Dear Dr. Forslund,
Thank you for coming to our house to lay our beloved Cici to rest.
We took care of Cici for 14.5 years. She was given to us when she was one year old. Our lives almost revolved around her. She was our baby!!! We gave her the best care and love that parents could give their children. However, in her late years, when all of those ailments hit her. . . kidney and liver failures, uncontrolled bladder, bloody stool, infections and difficulty breathing, gum infections, gum tumor, etc., the final thing we wanted for her was to lay to rest peacefully at her own bed. While our hearts were heavy, we knew we had done everything we could to keep her healthy. It is a tough decision to call someone to put your beloved pet to rest; however, it was the best thing to do. . . not to prolong her sufferings.
When you arrived at our house, I saw a very caring and loving person who could help our beloved Cici leave peacefully and painlessly. You put us at peace (although we were crying frantically). Cici was put to rest in a loving and peaceful environment, surrounded by people who loved her, and in our own arms. . . with great respect and dignity. Your prayers and kind words helped us ease our experience of losing a most loved family member. Thank you so much.
Love,
Efren, Nelita and Chris Vallido
Los Angeles
Eulogy from Chris:
As many of you know by now, two days ago my heart shattered into a million pieces when my beloved Cici joined our Creator. Cici was 15.5 years old when we laid her to rest. But I am not here to talk about how she passed away; I am here to tell you how she lived.
To those who know me well, it was no secret that my whole life revolved around her. I never treated Cici as a pet or a dog, I treated her as if she were my own child. We did everything together. We ate together, played together, watched TV and bummed it on the couch together, and slept on the same bed sharing the same pillow and blanket.
When Cici was 1 year old, she was entrusted to us by my friend Apple, who was Cici’s first owner (Cici’s Mommy). When she was still living in Glendale with Apple, I used to pick her up every morning while Apple went to work. As soon as Cici knew I was waiting outside, she would bolt out Apple’s front door, blaze down the two flights of stairs, sprint through the front gate, through the front lawn, then finally into my car, then licked me endlessly while she jumped around my stomach and chest full of enthusiasm and joy. Rain or shine this happened; the rainy days were particularly special because of the mud that she carried with her. As the months went by, together with my parents, we bonded even more. We bought her clothes, shoes, any food and treats that she wanted or we thought that she’d enjoy. We gave her everything we could, specially our hearts. And in return, she gave us the greatest joy and love of all.
She loved to go for drives. We didn’t have to go anywhere specific, as long as we were in the car, she was happy. She barked at anyone who got close to me because she felt the need to protect me, even from my own friends. It took her a while to warm up to people, but once she did, she presented them with the same joy that she gave us. She left us with so many unforgettable memories. Like the time she bit my friend Archie in the ankle when he tried to walk into my room to borrow a DVD, or the time that she had her photo-shoots with EJ at Santa Monica Beach and Malibu Beach. How she always salivated while I fed her the tortillas of my quesadilla from Fred’s Taco Truck. How she leaned onto my chest every time we sat at the grass fields of the Rose Bowl to watch RC planes fly over our heads. Or her daily demands for food as she barked frantically. She even went with us to church for midnight Christmas mass a couple of times (2012 and 2013), and the priest allowed her to sit with us inside. Memories that I will never forget, memories that will always make me smile.
As the years went by, Cici mellowed down, especially in her last year when she started to go blind. But even when she wasn’t able to see, she tried her best to be my shadow to protect me and tried her best to give me the same enthusiasm as she did when she was younger. Her love for my family and I never subsided. And now she’s no longer with us, and I feel lost. I don’t even know how to get through an ordinary day now. I don’t have anyone to hug anymore every day, or give a kiss on the cheek to say goodnight to every night. Cici was my biggest joy, my child and best friend, my rock and anchor and the most significant chapter of my life. I was always realistic and knew the day would come that she would no longer be with me, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so soon. I had always hoped she’d be with me until she was 20 years old, or at the least 17 years old. I know 15.5 years is considered long, but I just wanted more. I miss her so much…
To my beloved Cici,
I can’t thank you enough for giving me the best 14.5 years of my life. We had a good run, didn’t we? The love you gave me and my family will never be replaced by anything.
We will never forget you and we will keep you in our hearts forever. Thank you for the millions of unforgettable memories, the laughter and joy you gave us. You are no longer with us, but don’t be afraid, I will still see you in my dreams and I promise that we will be together again. For now, you are with your friends, BJ, Chester, and Riley. And when my time comes, we will walk side by side through the guiding light and roam free in the grassy fields of heaven like children. But until then, rest in peace and gently my child, run wildly, pain-free and full of joy with your friends in the kingdom of God. I will always love and miss you,
Cici.
BEYOND THE RAINBOW
As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,
I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade.
I saw a wondrous image then of a place that's trouble-free
Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.
I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, one on the other side
Where meadows rich and beautiful—lush and green and wide
And running through the meadows as far as the eye could see
Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be
My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new
And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do
I needed to reach out to you, to tell you I'm alright
That this place is truly wonderful, then a bright glow pierced the night
T’was the glow of many candles, shining bright and strong and bold
And I knew then that it held your love in its brilliant shades of gold.
For although we may not be together in the way we used to be
We are still connected by a cord no one can see
So whenever you need to find me, we're never far apart
If you look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart.
Cici
Dec 4, 1998 – June 4, 2014