Goodnight Oakie

[Catherine Spark]

Our little hamster Oakie passed away at 2:12am on Monday 12th of December 2011. It was somewhat sudden but very serene and calm. He spent the night with us watching Q.I. Right to the end he was conscious, active, content, curious and affectionate. He spent his final few hours curled up peacefully on Catherine's warm, hot water bottled belly, enjoying tiny nibbles of yorkie bar, banana and milk. He was two years and three months old. We are thankful that it was so quick, and that we could be with him when it happened. Fly high Oakie - we love you!


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=955499634521&set=a.955484340171.2449485.61016939&type=3&theater

[Womblehands]

rest well little man, sounds like he went very peacefully which is what we all want as hamster mummy's..
Hope you are ok and keeping your spirits up, he had a fantastic life

[KatiePillow]

I'm glad he passed peacefully, as WH said that's all us ham-mummys want. It sounds like his last moments were lovely, and I'm sure you'll treasure them :)

RIP little guy

[Catherine Spark]

Thanks for your kind words :) As you have probably felt at some stage of hamster ownership too, the hardest part now is that neither of us have the energy or motivation to dismantle the cage, and Oakie's presence there is still very much felt - both a lovely thing and a very hard thing emotionally.

- When I've been cold today I've kept wondering if it'll be too cold for Oakie...and then I remember.

- When my hands specifically have been cold I've kept trying to warm them up so that if Oakie wants to come out he won't be coming out into freezing cold hands...and then I remember.

- When I turn my head and see his cage I keep wanting to go over and pet him with my finger through the bars, or expect to see him snuffling around or coming out to scoff his food and lap at his water bottle...and then I remember.

All hard things right now, but all borne of love, and all linking back to beautiful memories. We will indeed treasure all those memories as you say - he lived in an Oakie-ish way and he died in an Oakie-ish way, and as you say, what more can you wish for? We took his body to the vet's today as we are in the city. They said there is a cremation service that will collect him, cremate him and scatter his ashes in a designated park area, so we are very happy with that.

We plan to have a memorial service for Oakie sometime next week where we and friends/family will make a tiny rockery by way of a monument in the garden, show a brief video montage of pictures set to 'Bring Me Sunshine', release a chinese lantern balloon with messages written on it to Oakie, and eat some of his favourite foods (chocolate, peas, carrots, bananas, apples and milk).

We will probably also get another hamster before too long - sometime after Christmas when everything has had time to settle and we have thoroughly cleaned everything and put ourselves and our memories of Oakie back together a bit, and when we will be in one place for a reasonable length of time. Oakie has taught us so much. For an example of how far we've come see my very early post 'Ground Rules for Taking Oakie Out', I think it's called. We have come a long way since then...

Thanks again for your comments and sympathy, and we'll be back before long :D

[Humphrey Furball]

I'm sorry for your loss, it sounds as if Oakie's passing could not have been easier, and that he felt safe & comfy when it was his time. It is hard when you miss them, I hope the happy memories give you some comfort.

[Pompompoms]

Oakie passed so beautifully it sounds, surrounded by the love he had all his life. It is so so hard when they leave us, he'll be playing at the bridge with all the HC hams we miss so much, till it's time for you to meet again xx

[Catherine Spark]

Hi - thanks again, seeing these comments really helps each day :) Think I said 'goodbye' prematurely - it's good to be back properly even in spite of what's happened! Last night my partner and I looked at photos of new hamster arrivals and photo galleries here, and that really helped.

I had the experiences yesterday of going to bed without saying 'night Oak, be good, love you' which is what I said to him almost every night of his life. And the last two mornings I have had to wake up remembering what's happened, and that there is no little ham in the cage to gently stroke through the bars with my finger to check he's not hibernating...

But today I was able to go up and look at the empty cage with relative calm. Small steps...small steps.

[RachK]

RIP little Oakie. Sounds like he was a lovely little man.

[fluffymunchkins]

Sending my love, rest in peace Oakie xxx

[Catherine Spark]

Thanks, fluffymunchkins and RachK. The fond memories are starting to flow a little easier now, which is a blessing. Only teared up once today - not that it's a competion with myself :) Love to both of you too, and thanks for commenting/thinking of us and Oakie xxx

Update: Make that three times :')

[souffle]

Catherine I am so sorry to hear of Oakie's passing. He really did lead the most perfect life and you were lucky to have had each other for so long. His path was gentle and I'm sure he is still with you in your hearts.
Play well at the bridge Oakie xx

[Catherine Spark]

Thanks, Souffle x I feel as though you are someone who 'knew' him, since you guided us through most of his childhood (and my paranoia!) on here :) Our memories of him (and what this site did for him) will forever be treasured - thank you so much for your kind words.

[souffle]

I did know him Catherine and remembered him when I saw your post. I hope you will keep in touch and introduce your new baby when the time is right x

[Catherine Spark]

That's what's lovely and touching about this community x I definitely will keep in touch and introduce Benny, whenever we get him...and I bet you I'll be just as full of questions, panics and wonder as with Oakie! Take care :)

[Catherine Spark]

Argh...another big cry just now. I was remembering the last conversation over the phone with Mum when Oakie was still alive. It has made me cry, or want to, every time I have thought of it. He was lying with his eyes shut, motionless (except for breathing) and limp, on my tummy, while I stroked him gently. The love, the bond and the acceptance was searingly profound. I'm crying again as I'm remembering this...crying because of the beautiful bittersweetness of it.

"Do you think I'll get to see him again in heaven?"
"Yes."
"But some people say animals don't have souls. What if they don't? What if that means they can't go to heaven, and I'll never see him again?"
"Well...you believe that heaven is an all-good place, don't you?"
"Yes."
"In that case, it must have everything it needs. Yes?"
"Yes."
"So if Oakie needs to be there, then he will be."
"Yeah."
"So yes, I think you will see him again in heaven."

I never thought it was possible for such a bond to form between a human and such a little creature as a hamster. All through Oakie's life that bond grew stronger and brighter. By the end we were perfectly in tune with each other, perfect understanding, perfect peace. But I miss his spirit-and-opportunity attitude, and his determination, his communicativeness, his cheeky sense of humour and his utter trust. Put plainly...I miss his Oakishness. I can't yet imagine getting anywhere near as close to another animal again as I did to Oak.

But I treasure that. And I know that whilst there will never by another like Oak, and I can't imagine loving another as I loved Oak, I know there will be others that I feel that close to and develop a bond that strong with. I am so excited and happy about the idea of Benny...but it doesn't cancel out the plain reality that he is not Oak, I can't touch Oak or see his mischievous little face again in this life, and that I miss that a lot.

But just as I loved Oak for his Oakishness, I will love Benny and cherish him as he will be - for being Benny.