We made the decision to have our beloved Lola put to sleep. Lola was 7 months old and in the last three weeks has developed a huge tumour on her side and also in her lungs. Lola was a pet shop hamster who captured our hearts when we saw he sitting there with a big L on her band in the tank in the shop. We took her home and loved her. She started sneezing and hiffing when she was only four months and antibiotics never helped. On reflection we can see that this was the start of the tumour in her nasal cavity and lungs. She was never a healthy little miss but she made up for her problems with her wonderful zest for life, her placid beautiful nature and her lovely little ways. She is the most tidy of hamsters and likes things exactly her way. Calm and accepting her innocence touched your heart.
On her last night Lola celebrated Christmas because for her there will never be a first Christmas. She had a present and a special cuddle and her baby food. She knew she was loved and she knew why we will not let her suffer her pain anymore. Lola told me on her last night that she needed to go. I could feel her hurt, her difficulty in breathing her raspy breaths. She was constantly rubbing her nose, trying to get rid of the thing that is blocking it. Lola never bit but last night when I touched her side she bit me and I knew. She could not pouch and she carried every seed one by one to her store. She could not really eat them and her face was gaunt and skeletal. She was not our Lo. She had been stolen by a cruel illness way too soon.
The decision was hard, so hard, but you have to know, you really do and because we loved her we let her go before she suffers in a more intense way. There was no cure, we knew it.
Pophammy say why? It’s not fair.
Well no it’s not, but life is never fair and how do we come to terms with life being so cruel to one so young. There is no consolation, only the knowledge that we have done what we feel is right from love.
What have we learnt?
Not to buy a pet shop hamster? No never – she is ours, she is loved and we will do what is best for her not us. She has let us share her life and that life was worthwhile no matter how short.
That hamsters retain a beautiful temperament and nature in the face of unbelievable pain – Yes – I could never suffer what she must be going through.
When to let go – Yes…you WILL know and you have to. Never look back and never regret.
Lola's time came much too soon. We had to make the decision for her about when she should make her final journey when her tumour became to much for her to bear.
Lola's sweet, innocent, tidy little character will live here in our hearts forever but especially with her daddy who chose her because he just liked her little stripey, bandy face in the pet shop. She should have had so much more time to snuggle in his dressing gown collar but that was not to be. We always called her 'the bandy, bumble bee' which might help you understand the last line of Lola's poem.
Play well at the bridge our little lass
love Big D, Souffle, Pophammy and all the Custards
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Go now – for Lola
‘The light is too bright, I am scared, I won’t go’
‘Yes you can, do it now, just one tiny toe’
‘But why would I want too, I like it right here’
‘Step on now my sweet, there is nothing to fear’
‘Well I have felt quite bad with this thing here inside,
Are you sure you don’t want to come now for the ride?’
‘I will, on one day when my own time is come
But right now the little ones here need their mum’
‘I’m going now mum and I’m floating on air,
I see them all now waiting for little me there
I think I see Pawsy he’s calling to me,
Nelson, Red, Sonni and mother Bailey’
‘It’s not so bad mummy, but will you miss me?’
‘I will, but I wanted to set your life free’
I hope you don’t hate me for letting you go,
But I had to my sweet cause I just loved you so’
‘Now you be quite happy,
Will you wait for me?’
‘Yes I’ll be there,
By the bumble bee tree’
Lola
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