Hello Everyone,  (WARNING, sad update ahead)

coming back after a long break, but with very sad news. 

March 14 we had to say good bye to our 17 years old girl Mimi and September 8 our tree-pawed wonder boy Jimmi followed her to the other side.

After living for almost 2 years absolutely symptom free post amputation I woke up finding him on the dining table unable to lift his head, holding it in a weird position. He instantly greeted me and was amazingly calm, but when he got off the table his head was still tilted and he walked very wobbly. It was a saturday and we were lucky the vet clinic agreed to see him an hour later.
In this hour he kept on trying to walk and even had some raw beef before he just rested on a chair.

After some neurological tests the vet unfortunately had to tell us his brain stem was affected, either through a stroke or metastasis in the brain. In the following hours we left him there and even though they tried everything to improve his state by giving him fluids and cortisone infusions he kept on deteriorating. His blood results were flawless and everything else, too, so any infection could be excluded.
In the evening he collapsed every time he tried to get up ... and after a long conversation with the vet who's specialized in oncology we made the incredibly hard decision to let him go.
It was very peaceful. Jimmi was kneading our fingers until he all calm went on his last sail.

The vet said after the diagnosis he got two years ago his quality of life and time of survival was 150%, we were very lucky to have him for 2 years longer. Two years so active and full of joy. He really lived life to its fullest in this time!

Up to his last day he was playing like a kitten, was very talkative, stole food from a plate the evening before.
He never had a hard time breathing, he never was in pain, he never was exhausted and always had great appetite.

We will never regret what we did, neither the amputation nor the chemo he dealt so very well with.
SO GRATEFUL for those extra two years with our so very loved Boy!

After going through 6 human losses and losing both of our senior cats in 2 years, including both of my parents, losing Jimmi for me was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I apologize for the delayed update, but the past two weeks I just couldn't function. I spent night and day in a pretty pathetic state battling a huge wave of depression and "cumulative grief" (to many losses in a short period).

Slowly working myself out of it, focusing on gratitude and letting go.

THANK YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH for all the heartfelt outpouring support through our journey! 

It was all of YOU who guided us through this!

I'll be always available to answer questions and to share our experiences to help others.

Jimmi's story is a testimony that there is always hope, he was a warrior and WINNER! 

Sending love to all of you and to all your three-legged heroes!

Bettina