suggies were still there in thier cages...just feet away from food and treats...
My Babies Starved to Death...
I thought I did everything Possible to make sure they were safe...I put their lives in the one person who lives closest to us....the one person who up until this point I would have trusted with my own daughter...The one person who has never once let us down...and my Babies Starved to Death...
My husband had called him once or twice during the first week we were gone and he said everything was fine...I couldn't bring myself to speak to him until tonight...I needed to know the truth...
He admitted that he forgot about them. He never once checked on them...that he had not been checking on the cats either because I had left so much food and water out that he thought they would be fine for a week or so....and that he thought that we would be back by them...He said that he went by a few times to check in on the dogs...but each time he went they had food so he did't bother with them either...
If it were not for Martin I would have lost ALL of my babies...God Bless that Man...
If it were not for CarrieT, Bourbon, and Wanda...My Ziggy and my Zuri would never have survived....They went for 11 days with no food...I will never know how Zuri and Ziggy survived...but Bourbon thinks it was because I put the extra water bottles on their cages that they have been living off the water all this time...
I can't imagine the agony they all must have suffered...I am so angry and hurt that there are not words to express the depth of my pain...
My babies starved to death...
The only reason I forced myself to post tonight is not only to honor my babies...but to STRESS how CRITICAL it is to have a network established of Sitters, Fosters, and Rescues...that can be called on at a moments notice...My husband lost his mother...and in losing her...I lost a Dearly loved friend...and now I've lost 6 of my babies...There are no words...
I am still in Miami...I want to go home so desperately it physically HURTS to think about it..
Unfortunately there are some things that could not be taken care of over the weekend and we are still stuck here in the midst of this [censored]...and all I want to do is get my babies back in my arms and curl up with them to love on them as long as they'll let me...Hopefully we'll be home by Wednesday...hopefully...
Thank You is not enough to say to express my gratitude to CarrieT, Bourbon and of course Wanda...Wanda-you are keeping my babies Safe and alive...and I will be eternally grateful to you for that. CarrieT..you are a Dear Friend that I hope to have in my life for all time...Thank you for letting me grieve with you...thank you for helping me save my last two babies...Bourbon...YOU are Simply AMAZING...you knew instantaniously What to to...Who to Call...and how to fix it...I know some of us are all virtual strangers...but I've never experienced this kind of love and compasion for something such as this in my entire life...
All these years I've had suggies...I've never lost one...not one...but to loose 6 this way...I don't think I will ever get past this one...
People PLEASE...Don't leave your suggies with anyone who doesn't have glider experience...There MUST be a way to organize a resource nationally for anyone and everyone to have access to...Emergancies happen..EVERY DAY...I had no choice but to go...and I do NOT regret choosing to be with my husband to see him through the death of his mother...but due ot my ignorance....or lack of resources....and One COMPLETE IGNORANT IDIOT...My babies are gone...Please don't let their death to have been in vein....
For my Gizzy...My Sweet Wild Man...You were the most amazing Daddy. I will miss your kisses, and how gentle you were with me...but you would bite the krudd out of tony if he would try to pet you when you were on me...I always felt as though you were trying to protect me...and now my love...I have lost my protector...I'm Positive they will have Fruit Loops over the Rainbow Bridge...and now you can have more than one...I love you darling...
For my Gidget...You always were my shy girl...but you always loved me to rub your tummy especially when the babies were moving too much...You always shared your babies with me willingly...and never worried when they were with me...You will live on through them-as I know for a fact that each of them loves to have their tummy's rubbed...Make sure you share the Papaya with Gizzy...you alway did squabble over Papaya and he would alway give his to you...He loved you so...and my only blessing in this is that you were together when you traveled over the bridge...
For the Joeys...My grief for you is that I never had a chance to get to know you...Never had a chance to snuggle or play with or kiss you....But you are with your mamma and daddy...and I am certain they will share the love I have for them with you both.
For my Honey and Butter...The sweetest of all my girls...Neither of you ever crabbed...or disagreed...I loved that when there was treats in the little bowl, one of you would grab one and bring it to the other....Such sweet babies you were...I only wish you could have stayed just a bit longer.
To you all...forgive me for going on as I have...I have so much pain in my life right now...and this blow was almost more than I can bare...Thank God I have my Ziggy and My Zuri...Thank God for the wonderful people in my life...and for all who have made it to the end of this novel of mine....Thank you for sharing in this moment with me.