Year 2005 Tributes

For pet names beginning with "N".

Nena was the most special man in my life before I met my husband(sometimes even after!). He was my BEST friend, and was just like me!(Loving, Caring, Funny, Moody & Honest) The day before Hurricane Jean 9/25/04 a speeding car raced by our house leaving him in the road for dead. I noticed I hadn't seen him for 15 minutes or so, and called for him outside, but he didn't come. We hadn't moved our trash can in from the previous days pick-up, and it had blocked my view of him laying in the road left for dead! I felt something was wrong, but still couldn't see or find him. I had sent my husband across the street to look at a new car my neighbor had just bought, and right there in the middle of the road, there he was! Just laying there paralyzed, and his beautiful head half crushed by that damn speeding car! My husband initially thought he was just rolling around scratching his back, like he did on the sidewalk everyday, but when I heard the scream of my name from outside the house, I KNEW. I had felt it 15 minutes before Gary even screamed for me! My other 2 cats which were indoors, knew too. They kept crying sooo loud at the front door and at the window. They knew too. They looked up to him like a daddy. Nena, however was still alive, barely breathing. My father in law rushed down the street and gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation, and lifted him into his car, and they drove away, without me. My husband said he did not want me to remember Nena that way, as I lay in the grass crying/screaming at God. I was so hurt, angry, I wanted to die myself. I found my car keys and made it to the vet office to see a fire truck and an ambulance there. You see, Nena was not a cat, he was our son, so humanlike. ( Not like our other cats) I ran into the doors thinking they were going to take Nena to the real ER (for humans) but what I found as I entered the front doors was my husband surrounded by paramedics, with heart monitors, etc. He went into shock, causing him to have a small heart attack/ or some say anxiety attack. The technical terms don't really matter, the point is I almost lost him too. They put me in a room ALONE and told me Gary would be okay, BUT I needed to make the decision of letting Nena go to Heaven or letting Nena go to heaven. Basically, no choices were given. He was so injured the doctors said not any amount of money would save him. He was on a life support system, the last time I saw him. Gary standing beside me with a heart monitor on as well, I had to decide to let Nena go in peace with no more pain and suffering. I held him for one last time, and told my "HOONDINIS"( he loved to be called that!!!!) But I had to look in his eyes as he looked in mine so helpless and say my final Goodbye. WE have still not gotten over the loss of our Nena, it has been almost a year, in 3 weeks. We still cry, laugh, and I talk to him through the stars almost every night. After the hurricane passed, and the damage was done, I decided to look at puppies!??! Don't know why, but something lead me there. We researched a few dogs we thought we might like to have, and the one and only my husband was adimate about NOT getting was a Shih-Tzu. He said they looked like snobby old women dogs!! Well, of course the first dog I find in a puppy store, is an 8 wk old female Shih-Tzu. I fell in love at first site! She was so funny & playful& loved me. Really LOVED ME! Gary said no, I want to see other dogs and especially ones that weren't Shih-tzus!!!!!!! THIS WAS WAR now. After looking at over 50 different puppies all over Orlando, I couldn't get her(Lucy) off my mind and I decided to have her held overnite for me, behind his back! he next morning decision time came, and Gary's mother had already seen Lucy and loved her too!

2 against 1! We won. I got Lucy, the shih-tzu. By no means has Lucy taken any love/memories in my heart away from my Nena, But boy has she filled it with so much more than I thought I was capable of giving. Just when you think you can never love again, God gives new love/life in a different way, this time a puppy named Lucy Mae Yappel. She is the highlights of my days and nights, and is there for me just like Nena always was when I needed a friend or just someone to play with or have dinner with! If you have ever seen the movie "dragonfly", this might get you. here is this same Blue dragonfly on my door and always outside playing with Lucy. She doesn't try to kill it or harm i, she just plays and plays with it. This Dragonfly has even followed us down to my in-laws house which is 9 houses away and returned back with us to my house. It's just weird, maybe I'm crazy but I think it's Nena having fun with Lucy, and letting me know that it is okay to love again. He's up there watching out for me and his daddy, and he knows that there could have never been a more loved cat than HIM!

We Love and Miss You Nena.

We will meet you at the Rainbow Bridge someday!

May you always watch over us and Rest in Peace.

So Much Love Always,

Mama & Daddy

Our beloved friend,
Oh how we miss you. We will forever cherish the time we had with you...16 wonderful, happy and loving years. We will never forget the last night we spent with you...what a gift from God.
I know you are in a better place, but it hurts just the same.
We love you with every ounce of our being!
You will always be our FOREVER FRIEND.
We love you, little bear!

Brian and Londa

Dear Nikki,
Six months have passed since we had to say good bye. We miss you so very much. Words cannot describe how much you were loved and needed. You were more than a pet to us, you were our best friend. We will never forget you and we hope to see you one day on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Love,
Mom and Dad