Annie

[Cibach]

Well here I am again. This is the third time this year, well in the last 6 months actually.
Dearest Annie has left us. She was 5 1/2 years old and a fabulous piggy.
She was born at the Glynneath Guinea Pig rescue after her pregnant mum had been surrendered. She came to live with us at five weeks old along with her half sister Ethel, as companions for our first 2 piggies. She was a robust and healthy piggy with no health issues until 18 months ago when she lost her top incisors due to a bony infection. In reality we should have lost her then, particularly as it was quite swiftly followed by a nasty case of bloat. But being the super piggy that she was, she pulled through and went on to live well and happily until this Tuesday.
She had lost all 3 of her original companions and was living in a group with her new friend Sadie and our other pair of girlies, Marigold and Ruby, with Cecil, the foster piggy, next door. She became quite doddery on Monday evening and I stayed up all night with her. She came to The Guinea Pig rescue with us on Tuesday, as she always did, and was thoroughly spoilt with leaves and treats. When we returned home she was desperate to get back in the pen with the others so I put her beside the barrier where she spent most of the evening surrounded by the girls and leaning against Cecil through the barrier.
She wobbled to the food bowl at about 8.30 in the evening and began to call so I reached in and she climbed up. She curled up on my chest, tucked her head under my chin and just went to sleep.
How privileged I feel that she asked to be with me when she passed and how glad I am that she survived her tooth issues and bloat long enough to die of old age.
She was the last of our original 4 and is now in the flower bed with all her "sisters". We buried her in her favourite thing, a paper bag stuffed with fresh sweet hay.

Baby Annie.

[img]<a href=[/img]Annie in the grass tube by Gillian Clancy, on Flickr" />


And my favourite photo of all, Sleeping Annie. She really knew how to relax.

[img]<a href=[/img]The art of relaxation. by Gillian Clancy, on Flickr" />

So Good Bye, Dearest Annie, you were one of a kind and we miss you sorely.
Have fun at the bridge with Latte, Cappuccino and Ethel and I'm looking forward to seeing you all again when it's time.

[Catherine]

On no, poor, sweet, dear Annie. I am so sorry for your loss.

I remember you bringing her home with Ethel. Annie was such a character, I will miss hearing about her. Only a piggie with her strength of character would have carried on after her dental trouble.
She died as she lived, didn't she. She gave her love to her piggie companions, but she wanted to be with you in the end. You were her whole life and she was a happy piggie.

I will picture her body resting with her piggie friends in your garden while her spirit rejoices at joining her family across the rainbow bridge.

Annie may be gone, but she will always have a place in our hearts. She will always be part of our Forum history.
Goodbye sweet Annie, I will miss you.

[Tobi]

Dear Annie.
I am sorry for your loss. But Annie passed gently and peacefully, and cuddled up with you, and that is lovely. She also had some very happy last days by the sound of it. Bless her lovely little Soul.

[LPC]

Cibach, I am very sorry to read your news. I love the picture of her sleeping, which you added to your post. You will miss her, that is sure. But as Tobi says, it is great that she asked to be close to you at the moment of her passing. That is a true sign of love and closeness. No moment is more personal that that.

Run free with your friends, dear Annie!

[Cibach]

Thank you all for your kind words. It always helps to hear from people who understand.
It gave me a great deal of comfort to be with Annie at the end and I hope it did her as well. I've been able to be with almost all of the girls as they went and it is a special experience. I realise that not all folk would relish it, but the thought of someone so precious to us passing without knowing just what it meant to us saddens me. Only Ethel passed without being in direct contact with me and that was because she had to be PTS because of a horrible tumour. It saddens me that I wasn't there for her, but I realise that it was not possible and I hope she did too.

[Catherine]

I like to be there when I can. I find our little friends relax and let go quietly when we are holding them.
Your piggies are all very close to you. Being held by you would give them comfort and a feeling of safety and make make the passing over easier. Ethyl knew you loved her. The vet usually sedates an animal first so Ethyl would have been dreaming of you and her happy life with you.

It is so hard that our pets have such short lives. We have so little time with them. You have given your girls the very best lives possible with the time they have. They couldn't have lived better lives. It is hard for you to lose them like this, but I know you are like me. It is worth it to have the fun we did have with our piggies.

I am glad you were able to bond Sadie with the other girls so she is not alone now. All your girls are going to miss Annie, but I am sure Cecil will be a comfort to them.

A big hug from me and my piggies.

[Catherine]

Annie will be missed.

[Cibach]

It's more than a week now since Annie left and the pen is settling into a new norm. Cecil is still waiting (im)patiently for the opportunity to bond with the girlies. It looks as though it will be a week or so yet but surely before Christmas.
The girlies are still a bit quiet but gradually sorting themselves out and settling back.
Life goes on and I have had loads of piggy kisses and cwtches from my own piggies and all the piggies at the rescue. They really are a cheerful bunch.

[Catherine]

I am sure the piggies miss Annie too, but they do sort themselves out and settle into new routines. I noticed with my herd, they left a space for Lambert for awhile after he died. In particular, they left Lambert's spot empty.
I guess it takes them time to remember that their dear friend isn't coming back.

I am glad your girls are adjusting. Tell Cecil to hang on. It will be worth it in the end.

One of the beautiful things about guinea pigs as pets is how they comfort us even when they have had a loss. Maybe giving comfort is the same as getting comfort in some way.