A couple years back I asked all my friends to pray for a young woman who was fighting a rare form of aggressive cancer. The reality was that she was dying but she fought so very hard to stay on this earth as long as she could with her husband and their three small boys. She was and is a fighter. At one point the two of them held hands and decided no more tests or trials. Her frail body was done and as tears flowed the decision was made. So surrounded by family and friends she gave up her spirit. Some people may say that cancer won – no cancer caused her death but cancer did not win. She is still very much a part of the lives of her children, husband and friends through their memories and the loved they all shared and sometimes incidents that happen in their lives…
My daughter Jeanette and Roseanne always sign up to walk in Relay for Life. Roseanne is a survivor and I’m a fighter so it means a lot to both of them to participate. Julie is a dear friend and they were with her during her final journey. So it is for Julie as well they walk in her honor. On Saturday their town featured the walk and they of course walked the course. At some point in time they saw a tiny black ‘something’ on the sidewalk ahead of them and as they got closer they saw it was a kitten. Jeanette told Roseanne if the kitten was still there when they finished the walk she was going to pick it up and take it. There must have been hundreds of people who walked past the kitten that morning but no one did anything. So upon their return Jeanette picked up the kitten, and the two rushed of them rushed the kitten to their vet and had the kitten checked out. The kitten was dying but the vet stated that if it gets through the weekend it has a good chance of survival. So he gave the kitten a shot, dewormed her and also gave them a heating plate with coverlet. The kitten’s body temperature was very low and needed to be raised and it was dehydrated and hungry. It weighed one pound. So supplied with medication, food, warming device and the love of animals Jeanette and Roseanne were ready to take on the care of one of God’s littlest creatures. The vet was very honest with them and stated he would be surprised if she made it through the night. The vet doesn’t know the determination of both Jeanette and Roseanne!
The kitten did well during the night and continues today. Apparently she has strong vocal chords of meowing and her purring resounds throughout the room. She enjoys eating and she drinks her water as well. She loves the heating comforter with the dish and of course the snuggling she receives as well. They shelter her from their other cats as she recovers. Their one female dog has adopted her and takes care of her in her way. The litter box proved a bit of a challenge. She placed her front paws in the box but failed to bring up the back half. Oops. Fortunately she figured it out and now places her whole body in the box.
Jeanette and Roseanne both believed that their friend Julie had a part in them finding this kitten. After all hundreds of people passed it by and yet Jeanette and Roseanne took it home. Both of them were at Julie’s side during her dying process and she knew of their love and devotion to all living beings. This little kitten was frail and dying just like Julie in her last days but Julie knew they could save this kitten or if it failed to survive it would be surrounded by caring, loving people. So because of that they are naming the kitten Ricci; (pronounced Reese’s) meaning forever strong in Norwegian. The symbolism of this is so profound on many levels.
Ricci is still not out of the woods yet. They will be taking her back to the vet this weekend for further check-up. But the reality is that this moment brought Julie into their lives again in her own unique way. This little ‘peanut’ of a kitten has been given a home filled with love and nurturing that Julie knew it needed.
I can envision Julie giving a wink to God and believing God and the angels in heaven are smiling.