Be Free My Sweet Pea

 Pixel Pea

July 14, 2012 - March 24, 2022

Back when the world went crazy and the pandemic began, Pixel was suddenly diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We almost lost her that day in April 2020. 

We brought her home, thinking we would buy some time to love on her before her heart gave out or the pulmonary edema became too much. After all that's what happened to Confetti all those years ago. 

Instead my girl rallied and made it known she intended on sticking around a while longer. At her annual exam in January of this year she was still responding so well to Lasix every 12 hours and her heart sounds were perfect. If we didn't have the ultrasounds showing the damage, we wouldn't know she was sick.

A week later the Lasix started loosing efficacy. We changed her dose to every 8 hours and she was back to her tricks. Demands for love and snacks were answered often. She still washed my face every night at bedtime. 

In February we switched to every 6 hours and she remained stable. She caught a mouse! Then she was irritated that her dad took it away and dealt with it. Snacks made her feel a bit better.

Monday she didn't' want to leave bed. It was cold and icky out. I didn't want to leave bed either. She did make the rounds for food, potty, etc. Tuesday and Wednesday was the same. But Thursday she came looking for me and got as far as the end of the hallway and she collapsed. As soon as I had her in my arms, she let go. It was that quick. The vet said it was likely painless and as peaceful as things could've been. The edema was still controlled, so she wasn't drowning. Her body probably threw a clot or her heart just gave out.

Pixel is number eight on the list of losses our family has had since 2020 began. I haven't had the energy or time to blog about any of them because I have been so busy trying to deal with everything.

June 2020 my aunt passed; December 21, 2020 Victor von Bunn hopped suddenly across the Rainbow Bridge. Early spring 2021 FH's grandmother passed. June 2021 my mother passed; a week later a dear friend from Miniature Club lost her fight with cancer. December 22, 2021 my brother died; 17 days later my cousin passed after a sudden stroke.

And now my smudgy-faced angel is gone. I cannot even begin to describe how lost and broken I feel right now.