What am I Doing Here?

Mikie the Magnificent

Three months have gone by and I felt that I was either too busy or just not interested in sharing.
Today is a little different. I think about time. Well what about it?
We know of the concept. Time will never stop. We cannot reverse it. We can look back in time. Learn from past time. Plan for the future, but nothing else.
How does this relate to what I really want to say?
Yesterday (time) I had to euthanize a very special cat named Mikie. He had a bad heart and it lead to other problems. But he did manage to eek out 13 years (time) of life that I hope to never forget. His earlier life, about 12 3/4 years ago (time-you get the point) was when I first saw him. He was viciously attacked by a dog and had been picked up by a neighbor. He was rushed to a clinic that was 5 minutes from closing. His surgery lasted an hour but the little guy survived. He had to limp the rest of his life because his right elbow area could not work any more.
A couple of years later, he fell off something, hit his head on a bathroom scales and had a concusion so bad that he had to endure seizures for the rest of the life. He had about 3 biggies. Then his heart began to fail. (Do you get the picture?)
But each time he came back with the same loving personality. He was Mikie the Magnificent to me. He managed to blend in with the other cats. He never fought any of them because he figured that he might not win. Little did he know that I would never let them get the upper hand, um paw.
He fell in love with Princess Beauty. She had long hair and blue eyes. Yes she is/was beautiful. They became fast and lasting friends. He would give her a small bath from time to time. He would lay down beside her. I could feel his love for her.
Mikie and the rest of our family endured hurricanes, electrical blackouts, horrible thunder storms and events that made our family stronger. Mikie always kept his cool. He would go from room to room with his cute little limp that became awkward as arthritis set in.
A couple of years ago, his heart had a murmur and there were signs of imminent progression of heart failure. Thank goodness modern medicine had the right stuff for Mikie. When fluid started to collect around his lungs, we added another pill. He finally had to take a potassium suppliment that he hated, but he did take it anyway.
I could always tell when he felt good when he would hop on a box and then hop on my bed to take a nap. He would check out who was entering the room and then go back to sleep. I loved his little snore. He looked like an angel to me.
But then end had to come sometime. Last Friday would be his last normal day because Saturday morning, he had a little vomitting spell. I thought it was a hairball. We got Mikie checked out and he came home.
Sunday, he vomitted again but this time all of his meds came back up. Back to the vet's clinic we went. He had to have surgery. He did and in true Mikie fashion, with the best doctors at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, he made it through.
Tuesday, he looked like he was on the road to recovery. I fed him some food and promised to come back everyday. I even showed him a cell phone video of Princess Beauty that he loved.
Wednesday, it was the heart's turn to declare, the time for his end was on its way. The doctors pulled out every trick in their bags. He had tubes in his body. Because his body would not regulate his temperature, he was put on a thermal blanket. He seemed to be okay. But then other problems would pop up.
Thursday morning I got a call to come see Mikie. He might not make it. The doctor gave me all of the facts and her professional opinion. I thought I saw a rally in Mikie's eyes and decided to give him a few more hours. I am not cruel, but try to not jump the gun. I've seen Mikie rally before. But not this time. My little angle needed to go to a different home.
So on Thursday, June 13th, 2013 at the age of 13, Mikie did go home, heaven.
They say some friend animal comes to greet the newest deceased animal. They cross a rainbow bridge together. My guess is that it was Tipper, Mikie's oldest friend who died last year. It doesn't matter as long as he gets to kitty cat heaven with or without that limp and gets to run and play. No heart problems ever to slow him down. No medicines to take.
I am sure that he will be waiting for his love of his life, Princess Beauty who is 14 1/2 years old. She is okay now but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
I do wish that I could have stopped time on Friday. I wish that I could have a do over for the last 13 years. I only know that 13 was a good number for Mikie and me. That was a time that I will cherish.
Good bye Mikie. I still love you. You will be missed. I am sorry that we did not have more time together but then time is something we should not take for granted.