Yesterday, Anna and I went to pick-up Jake's ashes, collar and lease. Ok, Anna only knows what two out of three of those things are. Explaining cremation to an almost four year old is not going to happen.
Anna was also given the chance to talk with Jake's vet (or Jakie's Doctor - as Anna calls her). I will give the vet and her staff credit, you could tell that even three days later, they were all shaken by Jake's sudden death. I also learned in a conversation with one of the techs, that our vet tried for 20 minutes to revive Jake. Again points in her favor.
Back to Anna and her chat with Jakie's Doctor. It went well, the vet also asked Anna how she felt and what were the good things that she liked to do with Jake. Anna had a couple of questions. Here are the questions and the answers (please study them in the event you chat with Anna in the near future)
Q: "Jakie's Doctor, why did Jakie die?"
A: His heart stopped working. We don't know why, but sometimes that happens.
Q: "Where is Jakie?"
A: In dog heaven with Remmie (who passed away Sept. 2008 - and no, she hasn't forgotten about him)
Q: "I want Jakie. I want to see Jakie."
A: You can see Jakie every night that isn't cloudy. Jakie is now one of the stars up in the sky.
Q: "Jakie's Doctor, which star is Jakie?"
A: The brightest star and you will know in your heart which star that is.
Anna, being an almost four year old, was quickly distracted by the office cats. She was even allowed to go back into the office area to see one of the cats that was napping on a chair.
We left with some closure. I know that in times when she is very tired or upset she will be crying out for Jake. But it is what it is and we keep moving forward.
1 comment:
Props to the vets on that one, and to you for taking her back over there.
Tough stuff.
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