Three years ago on this day I said goodbye to my best friend, Patches. I had been her caregiver the last six months of her life when her health was failing badly. She was thirteen years old. She was much more than a cat. She saved my life. She was my son Kent’s cat and after he died, I made a promise that I would take care of her to the best of my ability. 1 ½ years before she finally passed away I nursed her back to health with chicken soup broth and then when she got a bit stronger by hand feeding her salmon. I told my music clients at the time not to expect to hear from me until she was better and Riveting Riffs Magazine did not publish during that time. I lay beside her and cuddled with her for almost a week until she was completely better. When my teenage son Kent passed away, like a lot of parents who lose a child I felt tremendous grief, blamed myself even though he died from an undetected heart ailment, one that is extremely difficult to detect. During those days Patches would come and cuddle up with me and wrap her paw around one of my fingers. It had not occurred to me until now that is exactly what Kent did when I was in the delivery room when he was born. He wrapped his tiny little hand around one of my fingers. Now it was my turn to give back to my best friend Patches the love and care that she had given to me nine years earlier. I have her ashes and her paw print and her photos. When I think of Christmas this year, I think of Patches and I think of the last Christmas that I spent with my son Kent and I think of the only Christmas I spent in Sweden with Susanne. A year ago today she sang at a special Christmas service. There was a lot of hope that day.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:21:15 +0000
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