Miranda Sue - July 1998/July 15th, 2010

She was Miranda, Miranda Sue, Mir-mir, Mirmaid, princess, my sweet girl. I don't quite remember how we found each other. I mean I remember some of it. I was back home visiting my family and my room-mate Josh was just about to move out. He had a cat, which is why I didn't while we lived together. So since he was going, I decided to bring one home. I checked the local ads while there and found some kittens out in the country. I think these people had just found the mom and let her have the babies in their garage. By the time I had seen the ad, the kittens weren't quite babies anymore. They were bigger, say teens. She was about 4 months old, I think and just infested with fleas. Ugh! It was quite sad. And again, I don't know how we picked each other, but we did. We were a good match. I brought her home and cleaned her up.

After I returned to Columbus, I made her first vet appointments and got her checked out. That was 12 years ago. A few months ago I started to notice some lumps on her abdomen. My first thought was fatty tumors that pets can get. But they started to grow and she started to slow. I knew it was worse and I put off the doctor visit for too long probably. Just didn't want to face the inevitable I guess. But last weekend, she just didn't seem quite great. She was still very aware and would talk to you and listen, she didn't seem in pain, but I decided we needed to see the doctor. I took her on Tuesday and they did an aspiration. The tests results became available while I was there tonight. It was definitely carcinoma. The doctor told me on Tuesday it would probable affect her lungs and breathing. She was breathing heavy while there, but I thought it was just the stress. It wasn't.

So on Wednesday, we cuddled a lot. I cried a lot and she just looked at me like, "Mom, you're crazy!" We had an appointment today to get an x-ray of her lungs. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized, I just needed to let her go and not prolong her fight for breath and my emotions.

I came home, took the photo above. Made some ink paw prints and off to the doctor we went. I tried to hold it together and she just sat quiet and patient. The doctor came in and I was unhinged. Dr. Martin is very sweet and kind and totally understood. We talked about her condition. She said we could try steroids for the breathing, but they may not work. Again, I think it would just prolong the agony.

I was able to spend a few more minutes with her and hold her paw while she went to sleep. I feel so incredibly bad, and I know it will pass but my heart is broken for her. And I still can't believe she's gone. Kind of poetic that I found her in July and let her go in July.

These are old photos from her younger days and the last few are from tonight at the office.