Rest in peace, Chewie. I love you so much and I'll always think of you!!!
I don't want to keep crying but I have to update it all now.
My guinea pig, Chewie, died last night... sometime between 3 am and 8 am. Around 2, I noticed he had his head resting on his hay bowl, and I kept calling his name but he wouldn't raise it. I moved it a little and his head gently lowered. So of course I pulled him out and God, it was so sad. He just wouldn't lift his head... I put him on the floor and it was like how a turtle walks. Held him for a bit and he chirped, I think. But I was scared he broke his neck (I had put his wet food plate on top of the hay bowl, and it was kind of pushed over, propped against the bowl when his head was resting on it. I re-created how it was a bit ago and I don't think he could have broken his neck -- it's not likely he could have when he was less than 2 inches from the ground, right?) so yeah, I put him back in his cage and he simply laid there and wouldn't move at all. I even had tried to put my finger in his mouth and he didn't even move his teeth. Something was really wrong.
Anyway, I placed a washcloth under him to make him more comfortable and get his head away from the bedding, which is always a bit dusty. And I sat and stroked his back very lightly and told him how sorry I was and how I hoped so much that he wasn't in pain. "It's okay if you need to go, if you die. I'll really miss you being right next to me --- But it's also okay if you get up in a bit and run around and are your back-to-normal, happy self. If you want to go, you can. I understand." And of course he just laid there and I stared into his eye (eyes on guinea pigs are really far apart, so looking at him head-on, you'd only see one eye at a time.) and bawled my eyes out. I turned on Ashitaka and San from Princess Mononoke (the soundtrack), which I played 7 years ago for my dog Sadie, the night before she would be put down due to renal failure. It's a beautiful calming song and it obviously did the trick.
I ended up sleeping downstairs because I didn't want to hear him cry out, if he was in pain. And because I was crying super hard and well, that would be annoying for him. And to keep checking up on him would kill me. So downstairs my dog Lexi was with me and she hates when people cry (just like Sadie!). Lexi jumped halfway on the couch and let me hold her and cry on her for a while. Then I'd calm down, then I'd start to cry and she'd repeat the same act. She's a very loving dog and it really helped a lot. When my dad came down at 8 am, I told him and asked him to go upstairs. The fact that he was up there more than a minute told me and when he said "Yep, he's dead." I basically screamed in tears. "I know you didn't like him, but he was always there with me and he was my best friend and I misssss hhiiiiiimmmm"
When I got up the courage I went to my room to make sure he really wasn't breathing (I did the same thing when I was little and my gerbil had died) and no, Chewie wasn't. He was laying flat out with his back legs spread out. And his eyes were almost shut all the way (it kind of scared me to look into them). But he hadn't moved from where I laid him earlier. It was obvious, like my dad said that he looked peaceful. I didn't pet him -- asked my dad to get him. He put him in a plastic bag (with his toy bunny, he's gotta be buried with it!!!) and then
- awww, my dog just came into my room. She's laying behind me and she even smelled Chewie's cage and food -
Okay, then put him in a shoebox. He's sitting on the laundry drying rack because I won't let Dad just let him sit outside in 20 degree weather. Oh, which my dad lovingly said the ground is frozen and he doesn't know how we'll bury him without machinery. I said "I'm going to bury him, I can do it, and you can't stop me!" Dear God, when did I turn into a child?!
Sitting here, I keep hearing little cracks. I have no idea what from (maybe his bag of hay, or pellets) but every time I hear it, I look over to see an empty cage. It's just killing me. So is my crying. I've been going on and off since 8 and there are times when the crying gets intense. Mom says to get out of the house and do something to get my mind off this (come to the healthplex, I have free passes for you and Dad today!) like we did with Sadie. It'll help, but dear God I don't want to burst into tears when I'm working out. My face is already blood red, along with my eyes. Very fun being a red head.
Chewbacca, or Chewie was born sometime, probably, in April in 2006. He was just 2 months old when I got him. He died today, January 8th, 2011. Almost 5 years old. So close. But yet, he died too soon. I tried my best, especially the past 2 weeks where I even had to help him go potty because boys lose strength there in their later years. Ugh, that was horrible, but I wouldn't have cared if I had to do it for another year. Hope he had a good life, and I hope he enjoyed himself. I pray he enjoyed me at least a little bit. I'll miss his wheeking for his treats and wet food, and him coming up to me, touching my nose when I opened his cage and put my head down. His awesome hair-do and his constant nipping. I love him so much and I miss him so much. Rest in peace MeSiEUR Schew-ie. That was my lame comedic attempt at French for him.
Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie! (That was a commercial for the 'Chewy' granola bars, and they sang Chewy over and over. I used to sing that to him a lot too. Hahaha) The sun peaked through the dark, gray clouds early this morning and it looked beautiful shining against them and the snow. I think it was a sign that he was in a better place; guinea pig heaven!
My guinea pig, Chewie, died last night... sometime between 3 am and 8 am. Around 2, I noticed he had his head resting on his hay bowl, and I kept calling his name but he wouldn't raise it. I moved it a little and his head gently lowered. So of course I pulled him out and God, it was so sad. He just wouldn't lift his head... I put him on the floor and it was like how a turtle walks. Held him for a bit and he chirped, I think. But I was scared he broke his neck (I had put his wet food plate on top of the hay bowl, and it was kind of pushed over, propped against the bowl when his head was resting on it. I re-created how it was a bit ago and I don't think he could have broken his neck -- it's not likely he could have when he was less than 2 inches from the ground, right?) so yeah, I put him back in his cage and he simply laid there and wouldn't move at all. I even had tried to put my finger in his mouth and he didn't even move his teeth. Something was really wrong.
Anyway, I placed a washcloth under him to make him more comfortable and get his head away from the bedding, which is always a bit dusty. And I sat and stroked his back very lightly and told him how sorry I was and how I hoped so much that he wasn't in pain. "It's okay if you need to go, if you die. I'll really miss you being right next to me --- But it's also okay if you get up in a bit and run around and are your back-to-normal, happy self. If you want to go, you can. I understand." And of course he just laid there and I stared into his eye (eyes on guinea pigs are really far apart, so looking at him head-on, you'd only see one eye at a time.) and bawled my eyes out. I turned on Ashitaka and San from Princess Mononoke (the soundtrack), which I played 7 years ago for my dog Sadie, the night before she would be put down due to renal failure. It's a beautiful calming song and it obviously did the trick.
I ended up sleeping downstairs because I didn't want to hear him cry out, if he was in pain. And because I was crying super hard and well, that would be annoying for him. And to keep checking up on him would kill me. So downstairs my dog Lexi was with me and she hates when people cry (just like Sadie!). Lexi jumped halfway on the couch and let me hold her and cry on her for a while. Then I'd calm down, then I'd start to cry and she'd repeat the same act. She's a very loving dog and it really helped a lot. When my dad came down at 8 am, I told him and asked him to go upstairs. The fact that he was up there more than a minute told me and when he said "Yep, he's dead." I basically screamed in tears. "I know you didn't like him, but he was always there with me and he was my best friend and I misssss hhiiiiiimmmm"
When I got up the courage I went to my room to make sure he really wasn't breathing (I did the same thing when I was little and my gerbil had died) and no, Chewie wasn't. He was laying flat out with his back legs spread out. And his eyes were almost shut all the way (it kind of scared me to look into them). But he hadn't moved from where I laid him earlier. It was obvious, like my dad said that he looked peaceful. I didn't pet him -- asked my dad to get him. He put him in a plastic bag (with his toy bunny, he's gotta be buried with it!!!) and then
- awww, my dog just came into my room. She's laying behind me and she even smelled Chewie's cage and food -
Okay, then put him in a shoebox. He's sitting on the laundry drying rack because I won't let Dad just let him sit outside in 20 degree weather. Oh, which my dad lovingly said the ground is frozen and he doesn't know how we'll bury him without machinery. I said "I'm going to bury him, I can do it, and you can't stop me!" Dear God, when did I turn into a child?!
Sitting here, I keep hearing little cracks. I have no idea what from (maybe his bag of hay, or pellets) but every time I hear it, I look over to see an empty cage. It's just killing me. So is my crying. I've been going on and off since 8 and there are times when the crying gets intense. Mom says to get out of the house and do something to get my mind off this (come to the healthplex, I have free passes for you and Dad today!) like we did with Sadie. It'll help, but dear God I don't want to burst into tears when I'm working out. My face is already blood red, along with my eyes. Very fun being a red head.
Chewbacca, or Chewie was born sometime, probably, in April in 2006. He was just 2 months old when I got him. He died today, January 8th, 2011. Almost 5 years old. So close. But yet, he died too soon. I tried my best, especially the past 2 weeks where I even had to help him go potty because boys lose strength there in their later years. Ugh, that was horrible, but I wouldn't have cared if I had to do it for another year. Hope he had a good life, and I hope he enjoyed himself. I pray he enjoyed me at least a little bit. I'll miss his wheeking for his treats and wet food, and him coming up to me, touching my nose when I opened his cage and put my head down. His awesome hair-do and his constant nipping. I love him so much and I miss him so much. Rest in peace MeSiEUR Schew-ie. That was my lame comedic attempt at French for him.
Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie, Chewie! (That was a commercial for the 'Chewy' granola bars, and they sang Chewy over and over. I used to sing that to him a lot too. Hahaha) The sun peaked through the dark, gray clouds early this morning and it looked beautiful shining against them and the snow. I think it was a sign that he was in a better place; guinea pig heaven!