Pookie Makes His Transition at 2:33pm, on Friday 23nov07 (click photo for words)
Good-Bye Beloved Sri Pookie
------------------------------------
The first words Kim said when I answered her call on my cell phone two days ago, at 3:31pm on Friday Nov. 23, seared into my memory: "Are you sitting down?" – I immediately backed back into the parking lot and shut off the car's motor. I'll never forget what Kim then said:
"Pookie made his transition today at 2:33. It was very peaceful and he agreed that it was now time for him to move on."
I looked at my watch and the time was 3:33pm, exactly one hour after his passing.
I was in Sebastopol, a small town about 50 miles north of San Francisco, exploring the possibility of Kimi and I purchasing land there to move to when she retires in ~ 3 years. (Our dream is to live there for half of each year and the other half on the West Coast of the Big Island in Hawaii.) I had been there for a few days, staying with friends who live in a beautiful home in the rolling green hills outside of Sebastopol's delightfully picturesque and alternative town center.
When my iPhone rang, I was pulling out of the parking lot near Main Street where I had just eaten a delicious natural foods lunch at the East West Cafe. My plan was to stay Friday night with friends in San Francisco and then drive back down to our home in Marina del Rey on Saturday.
As described in the above article "Ode to Pookie," our beautiful male cat had experienced an amazing almost miraculous recovery after nearly dying a few weeks ago. Just hours before the euthanasia vet was due to arrive at our home, he had started eating, regained his energy and alertness and begun playing again with us and our other two cats, Sascha and Cindy. It felt like an answer to our prayers for time to say goodbye to him after his very sudden and unexpected near death experience. We spent a wonderful three weeks with him showering him with love and attention, and thanking him for all he had given us. We were constantly aware that his Veterinarians had warned us that his recovery was almost certainly temporary given the advanced case of organ degeneration they had discovered during his near-death crisis. But we kept hoping against hope that he was somehow going to continue to be with us.
He had recovered sufficiently for me to take the planned trip north and drive the 500 miles to SF and Sebastopol. But Kim had called Thursday evening to say that Pookie had once again stopped eating and we knew that if he didn't begin eating again on Friday he was in real danger of a relapse given his advanced case of Chronic Renal Failure.
After hearing Kim's words that Friday, I was again nearly overwhelmed with profound grief. Kim and I cried together for an hour long distance and I decided to drive home immediately.
I arrived a few hours later and Kim and I have been comforting each other and cherishing Pookie and Sascha and Cindy since then. Our dear sensitive female Siamese Sascha has taken it especially hard, crying all night and smelling again and again all of Pookie's things. She keeps staring at us with the most heart-rendering expression of uncomprehending despair at the sudden disappearance of her closest friend. And she's been uncharacteristically needy with us, following us everywhere and wanting constant holding and petting. Thank goodness Kimi had the intuition to get charming little Cindy a month or so before Pookie's first crisis so Sascha has a new kittie friend to distract her from her loss.
Enough said. I'll stop here and let Kim post her description of her last hours with Pookie.
Among all the profound gifts Pookie has constantly given us is now added a new opening of our hearts and a renewed awareness to the transient nature of biological life. Our lesson is to never take our loved ones for granted, to cherish each moment of our lives and relationships as if they were our last, which with Pookie they in fact were ...
Love to you all dear friends,
~ ronjon
Ron Jon Anastasia
__________________________
Pookie Eulogy
-----------------
by Kim on Sun 25 Nov 2007 04:24 PM PST
Our dear cat, Pookie, made his transition on Friday, November 23, 2007, at 2:33 p.m. PST. Ron introduced Pookie to this webzine several weeks ago (see Ode to Pookie - Oct. 30, 2007) when Pookie was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure. Pookie is an elegant and noble creature who hung on for a few more weeks, probably for the benefit of the humans he owned (Ron and me) and not for his own sake. He had rebounded after his initial hospitalization, but had begun declining again on Wednesday, November 21. On the morning before his passing, he would take no food or water whatsoever and he looked at me imploringly with those beautiful eyes and that powerful stare, and we both knew that it was time. I took him later that day to Advanced Veterinary Care in Los Angeles where his wonderful and caring Vet, Dr. Kobayashi, examined him and determined that his problems were advancing and there was now fluid entering his lungs caused by the insufficient pumping of his enlarged heart. Anything they could do for him would be palliative at that point. It was concluded that the best thing for Pookie was to put him to sleep as his condition could not improve and would only worsen. I didn’t want him to suffer any more than he already had. The decision was not an easy one and I prayed to the Mother for Divine right action and the highest good of all concerned.
His transition was a deeply moving and a very spiritual experience for me, the more so as I felt the Mother and Sri Aurobindo’s presence throughout. Dr. Kobayashi and the staff were extremely sensitive and caring. The process was quick and painless for Pookie. He was wrapped comfortably in a warm blanket and we laid him on his favorite soft sleeping cushion. Shortly before the injections began, Pookie began purring, which I took as a very good sign since he hadn’t purred the entire day (and he was a great and constant purrer). There were four injections and I’m not sure what they all did, except that one would help him relax. The last injection was an overdose of a barbituate. The process took only a couple of minutes. After his passing, I imagined that he was taken up in the Mother’s arms where I can see him still, sitting on her lap, purring. I know this is probably my own imaginings, but it comforts me to know that he is in a wonderful place now, surrounded by the Mother’s love.
The human animal bond is indescribably rich and Pookie gave us so much. He taught us about fairness and gentleness, patience and play, and unconditional love. He was a beautiful animal in every way and I especially remember the elegance of his sphinx-like stance and a clarity in his gaze. Since Ron and I discovered the work of Mother and Sri Aurobindo, and I mean no arrogance by the statement, we called him our Sri Aurobindo cat. Pookie always had the quality of the regal and the ethereal, like a great lion. He would often gaze out across some cat horizon, looking meditatively at who knows what, undisturbed by all that was around him unless there was some mention of food. In the presence of food, he became one great wag and delighted generally in everything edible. He reached 17 pounds as a result, but had slimmed down to 12 or 13 pounds in recent years.
Pookie also showed me that, during times of great pain or sorrow, there is the joyous opportunity to turn oneself over to the Divine and to allow the Divine resolution to flow through the human and manifest a hint of itself somewhere in matter. Perhaps Pookie gave of himself so the possibility of this might occur. It was only later that I realized his transition occurred during the anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s descent of the overmind. It was also nearly a full moon. An auspicious time indeed. This was certainly a Sri Aurobindo cat!
I suppose we will be learning and resonating from the experience of Pookie’s passing for a long time, and healing too. The nature of grief is mystifying, the more so as it exists so powerfully over the passing of a cat. Pookie, Pookie, Pookie. You elegant creature. You have given us everything and in the peacefulness of your passing, reminded us once again that in the end there is only love. . .
I love you, Pookie, always and forever, my big, elegant, adorable, beautiful white cat. May the hug of the Divine be ever upon you, and love always surround you. . .
~ Kim Anway-Anastasia
_____________
Reply
-------
Re: Pookie Eulogy
by RY Deshpande on Tue 27 Nov 2007 06:26 AM PST | Profile | Permanent Link
What a poignant eulogy for the exceptional creature! and what a piece!
Apropos of grief and pain with Pookie’s departure you might like to read the last paragraph in my article just posted at:
www.sciy.org/blog/_archi...3378135.html
RYD
------------------------------------
The first words Kim said when I answered her call on my cell phone two days ago, at 3:31pm on Friday Nov. 23, seared into my memory: "Are you sitting down?" – I immediately backed back into the parking lot and shut off the car's motor. I'll never forget what Kim then said:
"Pookie made his transition today at 2:33. It was very peaceful and he agreed that it was now time for him to move on."
I looked at my watch and the time was 3:33pm, exactly one hour after his passing.
I was in Sebastopol, a small town about 50 miles north of San Francisco, exploring the possibility of Kimi and I purchasing land there to move to when she retires in ~ 3 years. (Our dream is to live there for half of each year and the other half on the West Coast of the Big Island in Hawaii.) I had been there for a few days, staying with friends who live in a beautiful home in the rolling green hills outside of Sebastopol's delightfully picturesque and alternative town center.
When my iPhone rang, I was pulling out of the parking lot near Main Street where I had just eaten a delicious natural foods lunch at the East West Cafe. My plan was to stay Friday night with friends in San Francisco and then drive back down to our home in Marina del Rey on Saturday.
As described in the above article "Ode to Pookie," our beautiful male cat had experienced an amazing almost miraculous recovery after nearly dying a few weeks ago. Just hours before the euthanasia vet was due to arrive at our home, he had started eating, regained his energy and alertness and begun playing again with us and our other two cats, Sascha and Cindy. It felt like an answer to our prayers for time to say goodbye to him after his very sudden and unexpected near death experience. We spent a wonderful three weeks with him showering him with love and attention, and thanking him for all he had given us. We were constantly aware that his Veterinarians had warned us that his recovery was almost certainly temporary given the advanced case of organ degeneration they had discovered during his near-death crisis. But we kept hoping against hope that he was somehow going to continue to be with us.
He had recovered sufficiently for me to take the planned trip north and drive the 500 miles to SF and Sebastopol. But Kim had called Thursday evening to say that Pookie had once again stopped eating and we knew that if he didn't begin eating again on Friday he was in real danger of a relapse given his advanced case of Chronic Renal Failure.
After hearing Kim's words that Friday, I was again nearly overwhelmed with profound grief. Kim and I cried together for an hour long distance and I decided to drive home immediately.
I arrived a few hours later and Kim and I have been comforting each other and cherishing Pookie and Sascha and Cindy since then. Our dear sensitive female Siamese Sascha has taken it especially hard, crying all night and smelling again and again all of Pookie's things. She keeps staring at us with the most heart-rendering expression of uncomprehending despair at the sudden disappearance of her closest friend. And she's been uncharacteristically needy with us, following us everywhere and wanting constant holding and petting. Thank goodness Kimi had the intuition to get charming little Cindy a month or so before Pookie's first crisis so Sascha has a new kittie friend to distract her from her loss.
Enough said. I'll stop here and let Kim post her description of her last hours with Pookie.
Among all the profound gifts Pookie has constantly given us is now added a new opening of our hearts and a renewed awareness to the transient nature of biological life. Our lesson is to never take our loved ones for granted, to cherish each moment of our lives and relationships as if they were our last, which with Pookie they in fact were ...
Love to you all dear friends,
~ ronjon
Ron Jon Anastasia
__________________________
Pookie Eulogy
-----------------
by Kim on Sun 25 Nov 2007 04:24 PM PST
Our dear cat, Pookie, made his transition on Friday, November 23, 2007, at 2:33 p.m. PST. Ron introduced Pookie to this webzine several weeks ago (see Ode to Pookie - Oct. 30, 2007) when Pookie was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure. Pookie is an elegant and noble creature who hung on for a few more weeks, probably for the benefit of the humans he owned (Ron and me) and not for his own sake. He had rebounded after his initial hospitalization, but had begun declining again on Wednesday, November 21. On the morning before his passing, he would take no food or water whatsoever and he looked at me imploringly with those beautiful eyes and that powerful stare, and we both knew that it was time. I took him later that day to Advanced Veterinary Care in Los Angeles where his wonderful and caring Vet, Dr. Kobayashi, examined him and determined that his problems were advancing and there was now fluid entering his lungs caused by the insufficient pumping of his enlarged heart. Anything they could do for him would be palliative at that point. It was concluded that the best thing for Pookie was to put him to sleep as his condition could not improve and would only worsen. I didn’t want him to suffer any more than he already had. The decision was not an easy one and I prayed to the Mother for Divine right action and the highest good of all concerned.
His transition was a deeply moving and a very spiritual experience for me, the more so as I felt the Mother and Sri Aurobindo’s presence throughout. Dr. Kobayashi and the staff were extremely sensitive and caring. The process was quick and painless for Pookie. He was wrapped comfortably in a warm blanket and we laid him on his favorite soft sleeping cushion. Shortly before the injections began, Pookie began purring, which I took as a very good sign since he hadn’t purred the entire day (and he was a great and constant purrer). There were four injections and I’m not sure what they all did, except that one would help him relax. The last injection was an overdose of a barbituate. The process took only a couple of minutes. After his passing, I imagined that he was taken up in the Mother’s arms where I can see him still, sitting on her lap, purring. I know this is probably my own imaginings, but it comforts me to know that he is in a wonderful place now, surrounded by the Mother’s love.
The human animal bond is indescribably rich and Pookie gave us so much. He taught us about fairness and gentleness, patience and play, and unconditional love. He was a beautiful animal in every way and I especially remember the elegance of his sphinx-like stance and a clarity in his gaze. Since Ron and I discovered the work of Mother and Sri Aurobindo, and I mean no arrogance by the statement, we called him our Sri Aurobindo cat. Pookie always had the quality of the regal and the ethereal, like a great lion. He would often gaze out across some cat horizon, looking meditatively at who knows what, undisturbed by all that was around him unless there was some mention of food. In the presence of food, he became one great wag and delighted generally in everything edible. He reached 17 pounds as a result, but had slimmed down to 12 or 13 pounds in recent years.
Pookie also showed me that, during times of great pain or sorrow, there is the joyous opportunity to turn oneself over to the Divine and to allow the Divine resolution to flow through the human and manifest a hint of itself somewhere in matter. Perhaps Pookie gave of himself so the possibility of this might occur. It was only later that I realized his transition occurred during the anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s descent of the overmind. It was also nearly a full moon. An auspicious time indeed. This was certainly a Sri Aurobindo cat!
I suppose we will be learning and resonating from the experience of Pookie’s passing for a long time, and healing too. The nature of grief is mystifying, the more so as it exists so powerfully over the passing of a cat. Pookie, Pookie, Pookie. You elegant creature. You have given us everything and in the peacefulness of your passing, reminded us once again that in the end there is only love. . .
I love you, Pookie, always and forever, my big, elegant, adorable, beautiful white cat. May the hug of the Divine be ever upon you, and love always surround you. . .
~ Kim Anway-Anastasia
_____________
Reply
-------
Re: Pookie Eulogy
by RY Deshpande on Tue 27 Nov 2007 06:26 AM PST | Profile | Permanent Link
What a poignant eulogy for the exceptional creature! and what a piece!
Apropos of grief and pain with Pookie’s departure you might like to read the last paragraph in my article just posted at:
www.sciy.org/blog/_archi...3378135.html
RYD
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