We lost Apple yesterday. He was the first "real" pet we have lost (I just can't bring myself to count Bubbles the Fish's death as much of a tragedy). He was Mady's guinea pig and she is very sad.
To learn about how Apple and the other many animals came about, you can read here. We knew his death was coming, and if you can get past the horror of it all, it is actually a little amusing - in a sadistic way, that is.
So, the girls loved our guinea pigs and one of their favorite things to do when friends were over was to give the pigs baths in the sink. Unbeknownst to me, Mads was using hand soap on Apple, and aparantly his skin didn't tolerate that well. He started out with a rash, and then it lead to boils and sores. It was pretty gross, poor thing. Daddy was just starting to research how to help Apple our, when around christmas, Mads accidently dropped Apple from waist high and it appeared that he broke his leg, what with the leg dragging and all. She felt terrible. Then it got worse.
He started actually dragging his whole lower half of his body so we started worrying that he was actually paralyzed. A paralyzed guinea pig with skin disease. Nice. Then it got to the point that he wouldn't get out of his hut and just laid there pathetically, ocassionally wheezing. Daddy prepared Mads that he might not make it while we were in Florida, but he was still kickin' when we got home.
The saddest part was that she couldn't even hold him, we were afraid to take him out because we didn't want to cause him any pain. So basically, since we got home on Sat. we have been on a death watch. It has been pathetically sad.
Yesterday afternoon Daddy came home and went up and came back down to tell me he was gone. Mads had a friend over and E was headed to swimming, I didn't know how to handle this parenting dilema. I called the friends mom and we decided to tell Mads while the friend was there to give her a distraction and comfort.
When I said Mads I have to talk to you about something, she looked at me and said "he died?" it was very sad. Daddy put him in a shoebox and she petted him and said goodbye. When E got home from swimming we printed out the pic above and all wrote Apple a note on it and put it in the box with him. Then we went outside and buried him and told him what a good pet he was and that we loved him.
So a new parenting experience that we got through. She is still sad and crying off and on. He was a good Apple. RIP Apple.
I am beyond sad for my dear Madeline. She is such a wonderful friend and she showed such love to little Apple. Will she get a new one.
ReplyDeleteGMA
Poor thing! That was a sad, but sweet post. On another note...I think I need to get a wrist splint for my son...maybe that would make him feel better? But, maybe he would wear it ALL the time...
ReplyDeleteI find myself smiling and misting up at the same time! I laugh because such care was taken at Apple's passing, like he was a person or something. But misting because, even though I have never been attached to a pet myself, I can empathize that it's a hard reality when they die. Poor Madeline, You'll have to frame the photo of him and give it to her.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your passing Apple, you had a great name, you were deeply loved, and were a prolific breeder. You will be greatly missed.
So sad. So funny. So sorry for Mady.
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