Good-Bye Sweet Piggie

Our week began on a very sad note today. Our sweet piggie, Ginger, has not been herself for the last few days, and after we discovered a large amount of blood coming out of her bottom last night it was decided that a trip to the vet was in order today. 

The staff at Tufts Veterinary Hospital were completely amazing, and quickly discovered that she had a very large uterine tumor inside her. Since she was so very old, and had lived such a truly fabulous life the girls and I made the very hard, but very right, decision to say our good-byes and let her go on to the great Guinea Pig garden in the sky. The kindness, compassion and guidance of the Tufts staff is a true testament to why they are the best of the best. We are so eternally grateful to have entrusted this moment, and her final ones, to this team of professionals. We are so thankful to live so close to this incredible institution. 

 The hardest thing about today was that the girls learned first hand that you can make the (hard) choice to say good-bye. I had prepped them prior to leaving for Tufts that there may be "big decisions" that we'd have to make, and that they'd get a say in the decision making process. We had recently watched an episode of "All Creatures Great and Small" where a horse had to be put down and it was then that we talked about how sometimes the most kind and compassionate thing you can do for an animal is to help them let go. Thankfully we were able to refer to that today, and I truly believe that helped these two sweet girls as they made this very hard, very big decision. I'm also pretty sure that I watched them grow right before my eyes at Tufts today, too. 

 And so tonight, our family ends this day slightly smaller than it began. The picture above is one that I'd forgotten about until our dear, sweet friend, Alexandra, posted it on my Facebook timeline this evening. All three of our pets who've passed on are in this beautiful picture of the girls meditating in the evening light. Who knew at the time how truly special this picture would be? We are taking comfort in the notion that Ginger is reunited with her beloved sister, Parsnip (who passed June  2014) and with our sweet old pal Albert, too (who we said good-bye to March 2014). Good-bye, sweet piggie. You will be very missed. Say hello to Parsnip and Albert for us. xo