11/08/2016
It's been a few weeks. Probably because every time I try, I get too sad. This is Pita. A family kitty my parents had to say goodbye to. I wasn't able to make it back home to say goodbye and that was tough. As a tribute, and her story:
This emerald eyed torti came into the animal hospital I worked at, 17 yrs ago. It was fall of 99' and someone found a kitten no more than 2-3 days old- umbilical chord still attached, found in a puddle, she was wet, in hypothermic shock. She had an upper respiratory infection, mouth infection... believed to have been dropped while the mother was transporting. We took her in and I remember Dr Glowitz immediately having me fill a warm bucket to first get her temp up. She was so tiny. Sickly. Dr Turco and Dr Glowitz didn't think she would make it 24hrs but they did all they could to help stabilize her. They then needed someone to be her care giver- tube feedings and medications every 2 hrs around the clock. I took this job on. She made it 12 hrs, then 24hrs, 72hrs... she was in the clear. She was my focus and the vets I worked for were awesome with their attentiveness in checking her status, and letting me stop every 2 hrs to tend to her needs. When I took her home i told mom, and we agreed to just keep this from dad at first.
After about a week, I had her in a box on the kitchen floor and was warming up her milk. She was hungry and squeaking up a storm! The vocals on such a tiny thing! My dad was getting up for work and came shuffling out ... p*ered in the box and was like..."what is that?" She was only a tad over a week old but still looked like a rat than a kitten. Her name soon fell to become 'Pita' short for 'Pitiful' because she just looked so sickly lol. I was told we weren't keeping her, only till she was old enough to find a home at 7/8 weeks.
As days passed and she got healthier and stronger, my mom helped with some of the night feedings. Her eyes opened, tube feedings became bottle feedings. Dad would get home from work and ask if it was time for her bottle and she would climb and sit on his shoulder while he fed her.
Well she wasn't going anywhere...she became an addition to the family. She was only about 2 months old when I left for 10 months of traveling and Pita really bonded to my mom while I was gone. When it came time for me to move out of home, Pita stayed. She was my moms buddy and companion. Pita helped my mom through an Achilles surgery, a rough 9 months of chemo... they know when we r sick and lay close. She kept dad company while he worked on bible classes/exhorts or watching tv.
It's amazing how a four legged creature can become such an important part of your life. I know for my parents they have had more years with her, but none the less i feel the loss. With onsets of kidney failure developing, then diabetes, bad arthritis.... the time had come to stop her pain and suffering. A selfless thing to have to come to... when all is exhausted in trying to keep an animal from being in pain... to Pita, who didn't stand a chance, but ended up in her forever home for nearly 17yrs. I can't believe how the years have flown. I still don't know if I've fully come to accept it, until I go back home to visit and not see her on her favorite spots. Not hearing her little chirps.
To Dr Turco for his big heart, and for being an amazing vet. The years as her vet and even in the end offered to help and say goodbye. I can't thank him enough for helping my parents through a difficult time. He was there from day one -till her last. This man means much to me. From 5 yrs old having seen me grow up from vet visits with my first kitty and when old enough offered me a job. I worked 7 years at Turco Animal Hospital as a tech. He taught me so much and was the best vet to work for. He was so selfless, huge heart and always going above and beyond for the care and attentiveness of pets and his clients. I remember countless cases where he would stay after hours or come in before hours and his head would be in a book consulting with Dr Glowitz if there was an issue going on with an animal and they were trying to figure it out. You don't see much of that these days. This man, Dr Turco has such a big heart, selfless, and genuine. He found his calling and I am grateful for working under him and all he's done for me, and my pets through all the years. Thanku Dr Turco. Forever and always.
