Romeo, My Love

We buried Romeo on Friday.  It was one of the toughest decisions Ryan and I have made as adults and parents.  No matter how much you prepare yourself you are never quite ready.

He had multiple health issues this past year but remained his typical self until these past two weeks.  Luke accompanied me and Ryan to the vet and together we watched him pass peacefully.  Liam choose to stay home, but we all joined together in the burial and each placing a memento with him.

Many of you helped us in his care when we went out of town and I thank you for that.  Considering all the changes in his life we count our blessings that he stuck with us for so long. 

His first night sleeping in our apartment.

In 1999 he somehow convinced us to take him in one snowy March night in Blacksburg.  He would jump up on the window sill (pictured behind us) and meow to be let inside.  His usual entrance into the apartment was through either the front or back windows.  We named him Romeo as he would flirt with every college girl on our street.  He then moved with us, staying at my parents house for two months as an indoor cat until we bought our current home.  My parents grew very attached to him during this time. My mother noted that he would cry to her to come watch him eat.  There was always food in his bowl but he just wanted company while dining and he was insistent to the point of belligerence. 

Blacksburg Days

One of my favorite photos of him as a youngster.

In 2002 he was caught playing in traffic and was hit by a truck.  A Good Samaritan, Brenda, his angel, rushed him to Animal Control who then took him to West Frederick Vet.  I will always be grateful to Brenda, Dr. Mike King and the doctors at both the vet and overnight hospital who helped put him back together.  Our Grandparents Collins came and stayed with us for a week shortly thereafter and helped with his convalescence at home.  

Romeo recuperating after his accident

He then survived the arrival of one puppy named Oszkar, as well as two babies, Liam followed by Luke.  He put up with the daycare children for six years only ever scratching them when they pulled his tail really hard. 

Romeo was the type of cat that loved to explore and we'd often get calls from people telling us this very skinny and friendly cat was visiting them at their house.  We'd either go retrieve him or if it was a short distance we'd tell them just to send him on his way and eventually he'd arrive back home.  

He spent most his life as an indoor/outdoor cat until about two years ago when he tried to move in with a neighbor who feeds strays.  After numerous times retrieving him from the neighbor's porch we finally sealed up the kitty door and he soon became my lap cat. The past nine months he has shared a bed with Liam (Liam moved into the "guest room-Romeo's room").

Our family has taken this very hard.  Romeo has been with us from nearly 17 years and our house will feel very different.  

Here are two of the last photos taken of him on Thursday. I didn't have the heart to take any on Friday.

Peace be with you Romeo.  You will forever be a loving part of our family. 

Part 1 and Part 2 of the Romeo Diaries

Baby Photo Session by Frederick Maryland Photographer

Here is a sneak peek of a photo session with a little man yesterday, October 31, 2011.  Snow was still on the ground from our surprise weekend weather event.  And yes, I do like to use real props.  That is Romeo my darling pumpkin cat.

The Christmas Season

It's Christmas time and I should be rushing around cleaning, making grocery lists, doing laundry and readying for an after Christmas trip, but instead I was stopped in my busy tracks upon reading this excerpt of a following email:

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for the card with the wonderful photos. You have real talent. I am amazed at how big your boys are and I am glad that Romeo is doing well. I think back on the day I helped Romeo and how two or three other folks stopped to help also. There are good people out there.

I will sign the writers name for you....Guardian Angel. 

Seven years ago on a Thursday afternoon on her way home from work a woman by the name of Brenda was driving home to her Greyhounds dogs when she spotted my cat on the side of the road.  Two other Good Samaritans were turning their car around as they had just seen Romeo hit, no run over, by a truck.    Brenda and these two other people (never found out who they were) took it upon themselves to try and contact me (this is before I had a cell phone) and then Animal Control to get Romeo help.  Brenda knew he wouldn't have time to wait for the officers to come retrieve him so she drove out-of her way to deliver him to animal Control, who then took him to a local Veterinarian.  The following is an unedited description of Romeo's Story as I briefed friends and family in a slue of e-mails during those days and weeks that passed.

And just an aside, I have sent Brenda Christmas cards each year with a note of Romeo's health and well-being.  This is the first time I had heard back.  If interested in his story start reading October 3, 2002 and then continue with The Romeo Diaries.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday!  (and yes, Romeo is sitting here beside me as I write this)

The Romeo Diaries

October 6, 2002


Dear Romeo Fans,


When we visited him today he was much more alert and his breathing had stabilized. We showed up just in time for him to be feed so they let us do the honors (he was very interested in this!). Yesterday when my mother and I saw him he was really out of it, and would not take the tuna water I offered him (his favorite treat). He had just woken up from being under anesthesia for cleaning and rewrapping of his hind leg (so he was a little confused). So we were extra happy to see him eat today.

In the pictures attached you will see him wrapped up! His hind leg which is wrapped is the one with the fractures, the patch on the middle delivers some strong painkillers and his front paw is wrapped up for the IV.

Again today the nursing staff commented on what a nice cat he was and how they are really getting attached to him.

Monday he goes in for surgery. I'll try and let everyone knows how it goes on Monday night. Thanks to everyone for their encouraging words and prayers. So far I think all of our prayers have been answered.



Love,

Andrea

October 8, 2002

Dear Friends,

We just got home from visiting Romeo. He was able to keep his hind leg and it is now in a cast that will stay on him for the next month. His whole rear is shaved due to the hip surgery and he doesn't have a very good sense of humor about the whole thing (yet!). We can bring him home on Wednesday.

Meanwhile I talked to the officer that took him to the vet that night and he said the citizen that found him did most of the work. She offered to drive him to Animal Control after finding him on the side of the road. I hope to contact her to thank her. She is our guardian angel!

Sorry about the super big photos last night. Hope they didn't bog down your machines.

To our hotmail friends-yours did not go through for some reason, but we sent some recovery pics.

Andrea



Romeo on Wednesday, October 9, 2002

First night home after surgery.

October 9, 2002

I picked him up today from the vet and they all said he was eager to leave. He is back to ol' restless self (although right now he is finally sleeping) and he has even started grooming again. I tried to put him in his new bed we got for him, but he squirmed out of it. He is pulling himself across the floor with his front legs and tries to stand up, but the cast is too cumbersome for him to do this. He has not yet eaten tonight so I hope to entice him with food later. The vet said there is still a chance that we would need to amputate the leg if he doesn't heal well with it.

In the meantime his guardian angel called tonight. Her name is Brenda and she came upon him right after the accident. Another couple had pulled over to check on him after they saw the truck hit him. They put him in Brenda's red sports car, made many phone calls and then she drove him to Animal Control talking to him the whole time. She said when she said his name he looked at her and tried to scoot closer to her. She said she then knew he came from a good home. Brenda lives in Sharpsburg, right outside of Shepherdstown where Ryan and I went to college. Apparently she has saved many animals on her long commute through the country.

Love, Andrea


October 30, 2002

The "Romeo Diaries" continue... (Thanks Debbi for idea for the title)

Romeo had his cast removed today and now has a nice hunter green bandage on the leg for the next 3-4 weeks. It still takes up his whole leg but I suspect it is lighter. He was just getting used to navigating with the cast and now that they put something new on him he will have to adjust to it. There are two wires sticking out of his hock about 3mm in length which will probably require one more surgery to fix (but they are covered by the bandages). Otherwise he is doing well and will still probably keep the leg.

In the meantime he has been bugging me to go outside again. I keep opening the door to show him all the cold rain we have been getting. I don't think his short-term memory is very good, because he'll bug me about 3 minutes later to go out!

All is well!

Andrea



November 21, 2002

Dear Friends,

Seven weeks from the day that Romeo was hit he has had his cast taken off. He is cleaning his leg as I type! It looks strange (skinny and weak) but he'll regain movement in it soon. One more minor surgery in 3 weeks to cut the exposed wires. As long as he adapts to it we are in the clear. He even has feeling in one of his toes that he wasn't able to feel at the last visit.

In the meantime I need to prepare him for our annual Christmas card. What to do, what to do....

Andrea



December 11, 2002

We have a new ornament to put on the tree this year. A vile of Romeo's pins and wires from his leg. Dr. King thought we might like to keep them in remembrance of all we have been through these past few months. The surgery today was a success and relatively easy. No metal was left in him-he feels like a natural kitty.

Love, Andrea



February 27, 2003 sent on February 28, 2003

Autobiography as a Haiku

October 3rd. People arrive home and turn on the TV to watch the sniper news unfold. I arrive home to do the same, but instead listen to two messages on my machine saying, Romeo, our cat has been hit. He is still alive. My husband and I spend the next week transporting him to and from the vet’s office and the overnight hospital. I visit him everyday. In the lobby at the vet’s office I pick up the paper, which I haven’t had time to read all week. I think, “What is this world coming too?” Then I remember the compassion of three good Samaritans that stopped to aid my cat. My faith is restored.



October 3, 2002

Saturday, October 5th, 2002 5:00am

Dear Friends and Family,



On Thursday evening I got home later than usual to find several disturbing messages on the answering machine regarding Romeo. He had been hit by a car in the train station parking lot across the road from our home at 4:30pm and was luckily rushed to a veterinarian in Frederick by an Animal Control Officer. Ryan happened to arrive home as I was on my way out the door (in the biggest tizzy I have ever been in).

When we arrived at the vet’s office we learned of his injuries and of the fact that he might not make it through the night. He was hit in the rear with one hind leg (right?) severely fractured, a broken pelvis, and a dislocated hip in the opposite hind leg. He also had a slow leak in his lung, which caused him to pant. The shock that he had faced was one of the biggest concerns.

Unfortunately the vet’s office does not have overnight care, so at 7:00pm on Thursday we had to transport him to the Overnight Emergency Room 30 minutes away (45 from home) and then transport him back to the vet’s in the morning. When we arrived with him swaddled in towels and heating pads we met with the Emergency Room doctor and learned in more detail (to my shock) the true extent of his injuries. She sent us home at about 8:30 pm telling us she would not call in the night unless it was a true emergency. We finally got to bed and at about 11:00 the phone rang. We were both sure we had lost him. She told us that there was blood in his urine and that she had to tap (suck out) air from his chest several times. I didn’t sleep after that.

By 5:00am on Friday morning he was doing better and his urine had run clearer. Ryan transported him back to the vet’s office where he recovered for the day. I got to see him at 5:00pm and the doctor and I discussed surgery for his hip, pelvis and fractured leg. If he does not regain feeling in his fractured leg, they will amputate, but honestly that is not the biggest concern for me. In my mind a three-legged cat is better than no cat. I really like the doctor who will perform the surgery. Dr. King has a wonderful bedside manner (with both us and Romeo) and truly likes this cat (as does every doctor and nurse we have come in contact with).

Romeo is now at the Overnight Emergency Room where he will stay until Monday morning. I just called and he has been eating and is comfortable sleeping with his head on his favorite wool sweater.

For those of you who know him, you will understand why he is so important to us. He is a member of the family and changed our lives the moment he showed up at our doorstep the day we moved into Blacksburg. During our time in graduate school he taught us it was okay to slow down and take a nap. We are depleting his college fund to pay for this (he didn’t want to go anyway) and also our hardwood floor fund. So we’ll be spending another year with pink carpet, but at least Romeo will be on it!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially on Monday when we plan to have his surgery! Love to all and remember to kiss you furry friends every day!

Love,

Andrea & Ryan