Dealing with loss

GPlover1996

Post   » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:41 pm


Hello all,
I am new to this forum but as of recently, I have found a lot of comfort here. I lost my best friend of 6 years, Penelope last night. She was my first and only guinea pig. She came to me as a baby and both of us had no idea what to do with each other. Fast-forward 6 years and she saw me through the roughest of my high school years, the newness of my undergrad and in true Penelope fashion, she was around to see me get accepted into graduate school. I am reaching out to anyone that will listen here because her passing was incredibly traumatic for me. I am suspecting she died of bloat. Her symptoms cam on incredibly quick and because of her advanced age, I believe she was unable to fight like she once could have. Her illness was untimely as most vets are not open on Sunday's. I did everything I could, medication, hours of stomach massaging, fluids everything. In the end, things were heart-breaking. I was had the incredibly gift of being there as she took her last breaths. It truly was an honor but I will never be free of those memories. My only consolation at the moment is knowing her suffering has ended and that there are others out there who have experienced loss as I am and have overcome it. I hope those reading may find comfort knowing the grieving and heart-break following the loss of a pet is normal. Give all your pigs an extra squeeze today; everyday with you buddies is special .

R.I.P Penelope. You are in my heart and my memories forever.

C Cole-Chakotay

Post   » Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:05 pm


I'm sorry to hear about Penelope. She sounds like she was a wonderful friend.

ClemmyOddieIndy

Post   » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:13 pm


I’m so sorry for your loss.

GPlover1996

Post   » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:58 pm


Thank you guys so much for the kind words- she was a true friend. Time heals all.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:54 pm


I am so sorry you lost her.

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JaneDoe

Post   » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:41 am


I'm sorry.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:05 am


I'm very sorry for your loss! I went through a lot of that very same loss last year and in mid-January. I hope you can remember only the good times soon. I'm sure she loved you as much, or more than, you loved her. You were always there for her. She did live a good long life.

Rest in peace, little Penelope. You are loved and missed.

minnesota92

Post   » Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:54 pm


Hi,

I am new as well and just lost my female guinea pig a couple of days ago. I have previously lost a dog, but for some reason, the guilt and shame with this loss has been eating at me. I just feel sick. I brought my 3-year-old guinea pig in to have a spay. The vet had diagnosed her with ovarian cysts and indicated that the spay should likely take care of the situation. After the operation, the vet called and informed me she had a MASSIVE cystic uterus. She was covered in masses. And at this point, it seemed as though cancer was an option. I brought her home and force fed her for a couple of days, but she wouldn't eat, move, or poop --- all awful indications that this wasn't going uphill. I should mention I also have a male guinea pig who absolutely loved and adored her. She was everything to him. He would nuzzle and gaze at her, but not so much the same with her. She kicked him, showed him who's boss, but had her moments --- that's my girl. After a terrible day of realizing she wasn't going to go to the bathroom, I still had hope and planned to force feed at 6:00 am. However, by 6:00 am she was being put down. I am still in shock. I know the risk was there, but going into surgery, there was no indication the situation was this bad. I find myself overcome with guilt. When I was going up the exit, I just thought, "I can turn around. I don't have to do this to her." And now she's dead. Now, was my decision awful? I don't know. People tell me no. Because she most likely had cancer, the masses would have ruptured and eventually kill her, but these thoughts won't stop consuming me. I got my two piggies after my paralyzed corgi passed away. They helped me get through so much. I have grown to love these animals with everything I have. I miss my Gin more than anything, and I feel so guilty. I ended up picking up a Peruvian piggy the day after because my male was catching on becoming depressed and his poops were smaller and wouldn't eat as much. I named the new piggy, Poppy. And this is why...Without realizing it, the meaning of Poppy flowers is significantly fitting. The meaning behind Ginny (my last pig) can be representative of the ginger flower---this is the perfect name for Poppy. 💐🌺


Poppy Flowers represent:
*Restful sleep and recovery
*Consolation for a loss or death in the family
*Peace in death
*Messages delivered in dreams

I just hope I can get over the guilt and sadness. I feel as though I failed her and I did not protect her. The worst part is, $1,000 later and no piggy. Another image I can't get out of my head is how she hopped----literally hopped into my arms to say goodbye. We were sitting there waiting to say goodbye, and my mom had her and jumped to me. Her favorite thing was to "perch" like a bird, and in her final moments, that's how we ended it. We perched together, and then she left. I've been having a hard time grasping how it all happened so suddenly and how close and bonded I was to her. I never expected this experience with Guinea Pigs, and I wouldn't change a thing, I just hope there was nothing more I could do. They believe the eating and pooping problems came from bloat, which makes my heart literally hurt. That's how this week has been literal heart pain, no appetite, guilt, and feeling bad about getting a new piggy. It's been so hard at work this week. She was one awesome pig. I miss you, Gin Gin.

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minnesota92

Post   » Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:57 pm


GPlover - I just realized we lost our piggies the same night.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:03 pm


I'm very sorry you lost her.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:55 pm


minnesota92, I'm so very sorry you lost her. Just keep telling yourself the truth: neither you or anyone else, couldn't know how the surgery would turn out. Last June, I took one of my guinea pigs in for repeated lameness. The vet looked her over and we decided on the same treatment that had worked so well earlier in the year. She gave me the medicine, I took Flossie home, and laid her down in her hay bed so I could make some food for her. I returned less than 5 minutes later, only to find Flossie had passed without me realizing it was going to happen. Neither the vet nor I had any idea she was so sick. A necropsy showed us that she had tumors all over her adrenal glands.

I tell you this only because I want you to understand that there was no way you could know and her passing soon would have happened anyway; it was not due to the surgery. This way you probably saved her a lot of pain and suffering.

You gave her a wonderful life and that's all she knew. Try to remember the good times you had.

Rest in peace, little one. You are loved and missed.

minnesota92

Post   » Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:47 pm


Oh my! That would be so, so tough. Thank you for sharing. It has been so difficult. Today we had to choose a different urn, because it wasn't big enough. It just felt like going through the process all over again. Once I get her urn, I will feel much better. Thanks for the kind words. It is easy to feel alone in this.

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