OT: BAD NEWS and MORE BAD NEWS

[Guest guest]

About 2 and 1/2 weeks ago I started to get muscle pain in my arms, first one arm then the other. At first I thought it was from my interpreting job but

then I realized that it was from my cholesterol lowering drug Crestor that I was taking. I called my Dr.'s office and they told me to stop taking it. I went to

my Dr. this past Thursday and he ordered blood work to find out if the Crestor affected my muscles. I have to wait until the middle of June to have the blood work though as it takes that long to get out of my

system. I hope the pain goes away soon because it makes playing volleyball and working very painful. I'm disappointed because I was hoping to resume Gilad and lifting weights but I think I should just start with walking

until the pain is gone. At least swimming doesn't bother me as much as playing volleyball or work/signing does! The other "bad news," is that I put my 20 year old Blue-Point Siamese, Mia (MY-YA) to sleep on Tuesday May 22nd. She was exactly 20 years, 4 months and 2 days old. My heart feels like it's BREAKING I hurt so much. We were very close, she was such an AWESOME cat and I will miss her until the day I die. Mia and I had a very strong bond, more so than with my other Siamese cats. She was truly "MY" cat and would come to me when I was upset and nibble on my arm until I felt better. When Gram (My Mom's Mom) was dying in a hospital in Nebraska and I was here in Michigan Mia helped me by coming to me when I cried (she would always come when I cried.) My memories of Gram and Mia will always be intertwined because Gram was living with me and my Mom

when I

got Mia. She was only 5 weeks old and not weaned (breeder told me she was weaned) when I got her. Gram said that "She looks like a drowned rat, why did you bring 'that' home?'" After that though Gram would always ask, "Where is the little girl?" that's what Gram called her "the little girl." Gram even held Mia on her lap! No one in the family would have believed it but I have the pictures to prove it! She loved Mia just as much as my Mom and I do.Mia was very independent and didn't want anyone to help her. When she lost her vision though she would cry for me because she wanted to come and sit on my leg or she just wanted to know where I was. She was such a sweet, loving cat and WOW was she ever beautiful. She was also the smartest cat I've ever had! She fetched from the time she was a very little kitten until she lost her vision due to cataracts. She would also sit on a particular rug

in the kitchen waiting for her food to be placed on another

rug. She would do things to my Mom like jump on her back to get "my" attention. She would lay upside down in the bathroom sink and let the drops of water from the faucet fall into her mouth. If she didn't like what I was telling her to do she would talk back, no kidding! The most incredible thing was when she started to lose her vision..she could still navigate upstairs and downstairs by walking along side of the wall (she felt her way with her whiskers.) She could find her way to her pet steps (she couldn't jump any more because of arthritis.)Even when she got very very thin she was still the same cat I had always loved. And she still loved me too, except now she would let me help her more. She also wanted me to be around her, my Mom says I was her "security blanket."Anyway, sorry to go on and on about her but 20 years of memories tend to be pretty long, and I didn't even tell you

EVERYTHING! No matter how old she was I would have liked to keep her with me longer as long as she wasn't suffering....it was still very HARD for me to do (put her to sleep.) I did it the same way as I did with Gizmo in January. I held Mia in my arms like a baby (she was MY baby) and the Vet injected the over-dose of anesthetic into her stomach. When the Vet gave Gizmo the injection he died almost immediately even though they are suppose to go to sleep slowly within 20 to 25 minutes. But Mia, being a truly stubborn and hard-headed cat she was, fought the medicine and didn't "fall asleep" for 40 to 45 minutes. My Mom and I both thought she would go quick since she was, after all 20 yrs old and very weak but she surprised both of us! I'm really happy that she gave me more time to say good-bye to her and hold her. She passed away peacefully in my arms, where she belonged.Even though I have Max now (12

week old Seal-Point Siamese) losing both Gizmo and Mia in the same year has been terrible for me and my Mom. I miss BOTH of them so MUCH.To Gizmo (14 yrs) - Rest in Peace my sweet, mischievous boy. You were ALWAYS a lot of fun!To Mia (20 yrs) - Rest in Peace my Beautiful, Smart, Darling little girl. I hope that we can play fetch together in Heaven some day.Meet me at the Rainbow Bridge. Jen