Simon came into my life almost 15 years ago. A five month old Maine Coon mix was waiting for me patiently at a little animal shelter in west Houston, Texas. All of the other kittens and cats either mewed loudly or hid in the corner, while Simon silently sat in his cage looking at me straight in the eye. I knew then he was meant for me.
From then he became my constant companion; he learned how to walk on a harness and leash and went house shopping with me, took visits to in-laws and sat on Santa's lap for a Christmas pose. When he turned one, we had a birthday party for him, complete with tuna, one candle and a party hat for everyone includine Simon. Since then he has been my shadow through many moves, relationship changes, ups and downs. His presence was the thread that wound its way through my adult years.
About a year ago, Simon was diagnosed with chronic renal failure and was stabilized with special food, medications, and fluids, and was doing pretty well until diagnosed with a sqamous cell tumor on his jaw. That was back in September '08; he had an extra five + months thanks to the treatment at the Veterinary Cancer Group.
Unfortunately, Simon's tumor progressed to the point where treatment was no longer effective. I knew that eventually he would not be able to eat on his own; as it was, I ended up pureeing his food with some water to lap up. As much as I dreaded the day I would have to make a decision about his life, I had made a point to research ahead of time our options. Months ago, I had been given a business card from the Veterinary Cancer group; the name on the card was familiar later on when I searched online for a home pet euthanasia. I started communicating with Dr. Annie Forslund a few weeks ahead of time and she responded with any advice she could give and understanding of what I was going through. We talked about scheduling a visit to my home. A few days prior, I knew it was time to let Simon go and we arranged for her to come to my home to perform the euthanasia. The last day Simon and I shared together was just as in the outdoor picture. Nothing changed for him in his daily routine. He spent time in the backyard under the sun and later next to me, kneading his paws and purring on a favorite blanket. He was still there as Dr. Forslund arrived with her assistant Michael. The procedure seemed effortless and we knew it was the right thing do do at the time. Of course the grief over losing Simon has probably been the most difficult thing I've had to deal with in my life. Fortunately, Dr. Forslund took care of all the details, wrapping Simon up in his blanket as she left and later forwarding his ashes along with compassionate words.
If anyone came to me with this difficult decision to have to make about their pet, I would definitely recommend they contact Dr. Forslund. I'm glad that I did.
Laura Beatty
Claremont, CA