Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~From a headstone in Ireland
~From a headstone in Ireland
I don't know why all of our pets nicknames are longer than their real names, but lately that is how it has been. We have "The Tail of Destruction" which is Hanah, our German Shepherd, a retiree from the border patrol. We have "Mornin' Lovin" Muffin" for Jamie, the most demanding cat I have ever had, who likes the rough stuff. Then there is Dan....
Dan is my daughter's first real pet, if we do not count the wild snails we kept for a year and then released. The Princess had in her mind, at the time, that she would marry a man named Dan, even though we knew of no one so named then or now...thankfully. When we found our furry friend, his markings were so irregular that I thought her first choice for his name, Mr. Mystery, fit very well. She changed her mind quickly though, as children do, to just Dan, the same name of her unknown betrothed. Her father said he looked poofy. The next thing I know the nickname Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man popped into my head and stuck. I just had to get that "Mystery" in his name because it fit so well; you could not tell which end was what sometimes and I had not seen a hamster with spots on one ear before.
I was a bit concerned as the Princess was six and a half years old when we decided to get a hamster in the fall of 2007. I thought she was a bit young, especially with a cat in house. All it would take is leaving his cage door open or letting him get away from her while he was out...Jamie is always on the alert for such opportunities. However, I also thought she was more responsible than most children at that age and far more gentle, which she proved to be, so it worked out very well. She has matured with him and was even able to clean the cage herself in time.
Dan has been a wonderful pet also. A very gentle creature who only bit the Princess twice and then it was when he mistook her finger for food. The first time was within the first few weeks we adopted him. In his defense, that finger must have smelled like the yummy peach she had just ate. I thought the first bite would make her give up on him, but she realized it was not on purpose and readily forgave him. The second time this emotional process worked out much faster with less parental intervention and far less tears.
Dan was given a birthday party at the insistence of the Princess in April 2008. She knew it was not his true birthday, but we were going to have a party because...well, this child does not need to have a reason for wanting to give someone a party; she just likes to give presents and have parties and would do so every day if I would allow it. Dan, always eager to explore new places and be given extra treats, was happy, too.
Dan is the only hamster that I have ever seen spring off my lap, at least four inches out and away, with his legs out stretched, as if trying to glide down the mere three inches to the floor and once he landed he ran with that hamster waddle just as fast as he could go. I was so surprised by this unhamster-like action and I laughed so hard I could barely move fast enough to catch him.
In the last few weeks, Dan has been putting on weight, not exercising at night, and preferring to nap rather than explore in his ball. This last week, he seemed bloated and rarely was awake. At nearly three years old, Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man, is rather old for a hamster and we began preparing for what was inevitable. Although it is a hard lesson, children learn much about life and death from pets.
Yesterday, it was undeniable that Dan was in his last hours. After church, the Princess ran out of her room crying Dan was dead. I held her for a long time and my husband got Dan out of the cage thinking of preparing him for burial, but Dan woke up and moved around a bit. He was very cold and moved little, but still alive. The Princess held him for awhile, in fact, much of the day. As he drifted off and we explained he was in his last hours and he would probably stay in a deep sleep. Again later she thought he had passed, we all did, however Dan was still just barely breathing, hanging onto life by a mere thread it seemed.
I watch my daughter go through the typical gauntlet of emotions that surround the death of a loved one in such a short time span, even though the day seemed to drag. The Princess came to terms with the idea of him passing, even to the point she desired it for him, but asked to stay home instead of going to Sunday evening service. As we waited, she prepared his burial box with art work and his favorite treats, a yogurt covered blueberry, strawberry yogurt chew, and a peanut. Later she watched his body struggle for every last breath, but he was in a deep sleep and not in pain. He passed away quietly and this time we were quite sure.
Our sweet Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man was buried with other departed furry friends in our back yard. This morning the Princess remarked that she thought it was odd that she was not that sad when we buried him. I talked to her about how, when anyone is dying and has no quality of life, that it is almost a relief when he finally passes on and this is a very common and natural feeling. She has cried some this morning, missing him, but she is doing well, as long as I do not press trying to do any lessons. Actually, neither one of us is in the mood for lessons today. I suppose I will do some errands since my husband is working from home and the van is available...and just maybe stop by a pet shop to take a look at small furry creatures....
Dan is my daughter's first real pet, if we do not count the wild snails we kept for a year and then released. The Princess had in her mind, at the time, that she would marry a man named Dan, even though we knew of no one so named then or now...thankfully. When we found our furry friend, his markings were so irregular that I thought her first choice for his name, Mr. Mystery, fit very well. She changed her mind quickly though, as children do, to just Dan, the same name of her unknown betrothed. Her father said he looked poofy. The next thing I know the nickname Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man popped into my head and stuck. I just had to get that "Mystery" in his name because it fit so well; you could not tell which end was what sometimes and I had not seen a hamster with spots on one ear before.
I was a bit concerned as the Princess was six and a half years old when we decided to get a hamster in the fall of 2007. I thought she was a bit young, especially with a cat in house. All it would take is leaving his cage door open or letting him get away from her while he was out...Jamie is always on the alert for such opportunities. However, I also thought she was more responsible than most children at that age and far more gentle, which she proved to be, so it worked out very well. She has matured with him and was even able to clean the cage herself in time.
Dan has been a wonderful pet also. A very gentle creature who only bit the Princess twice and then it was when he mistook her finger for food. The first time was within the first few weeks we adopted him. In his defense, that finger must have smelled like the yummy peach she had just ate. I thought the first bite would make her give up on him, but she realized it was not on purpose and readily forgave him. The second time this emotional process worked out much faster with less parental intervention and far less tears.
Dan was given a birthday party at the insistence of the Princess in April 2008. She knew it was not his true birthday, but we were going to have a party because...well, this child does not need to have a reason for wanting to give someone a party; she just likes to give presents and have parties and would do so every day if I would allow it. Dan, always eager to explore new places and be given extra treats, was happy, too.
Dan is the only hamster that I have ever seen spring off my lap, at least four inches out and away, with his legs out stretched, as if trying to glide down the mere three inches to the floor and once he landed he ran with that hamster waddle just as fast as he could go. I was so surprised by this unhamster-like action and I laughed so hard I could barely move fast enough to catch him.
In the last few weeks, Dan has been putting on weight, not exercising at night, and preferring to nap rather than explore in his ball. This last week, he seemed bloated and rarely was awake. At nearly three years old, Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man, is rather old for a hamster and we began preparing for what was inevitable. Although it is a hard lesson, children learn much about life and death from pets.
Yesterday, it was undeniable that Dan was in his last hours. After church, the Princess ran out of her room crying Dan was dead. I held her for a long time and my husband got Dan out of the cage thinking of preparing him for burial, but Dan woke up and moved around a bit. He was very cold and moved little, but still alive. The Princess held him for awhile, in fact, much of the day. As he drifted off and we explained he was in his last hours and he would probably stay in a deep sleep. Again later she thought he had passed, we all did, however Dan was still just barely breathing, hanging onto life by a mere thread it seemed.
I watch my daughter go through the typical gauntlet of emotions that surround the death of a loved one in such a short time span, even though the day seemed to drag. The Princess came to terms with the idea of him passing, even to the point she desired it for him, but asked to stay home instead of going to Sunday evening service. As we waited, she prepared his burial box with art work and his favorite treats, a yogurt covered blueberry, strawberry yogurt chew, and a peanut. Later she watched his body struggle for every last breath, but he was in a deep sleep and not in pain. He passed away quietly and this time we were quite sure.
Our sweet Poofy Dan, the Mystery Man was buried with other departed furry friends in our back yard. This morning the Princess remarked that she thought it was odd that she was not that sad when we buried him. I talked to her about how, when anyone is dying and has no quality of life, that it is almost a relief when he finally passes on and this is a very common and natural feeling. She has cried some this morning, missing him, but she is doing well, as long as I do not press trying to do any lessons. Actually, neither one of us is in the mood for lessons today. I suppose I will do some errands since my husband is working from home and the van is available...and just maybe stop by a pet shop to take a look at small furry creatures....
~ Thank you, my Lord, for the smallest of creatures who live such a short time, yet leave a mark on a child's heart forever. ~
