It is with real sadness that I have to tell you that poor Huxley was put to sleep at 4pm this afternoon.
Today’s examination at Gwinnett Animal Hospital revealed that he was in renal failure, that he had a bad heart murmur and that he had multiple tumors, including a tumor on his heart. His blood work and all the tests revealed that this poor old boy did not have long to live, and that his last days would be very painful if he was not in an intensive care unit with 24/7 monitoring.
We tried to find a way to get him to the cabin for even a few days, but then stepped back to look at the bigger picture, and not what we ourselves wanted to see in the romantic movie of poor Huxley last days, and saw that it was not possible, it wasn’t really fair, and that we’d be getting him there for all the wrong reasons……
His last few days were warm and quiet and comfortable. He slept on a thick cuddly comforter for probably the first time in his life, he had no fleas any more and felt fresh and clean. He had been hand fed, was loved on by every member of staff at Gwinnett Animal Hospital and was carried or walked outside to enjoy the fresh autumn sunshine multiple times a day. Even with all of that, he looked exhausted, he was in pain and he was ready to leave this world.
Huxley passed after having been carried out to the grass by Miss Kathy, the vet tech assisting Dr De Guizman. He was laid on a soft blanket, given water to drink, and each of us there told him what a beautiful boy he was and how his new life would be, over the Rainbow Bridge. His friend Jan Grissom, who fought so hard to get him adopted, was there to love him and kiss him, just as she had every day she saw him at the shelter. He wagged his tail a little and enjoyed all of the kisses and loving touches, and then Doctor De Guizman, assisted by Miss Andrea, took care of his final needs.
It was serene and loving, and he passed gratefully in the arms of his beloved Jan.
While Huxleys story is tragic, I cannot begin to tell you how grateful we are to all of you that have donated funds to us for this senior sanctuary of ours. Without that, we would never have been able to help poor Huxley, he would have been one of the faceless, nameless poor animals that get euthanized in the shelter every day with no loving touch or gentle preparations. For them, there are no blankets, no cuddles, no comfortable days before they leave…..it’s just misery and loneliness into oblivion.
Because of what you do to support us, this dear old chap had a different final chapter to his story. Yes it was sad, but it was also hopeful, it was compassionate and he died in the arms of people who truly loved him…..
Thankyou to all of you. Your generosity enabled us to give him that wonderful gift, and you need to understand the magnitude of what your gifts have achieved.
God Bless you all, and God Bless Huxley, at peace finally…
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