Sunday was bad, today will be worse.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I was closing the basement door last night and as I stepped back I bumped my one and a half year old daughter, knocking her over. At least that’s what I thought had happened. She sat on the kitchen floor and started crying so I picked her up. I went to hand her to Lola (so I could grab her bottle) and that’s when I realized that my shirt was covered with blood.

She had come up behind me to help me close the door and must of got her finger in the way of the door. Once the bleeding was under control I took a look and saw that the end of her finger was gone. Yes, gone. Lola looked like she was going to pass out.

When I checked the door I looked on the hinged side and saw a little splatter of blood and the end of her finger. I grabbed this and quickly wrapped it up as we headed out the door to take her to the hospital.

After several hours and after a set of x-rays was taken we were told she would be okay. She lost a good chunk of skin but that will grow back very quickly. She was actually playing with me as we waited for the doctor and she only got upset when they took the x-rays and put the bandage on. She even waved bye-bye to people at the hospital with her bandaged little finger. She fell asleep on the way home and has been snoozing soundly ever since. What a little trooper.

I remained calm throughout this entire ordeal and asked Lola if that was normal as she was pretty freaked out. She said it was good that one of us could stay calm. Maybe it’s a guy thing where we don’t worry if we know that something can be fixed.

But this wasn’t enough bad for last night. While we were waiting Lola called home to let everyone know how the little Feynnling was doing. My SIL told her that some of the neighbourhood kids had come by and were very upset as they thought our cat had been hit and killed by a car.

When I got home and pulled into the parking lot I knew that something bad had happened because Hamish (my cat) wasn’t there to greet me. This is one of those constants in my life, when I get home he always comes out to the car or the van. Then he walks me to the door.

I got the baby settled into bed and then did what I didn’t want to do. I grabbed the flashlight and walked over to the schoolyard where I found Hamish. He was probably on his way home from the school where he’d go to hang out with the kids, maybe he saw us putting the baby in the van earlier and had decided to come and greet us.

I hope he didn’t suffer and judging by how he was lying I think that death was nearly instantaneous. I was told a taxi driver had stopped to remove his body from the road and set him by the curbside.

After I brought him home and wrapped him up I just sat on the step and cried.

My nearly four year old daughter really loved Hamish. She said that he was her cat and just the other day she and Hamish were cuddled on the couch, she was rubbing his ears and telling me how much she loved him. he wasn’t the kind of cat to let just anyone pet him like that. I think that he was pretty fond of her too, ever since she was a baby Hamish would curl up next to her when he wouldn’t curl up with anyone else. I always liked to think he was guarding her but being a cat, he probably just liked how warm and cuddly she was.

Yesterday was really bad but today is going to be worse. Despite all my daddy super powers I can’t bring Hamish back to life. I am going to have to tell my kids and all the other kids from around here that Hamish is gone and that he’s never coming back. The boys are older and they should understand better but that sensitive little girl who said she loved that cat is going to be different. They’ve been taking naps together her whole life.

I am so going to miss that cat, the one who would always wait for me to get home. The one who would come running when I called him. The one who liked to sit with me on the step while I had my evening coffee. The cat that liked to hang out with kids and who was loved very much by a special little girl.

Hamish - I hope there’s a cat heaven for you my friend. You were a great cat and loved by many. Especially by me and one little girl.

I hope there’s lots of really slow mice up there.

2

Feynn, I’m so sorry about everything that happpened. But I sincerely believe that after today, each day will get exponentially better.

I’ll be thinking of you. Hamish, I trust is in a place where the floor is covered with newspapers to sit on, sunbeams to sun his tummy in, and no baths to take, no shots to get.

Feel better.

jarbaby

3

Feynn, I’m so sorry about your daughter. I’ve got a 15 month old girl myself…and my brother permanently lost the tip of his finger the same way. I feel for you and yours, and can’t deal with more than that.

I find it easier to type in a quote from the author Kinky Friedman in Elvis, Jesus & Coca-cola about his beloved cat Cuddles.

"Now, as I write this, on a gray winter day by the fireside, I can almost feel her light tread, moving from my head and my heart down through my fingertips to the keys of the typewriter. People may surprise you with unexpected kindness. Dogs have a depth of loyalty that often we seem unworthy of. But the love of a cat is a blessing, a privilege in this world.

They say when you die and go to heaven all the dogs and cats you’ve ever had in your life come running to meet you."

4

Jarbabyj - thanks.

Even hearing that the Habs demolished the Sens didn’t perk me up this morning.

I feel that bad.

Some sleep would be good too.

I know it will get better.

5

Dang, Feynn.

I had all these other things I was going to write, things about the love of a child for a pet, the bond a pet can have with a family and the loss you can feel when they’re gone, but it really all distills down to “That sucks.”

:frowning:

6

Hey Feynn

I’m so sorry for your daughters injury and for your loss of Hamish.
That’s one very bad day, my friend.

The tenderness of your post, brought tears to my eyes.

The loss of a beloved pet is difficult enough, breaking it to small, loving and adoring children is like a double wammy.

You’ll be in my thoughts all day, and I’ll say a prayer for Hamish.

7

{{{Feynn, Lola, and daughters}}}

8

Thanks guys…

The princess is now awake and all smiles. After putting on a new bandage and getting half a dozen smooches on her “ouch” she is already trying to get into stuff and trying to wake up her sister…

Of course, she won’t be able to use that finger to dial the phone or click on the mouse for a while.

Now, if only I knew how to bring cats back to life all would be right with the world.

9

Yeesh.

When the cubs DeDay get hurt, I don’t get a chance to freak out either. The Little Woman always beats me to it. Delegation of responsibility or something. I get the blood under control and she hugs and comforts. That’s just the way it is.

Double yeesh.

And then the cat…

I’m so sorry for you.
-Rue.

10

Such sad news – my condolences to you and your daughter. And a few notes that may have some relevance:

When I was six and he was three, I ducked into my room to get away from my awful little brother, and slammed the door. It took some persuading to get me to open the door again, as I didn’t realize that I had slammed his finger in the door, hinge side.

I think he really enjoyed the trip to the hospital, and he healed up just fine.


It's been my experience that people can keep their heads in an emergency if they have an idea what they're expected to do. When they run out of things to do, that's when they break down.

Losing a cat is miserable. My first cat was run over by a car when I was six. My second cat was run over by a car when I was still only six. I was pretty broken up about it, and these were not especially noble cats like your Hamish. My first really special companion cat was put down while I was away at college, and I found out about it afterward. I suppose my family wanted to spare me the parting, but I do not recommend this approach. For the sake of all that is dear, have a little wake or memorial for Hamish. It will be sad and painful, but it will leave a shining memory where there would otherwise be only a dark emptiness.

11

Damn, I hate hearing that, Feynn!

Kids are pretty resilient; I’m sure the shock and the pain (which have hopefully passed for the most part) will be the worst of your little one’s injury and she’ll bounce back quickly. How fortunate that she only lost some skin!

As for Hamish, I’m filled with sorrow on your behalf. As a fellow cat owner I know how terrible you must feel. Cats should die when they’re very old and in their sleep, just like people should. I don’t envy you telling the kids about this, but again in the long run I bet you’ll be more torn up about it (again, kids being resilient). I wish I could be there to pat you on the shoulder, although I know that’s small comfort for your loss.

12

I’m very sorry to hear of your horrible weekend, Feynn. I hope the littlest Feynnling heals speedily. I am sorry to hear about Feynnkitty. It’s very sad to lose a pet.
I’m sending my positive thoughts your way.

13

Sorry, sorry, sorry, my friend. Hope that things take a turn for the good for you and yours.

14

So sorry to hear about your daughter and your cat.

All my best thoughts to your tiny daughter to help the finger get better, and to you, your sons and your little daughter to help you come to terms with the loss of Hamish.

15

So sorry to hear that Feynn…I hope that Dani will recover fully, and I know it’s gonna be hard to talk about Hamish, but I trust that you will know the proper words to use, you and Lola are good parents and your love will help with all of this.

Take Care

Keith

16

There’s a children’s book called “The 10th Good Thing About Barney” by Judith Viorst which is about a little boy whose cat has died. The parents have a service for the cat (Barney) and the little boy says 10 good things about him as a memorial. It’s very moving (I’m always weeping by the end, but I’m awfully sentimental about pets). Anyway, I’m just mentioning it on the off chance it would be helpful.

When I was 5 our cat was hit by a car. I witnessed it (so did my brother) although I don’t recall it clearly now. We were very very sad. Me and my brother still have pictures of that cat, Snowball.

17

I had a similar injury when I was small. I had an accident with a folding chair at age two and cut off about half of the ring finger on my left hand. The doctors reattatched it, no problem. The most upsetting thing about the whole process was that mom didn’t have Superman bandaids to replace the ones they put on the stitches at the hospital. (The most upsetting thing to me, that is. Mom still doesn’t like to talk about it.)

Kid tissue, especially in the extremities, is resiliant. Ninteen years later, I have full feeling in the injured finger and remarkably little scar tissue. Only my manicurist notices that there’s something different about that finger. The little’un will be fine, and she’ll have the winning gross-out story when she hits an age where that kind of thing is popular. (Sadly, I have not grown out of that stage, as AnnArborDope attendees can attest.)

I’m really sorry about your cat, though. Wish I had a story to reassure you about that bit. Good thoughts to you and your family.

18

My brother lost the tip of his finger in exactly the same way when he was a little tack - I think he was about 2. It grew back, and if you look closely you can see that his fingernail isn’t perfect, but that’s the only sign that it ever happened.

I’m so sorry about your daughter’s kitty. I wish you all the very best in this difficult time.

19

My sympathies to your family on Harnish. If there is one thing I’ve discovered, losing a pet is just as bad (if not worse) than losing a human family member.

One other thing I’ve learned – when the universe decides it’s time, another pet will appear in your lives. Don’t know why that is, but in our family it ALWAYS works out like that.

20

Oh, Feynn, I am so sorry to hear about your daughter’s injury and Hamish’s untimely death. It is hard to lose someone who has brought the family so much joy.

Just a thought–I have found memorial services for pets to be quite comforting, especially for children. At one for my cat a few years ago, a friend read a Bible verse, saying, “Even though you aren’t religious, I think Steffanie was.”