RIP Casper :(
Jul. 6th, 2015 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glacier_kittyThe cat I was sponsoring, Casper, passed away yesterday. :( He had spinal cancer and was found paralyzed. He was brought to Tabby's Place and they said he only had a few weeks to live and he'd never walk again. With love and medicine, Casper beat the odds and walked again and lived longer than expected (he was brought there in February 2014). I had never met Casper, but I still felt a bond with him. I had found Tabby's Place (they're a cage-free sanctuary for special needs cats, cats rescued from hopeless situations, etc) on Google when looking for cats to sponsor and loved what they do..they're definitely full of love (when I first became Casper's sponsor, they sent me an email, a personal letter and a picture of him thanking me for being a sponsor!). Too bad they're all the way in New Jersey..I'd love to visit them! I will sponsor another cat that needs help of course, but I'll never forget Casper. I'm gonna post his obituary here, because it's beautiful and just want a record of it
Dear Team Casper,
This is the update we never wanted to have to write.
Our brave, beautiful boy has left this world.
On Saturday, Casper traded his usual spark for a quiet ember. He'd rallied -- yet again -- after June's update, bobbling around the lobby with gusto for another miracle month. But this Independence Day, Casper's eyes were clearly searching for another sort of freedom. He was suffering yet another bout of painful constipation, this time unresponsive to treatment. Our vet surmised that Casper's kidney disease, and the likely spread of his lymphoma, were causing his distress. It was time to lovingly let him go.
Jonathan, our Founder and Executive Director, called Casper's original rescuers so they could come say goodbye. Their lives have been so richly interwoven with Casper's that it was only fitting that they love him through his last moments.
Their love lengthened those moments. When his old friends arrived, Casper's eyes lit up and his energy surged. Our team decided to closely monitor Casper for one more day. By "closely monitor," of course, I mean "closely monitor...and regale with wet food, cuddles, prayers and kisses."
Casper's final day was a feast of joy and a celebration of love. As we prepared our hearts for the inevitable, we marveled at the miracle of Casper. This is a cat who was supposedly stamped with a short "expiration date" from the day he arrived in early 2014.
"He has spinal cancer," experts said. "He'll never walk again," they said. "He'll make it a few weeks. Perhaps a few months, but don't get your hopes up," they said.
They spoke from science and study and human reason. They did not, however, know the stuff of soul and spirit and Casper.
So, even as we knew, in our reasonable human brains, that every day with Casper was a "bonus" gift, we got comfortable with feeling like he'd simply always be with us. Once a miracle, always a miracle, right?
Right...but not always in the way we'd want.
Yesterday, our miracle man was ready to be released from the body that had finally worn out. Surrounded by an adoring circle of staff, volunteers and cats, Casper gently, peacefully left this world. The Tabby's Place lobby gaped with a void in the shape of a forehead-smudged, paw-crumpled, wondrous white cat.
Yes, this is the update we never wanted to have to write.
But this is also the update that would have been written a very long time ago -- and in a very tragic tone -- had it not been for you.
Without lavish love from his rescuers, Casper would have breathed his last all alone, outdoors, paralyzed on a February day.
Without lavish love from Tabby's Place, Casper would have never had the chance to challenge his "expiration date."
Without lavish love from Casper's extended family -- that means you, sponsors -- Casper would have faded fast, missing out on the life-saving medical care that bought him over a year of health and laughter, love and wet food, miracle and wonder.
Without lavish love, we would have missed out on Casper.
So even as we grieve, we rejoice in the miracle that Casper was, and is, and will always be. Thank you from the depths of my soul for loving Casper so generously. I believe we will see him again, in the place where there is no more pain or death or crying, and every tear is wiped away. Can't you just hear Casper triumphing, once and for all:
"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
Until that glorious day, thank you, sponsors, for giving Casper a taste of heaven -- and showing us the meaning of love.
<3
You rock Tabby's Place!!
"My Sharona" by HammerFall. Love it!
1:A song you like with a color in the title?
2:A song you like with a number in the title?
3:A song that reminds you of summertime?
4:A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about?
5:A song that needs to be played LOUD?
6:A song that makes you want to dance?
7:A song to drive to?
8:A song about drugs or alcohol?
9:A song that makes you happy?
10:A song that makes you sad?
11:A song that you never get tired of?
12:A song from your preteen years?
13:One of your favorite 80’s songs?
14:A song that you would love played at your wedding?
15:A song that is a cover by another artist?
16:One of your favorite classical songs?
17:A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke?
18:A song from the year that you were born?
19:A song that makes you think about life?
20:A song that means a lot to you?
21:A favorite song with a person’s name in the title?
22:A song that moves you forward?
23:A song that you think everybody should listen to?
24:A song by a band you wish were still together?
25:A song by an artist no longer living?
26:A song that makes you want to fall in love?
27:A song that breaks your heart?
28:A song by an artist with a voice that you love?
29:A song that you remember from your childhood?
30:A song that reminds you of yourself?
Today's trivia: Clocks, handkerchiefs, straw sandals and flowers are all associated with death and funerals in China. Deemed inappropriate and morbid, you’ll risk damaging a relationship if you present these gifts – for any occasion - to someone in China
Dear Team Casper,
This is the update we never wanted to have to write.
Our brave, beautiful boy has left this world.
On Saturday, Casper traded his usual spark for a quiet ember. He'd rallied -- yet again -- after June's update, bobbling around the lobby with gusto for another miracle month. But this Independence Day, Casper's eyes were clearly searching for another sort of freedom. He was suffering yet another bout of painful constipation, this time unresponsive to treatment. Our vet surmised that Casper's kidney disease, and the likely spread of his lymphoma, were causing his distress. It was time to lovingly let him go.
Jonathan, our Founder and Executive Director, called Casper's original rescuers so they could come say goodbye. Their lives have been so richly interwoven with Casper's that it was only fitting that they love him through his last moments.
Their love lengthened those moments. When his old friends arrived, Casper's eyes lit up and his energy surged. Our team decided to closely monitor Casper for one more day. By "closely monitor," of course, I mean "closely monitor...and regale with wet food, cuddles, prayers and kisses."
Casper's final day was a feast of joy and a celebration of love. As we prepared our hearts for the inevitable, we marveled at the miracle of Casper. This is a cat who was supposedly stamped with a short "expiration date" from the day he arrived in early 2014.
"He has spinal cancer," experts said. "He'll never walk again," they said. "He'll make it a few weeks. Perhaps a few months, but don't get your hopes up," they said.
They spoke from science and study and human reason. They did not, however, know the stuff of soul and spirit and Casper.
So, even as we knew, in our reasonable human brains, that every day with Casper was a "bonus" gift, we got comfortable with feeling like he'd simply always be with us. Once a miracle, always a miracle, right?
Right...but not always in the way we'd want.
Yesterday, our miracle man was ready to be released from the body that had finally worn out. Surrounded by an adoring circle of staff, volunteers and cats, Casper gently, peacefully left this world. The Tabby's Place lobby gaped with a void in the shape of a forehead-smudged, paw-crumpled, wondrous white cat.
Yes, this is the update we never wanted to have to write.
But this is also the update that would have been written a very long time ago -- and in a very tragic tone -- had it not been for you.
Without lavish love from his rescuers, Casper would have breathed his last all alone, outdoors, paralyzed on a February day.
Without lavish love from Tabby's Place, Casper would have never had the chance to challenge his "expiration date."
Without lavish love from Casper's extended family -- that means you, sponsors -- Casper would have faded fast, missing out on the life-saving medical care that bought him over a year of health and laughter, love and wet food, miracle and wonder.
Without lavish love, we would have missed out on Casper.
So even as we grieve, we rejoice in the miracle that Casper was, and is, and will always be. Thank you from the depths of my soul for loving Casper so generously. I believe we will see him again, in the place where there is no more pain or death or crying, and every tear is wiped away. Can't you just hear Casper triumphing, once and for all:
"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
Until that glorious day, thank you, sponsors, for giving Casper a taste of heaven -- and showing us the meaning of love.
<3
You rock Tabby's Place!!
"My Sharona" by HammerFall. Love it!
2:A song you like with a number in the title?
3:A song that reminds you of summertime?
4:A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about?
5:A song that needs to be played LOUD?
6:A song that makes you want to dance?
7:A song to drive to?
8:A song about drugs or alcohol?
9:A song that makes you happy?
10:A song that makes you sad?
11:A song that you never get tired of?
12:A song from your preteen years?
13:One of your favorite 80’s songs?
14:A song that you would love played at your wedding?
15:A song that is a cover by another artist?
16:One of your favorite classical songs?
17:A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke?
18:A song from the year that you were born?
19:A song that makes you think about life?
20:A song that means a lot to you?
21:A favorite song with a person’s name in the title?
22:A song that moves you forward?
23:A song that you think everybody should listen to?
24:A song by a band you wish were still together?
25:A song by an artist no longer living?
26:A song that makes you want to fall in love?
27:A song that breaks your heart?
28:A song by an artist with a voice that you love?
29:A song that you remember from your childhood?
30:A song that reminds you of yourself?
Today's trivia: Clocks, handkerchiefs, straw sandals and flowers are all associated with death and funerals in China. Deemed inappropriate and morbid, you’ll risk damaging a relationship if you present these gifts – for any occasion - to someone in China
