The first time I saw death up close, was back when I was 11-12 years old. I had gone on a morning walk with my dad to the botanical garden. While walking around the lake, we saw a crowd up ahead which intrigued me, as it would anyone. When we got up close I saw the body. It was a young man (18-20 yr old) with a large piece of wood protruding out of his mouth. That in itself was pretty gruesome for an 11 year old, but the thing which still stands out in my mind's eye was the fly walking on his open eyes. That was what drove home the fact that I was looking at a dead person.
The second time I faced it was when I saw my grandmother pass away in front of me. 3 weeks in the ICU, and I was there to see the moment she flatlined. I was there with her body that night.
Today, 2 kittens we were fostering passed away. Somehow, this has hit me harder than anything else before. Maybe because they were so tiny and had so much lying ahead of them, if they had survived. Maybe it was because when I found them 2 weeks ago, they were sick and we nourished them back to good health, only for them to get sick again and pass away a week later. Parvo sucks.
We called them Ginger and Garlic. Here they are after they had initially recovered.
Ginger was like our older cat, also a ginger. Quite but liked to cuddle close to us and purr to her heart's content.
Garlic was like our younger cat but much, much smarter. She had this amazing energy. There was a spark in her eyes. An inquisitiveness about her which made me feel like our souls connected.
Today I saw her dead body. Day before yesterday she was sleeping next to me. I still cannot process the suddenness of it.
Ginger was a fighter- she fought against the illness for the last 7 days. But she was tired- I could see it in her eyes. So we let her go. Her eyes looking at me, the glazed look falling away for one last time, will be imprinted in my mind forever.
They were here for such a short time, but had such a large impact on my life and my heart.
I hope that wherever they are now, they are happy and together again, playing and eating and chilling. I love you both and you will always have a place in my heart.
Miss you guys.
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