Every loss is hard, my little poms are so special to me every one of them, but sometimes the losses are that little bit harder to take. It's taken me a few days to get Lola's memorial done as her loss hit me hard, I think because Lilly only passed three weeks ago, and her daughter should have had so much longer a life. Both my sweet little bright eyed girls are gone to the bridge now to join the pompom hamily running free. I haven't lost any of my adult hamsters before two years old since Jam died a week before his second birthday, and none I have bred have passed younger than two and a few months.
Lola was PTS on Monday morning, she lost her fight with Lymphoma and it was too cruel after a turn for the worse Sunday evening to keep her going any longer. The light went out in her beautiful bright eyes and I knew it was time to join Lilly again. Although not young, Lola was the youngest of that generation of poms with big brother Billy being the oldest, cousin Rolo next, and Lola not two till September. In my mind she would be here till around Christmas time, possibly into the new year, a happy little old lady called to the bridge one day quietly just as mum Lilly was. Sadly it was not to be, illness ravaged my girl and she fought harder than I could have ever asked her to. My Lo as she had always been shined through despite her ailing health right to that last night when I knew she had given all she could.
Lola was born to Lilly and Whizzbit 07/09/11, their second litter, four beautiful little pups two husky girls Lola and Rosa, a husky boy Archie and a little white boy Claude. All was well as it should be, Lilly did a wonderful job with them, and it was exactly the start in life you would hope for.
At three weeks old Lilly's pouched prolapsed, and she needed emergency surgery, Lola and Rosa moved in with Daisy and her daughters who were their cousins, Lo settled right in making herself at home.
Once Lilly had recovered, Lola was five weeks old, i had decided she would stay here as a permanent pom, so I moved her back in with mum, and it was the beginning of one of my loveliest pairings.
We had a little wobble as Lola hit puberty, and I moved her out for a few weeks as she was being naughty, but from five months onwards my gorgeous girls lived happily together sharing everything. Lola was growing, and growing, and like big brother Billy ended up a very big robo. She topped out at 44g at her biggest, and was the most beautiful fluffy ball with lovely colouring.
Lilly and Lola were most often found in the wheel relaxing when they weren't busy, Sometimes for Lilly not by choice!
As Lola was such a beautiful girl and had such a laid back temperament I decided to show her, i took her to her first show last year and although a little uneasy with the experience she did well and placed second behind Billy. I thought I'd try her again at a quieter show later in the year, and this time she made her feelings very clear. She screamed, ran up the judge's shoulder, then bit him!!!!! Lola had never bitten anyone in her life, so the point was well and truly made, Lola was not a show ham, and I never took her to a show again. The experience didn't bother her, a long cuddle when we got home and she was right as rain.
So Lola and Lilly lived together happily through last year into this one, Lilly was aging but doing well, she passed her second birthday, and I thought Lola would look after her mum into her old age. It was not to be, but it wasn't the way round I expected. The first sign something was wrong was from nowhere my gentle Lilly turned on Lola. I thought perhaps being an old lady, Lilly was nearing her time, and wanted to be alone perhaps knowing she was unwell before anything was obvious. She chased and bit Lo which for anyone that had ever met Lilly was such a surprise. I moved Lola out and in with Tallualh, again after just a day Lulah attacked Lola repeatedly over night so I took her out and put her on her own feeling slightly perplexed.
The next sign came shortly afterwards, a little pink patch of skin behind her ear, not too big, but Lola tore at it incessantly, breaking the skin. I kept her nails as short as possible to stop it, but she still scratched and the fur never came back. Almost over night a lump appeared, the size of a pea at the back of her pouch, within days it was the size of the unshelled nuts you get in harry hamster. I took her to the vet where they informed me it was Lymphoma and there was nothing to be done. Within a week another tumour the same size grew on the other side and I prepared to lose my girl.
Lola wasn't having that though, while I waited for the next tumor that would finish her off, Lo just kept being Lo, doing everything she had always done, just with the occasional fall as her the tumors totally changed her center of gravity. I felt so sad for her, but she didn't, she started her fight, and right till her last night she was my happy beautiful bright eyed girl. Every evening she would be up, eager, inquisitive, wanting to come out for a cuddle, bright eyed, full of life. determined.
The third tumor never came, but the cancer ravaged her body. She got smaller and smaller but to Lola she was just the same, and determined to keep being a pompom. I took her to the vet twice as i wanted to be sure my desire for her to stay wasn't overshadowing what was best for her, but no twice she came back with me to carry on a little longer.
Her last day was difficult. She had been able to climb everything and wheel still, she was falling, but could right herself, she was eating well, and still my shining little star. Something happened and suddenly she couldn't keep herself upright, her body couldn't even balance with all the megazorb pressed flat, and everything with any height removed. By the evening she was falling constantly and if I wasn't there she was unable to get up. I had her in with me and helped her into the small hours, first thing I called the vet and Mr poms and I took her down.
It was time, as I said the light in her eyes had gone. All the poms have such big beautiful shining eyes and Lola's were dull for the first time in her life. I held my girl close and told her how much I loved her, that it was time to go back to Lilly again, and I would see her when the time was right. In the end it took so little for her to pass, she was tired but such a fighter she wouldn't quite let go.
My beautiful Lo, you were the most gorgeous sweet natured adorable girl. I am so proud of how you grew up to be. I miss you and Lilly so very much, and I'm so sorry you weren't with me longer, and there was nothing I could do to help you. I cherished you every day, and am so glad your niece has grown into the image of you. Play well sweetheart another set of pompom eyes to remember when I look at the twinkling stars xxxxxxx
Last picture
Lola Pompom my bright eyed girl
Play well at the Bridge little Honey 17/5/13 and Peanuts 16/9/13, Play well at the Bridge too little Orchid 12/12/13
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