Today is my 15th Birthday...

Hi Friends,

It's me, Idgie.
Today is my 15th Birthday and my Mommy was so excited that I was going to be 15 years old. She would have had a BIG party for me.

But today, I will celebrate my 15th birthday with my sister Savanna and all of my other angel friends here at Rainbow Bridge.

Today, while my Mommy was in our backyard, she began to talk about me. Just at that moment, I sent that beautiful orange and black butterfly her way again - she almost landed on my Mommy. I wanted Mommy to know that I WAS THERE and that I KNEW she was talking about me. I have sent her other signs, but she wasn't sure....but today she was! I know it....She knew it was me and that I love her.

I miss you Mommy and I love you so much....But someday, we WILL be together again. You have to trust God and believe what He promises....and everything will be okay for us. Remember Mommy....God ALWAYS keeps His promises.

I will still have a fun and exciting and beautiful day today, because I am with my sister, Savanna, that I have missed so much while she was in Heaven and I was still on earth. Four years is a long time to be apart from someone you love. So, Savanna and I have alot of catching up to do.

I will say "see you later" for now Mommy...
I know you are doing something nice with Jordan and Patches today, because you all miss me. So I hope you have a little fun too.

I love you so....
Idgie xo xo xo

My littlest heart...

Dear Idgie,

I remember that very first day at the Humane Society. The place where I got your big sister, Savanna. I went back with Savanna five years later, because she told me that she wanted a sister...and I wanted one for her.

The lady at the Humane Society was insistant upon you. No matter what other fur kids Mommy looked at, she kept bringing me back to you...."What about Peanut?" she'd say. I didn't want you. I always thought that little dogs were yappy and fresh. She changed my mind really fast when she told me that you were being put to sleep that day if no one took you home. There was NO WAY that I would turn away from you after she said that.
Of course, from that moment on, you were my little heart. Off to Dr. Farr we went....from then on...you were HER little Pip! She loved you. You were such a little toughy! So little, yet you packed so much punch. You were sweet and kind and gentle - yet tough when you needed to be.

Peanut? Peanut? You were no Peanut! You needed a new name, with a new Mommy, and new and wonderful memories. After Dr. Farr, we took you and Savanna out to a pumpkin patch. It was October 21, 1993 and we needed to celebrate somehow. So why not take you and Savanna pumpkin picking?!
When we got out of the car and you began PULLING me through the pumpkin patch, I watched you, and laughed out loud. The first thing that came to my mind that reminded me of how you behaved was the movie Fried Green Tomatoes and the main character, Idgie Threadgoode. I looked at everyone and shouted - "SHE IS IDGIE THREADGOODE!" You made Mommy laugh so hard.

You definitely proved to be exactly like Idgie Threadgoode. Calm, sweet, beautiful, precocious, wild, free, strong, amazing, and STRONG willed.
You ran this house, from the moment you entered it.....and Savanna let you. I think Savanna was just as entertained with you as I was.

I told you all of these stories all the time, especially the week you were so sick - because I always wanted you to know how special and important you were. God MEANT for you to be mine, Idgie. You were MEANT to be, in every sense of the word.

I can remember when you were so young and little, and I used to lay on the floor and you would roll around in my long hair, and get tangled up in it. You would scratch my hair and bite it, and I would laugh so hard. You were so fiesty!

Soon after this, you wanted to see what life was like across the busy street. You squeezed between the spindles of our deck and jumped out - and got hit by a car. When Mommy saw you lying in the road, I didn't know what to do. I knelt over you, so that no other cars could hit you, while some people came to help. You were bleeding from your nose, your mouth, and your heiney...and things didn't look too good. We rushed you to the hospital and they told us that you had internal bleeding and a broken hip and shattered pelvis. They told me that IF you lived....IF....you would probably never walk...and IF you walked, you would absolutely positively NEVER hold your bladder. HA HA! You showed THEM who was in control. God blessed me and I got a second chance with you. The first day of trying to teach you to walk again, they told me to wrap a bandanna around your waist to support and steady you while you TRIED to walk. Silly Mommy! You jumped OUT of that bandanna and ran through the grass and went potty. You never had trouble holding your bladder either. It was a miracle. If Mommy never said anything, no one would ever have guessed that you weren't supposed to live, weren't supposed to walk and were supposed to go pee pee in the house for the rest of your life. Not even a limp!

Lovey Love... I miss you so....

You went through everything with Mommy. You helped me when Grandma Faye (my Mom) was dying. You helped me when we lost your Uncle Wayne (my brother) that you adored. I wonder if you are dancing for him now? You were always his favorite and he was always yours.
If I didn't have you when Savanna passed away, I would have died. It was YOU, Idgie, who carried Mommy through that.
You helped me through losing Grandpa (my Grandpa)two years ago and Grandma (my Grandma) three weeks ago.

You were so strong that you never showed any signs of being sick. You were beautiful! Your checkup was beautiful and your blood work was perfect. Even your kidney levels were perfect. What did I miss, honey? What was it that Mommy didn't see? Everytime one of you even looks at me funny, I take you to the vet. What did Mommy overlook? How did this happen to you?

I miss my little face. I miss your little chocolate eyes and your black liquorice nose and lips, and I miss kissing all of them, and telling you how much I love them. I miss kissing your little paws and telling you that you are my princess. I miss kissing your little ears, and telling you that you were a little piglet if they were dirty. I miss stepping out of the shower, and you sleeping on my bathrug. I miss watching you eat, PASSIONATELY! You loved to eat and you loved your food...and you ate it with passion. I used to love to sit on the floor, after I put yours and Jordie's bowls of food down, and just watch you eat. Yes! Mommy enjoyed watching you eat.
I miss kissing you goodnite and saying "Good Night and God Bless You, Idgie - Mommy loves you with all of her heart." I miss waking up and looking at you and saying, "Idgie, we have another day together!"

What will I do? What will I do without my little face? My sweetest little heart? My shining star?

Your Idgiemobile - SUV - 3 wheeled stroller sits in the garage, waiting for you to take a ride in it. Your bed waits for you to lay in it. Your sister Jordan waits for you to snuggle with her. Patches waits to follow you around, because she is so unsure of herself. We wait Idgie....but there is no Idgie. My heart feels like it is going to explode. I have no tough little Idgie to help me make it better - to help Mommy to be strong. I don't know if I can do this. I just don't know.

All I do know is that I love you and miss you so. And all I really do know is that I just don't know.

In the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, Idgie Threadgoode says "A heart can be broken, yet keep right on beating just the same."

Tell me, my Idgie, how does that happen? How can a heart be broken, yet keep beating just the same?

Idgie is in Heaven

Dear Dogster Friends:

It is with a heavy heart that I write to all of you, to let you know that my sweetest little face, Idgie Threadgoode, went to Heaven today at 2:30 pm.

Our vet, Dr. Dorothy Farr and Vet Tech, Kim - helped us to send Idgie to Heaven. Dr. Farr has been taking care of my Idgie, since the first day that we brought her home from the Humane Society. We love her and thank her for her beautiful kindness and compassion that she has shown to our Idgie, Savanna, Jordan, Patches, and Kelly-Anne and myself also.

It was very peaceful for my beautiful Idgie...
I kept telling her how much I love her and she looked into my eyes until she went to Heaven. We brought Idgie home, and buried her in our yard, in the wildflower garden. Idgie was, after all, her Mama's little Wildflower.

My heart is broken.......just broken.
Please keep us in your prayers...we so desperately need them.

Love,
Sandra (Idgie's Mama)

Please light a prayer candle for Idgie...

A precious friend has set up a candle page for my sweet Idgie.

Please visit the page and light a candle and say a prayer for her. You may have to copy and paste.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l= eng&gi=Idgie

If this doesn't bring you to HER page - under GROUP NAME type the word IDGIE.

We don't need anything but prayers and love.

Thank you and God bless every single one of you,

Sandra (Idgie's Mommy)

My Sweetest Idgie - I love you, I love you, I love you....

Dear Friends:

Thanks for all of the love, support, and prayers everyone...
I was a mess today and didn't want to leave Idgie without a person with her while I was at work. Thank God I work literally 18 seconds from home, and was able to come home every hour and a half to check in on her. Finally, by 12:30 this afternoon, I came home and just stayed. I couldn't bear to leave her.

Our friend Andrea, who babysit's Idgie and Jordie when we go to Jamaica is going to watch Idgie tomorrow while I'm at work until 2:30 pm...and then Thursday, Idgie's Nana is coming from Jersey City - to babysit Idgie on Thursday and Friday. Thank God for the long weekend. I am blessed to have Monday off.

She wasn't doing well this morning and I was afraid that I would have to take her in to our vet and put her to sleep. She hadn't eaten all day again...
But by 2:30 pm, visitors began stopping by to see her, and she hopped out of her bed and was barking at the door. She makes my heart skip a beat. She is so amazing, strong, and so very beautiful.
Everything she does, she does with grace.
I have been giving her painkillers every 6 hours instead of every 8, and this seems to help her so much.
I was running upstairs to our bedroom to grab something, and when I turned around, I saw her with me at the top....14 stairs!!!
I immediately blocked off the staircase. I want to carry her so in case she gets dizzy or weak, she doesn't fall down them.
But again, I just couldn't believe she came up all of those steps.
I tried to feed Idgie everything under the sun, but to no avail. She didn't want it. Then I broke out a package of free range chicken wrapped around carrots that she loves, and cut them into tiny pieces. She ate it, and enjoyed every second of it.

Idgie is telling me NO. She isn't ready. "It's not time yet, Mama."
I am not selfish with my baby. I love her with all of my heart and soul - but I could never keep her here and let her suffer.
I'm sure she will let me know when it's her time.

Everything in Idgie's life has always been on IDGIE'S terms. A hug, a kiss, a snuggle, EVERYTHING. She is my queen and when she speaks, Mama listens. So, I suppose that this will also be on Idgie's terms. I'm sure it will be a most graceful exit - as SHE is most graceful.

My precious and beautiful and sweet baby, Idgie.
I love you, I love you, I love you........with all of my heart.

Love and God Bless You,
Your Mama who loves you.

Please pray for us...

Dear Friends,
This is Idgie's Mommy and I need lots of help from all of you.
Idgie loves to eat, and yesterday she wouldn't eat anything. Today, I took her to our vet to see what was wrong. Dr. Farr told us that she felt a mass by Idgie's spleen. She called the hospital an hour away and asked them to please take us because it was an emergency. The specialist was about to leave, but stayed to see Idgie. We got to the hospital, and they took Idgie in for an ultrasound. When the vet at the hospital came out, she told me that Idgie has primary neoplasia and metastatic neoplasia of the liver. The tumors are cancer, and are aggressive. They called them Hemangiosarcoma, and said that at any time, they can rupture and Idgie would die. Even if they don't rupture, they said that it won't be long, because of the aggressive nature of the cancer.
They wanted to put Idgie to sleep right there, but I told them that I trust MY vet, because she has been taking care of Idgie since the very day we brought her home from the Humane Society.

After they were finished speaking with my vet, I called her from my cell phone from the parking lot at the hospital. She told me that Idgie is "okay" for right now, and that as long as she remains comfortable, there is no reason to put her to sleep immediately....but if anything changes, that I should bring her in, and we'll proceed from there.

My heart is broken. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks ago that my Grandma passed away. Idgie has almost the same exact cancer that my Grandma just died from....right down to the tumors blocking her left kidney.

Five years ago, we built our house next to my Grandma and Grandpa, so that as they got older, I could take care of them. Two years ago my Grandpa passed away, and now 2 weeks ago, my Grandma, and now this is happening with my baby, my Idgie, who is tougher than nails - yet sweeter than apple pie.
What will I do without my Idgie? I am angry, terrified, and broken. Just when I felt like I couldn't handle one more thing, this happens to my baby. I would never be selfish with her, and make her suffer because I don't want to let go. I could never hurt her that way...I just love her so much. Idgie is the song in my heart, the sparkle in my eyes, and the air that I breath. How will I live without her?

Please, please pray for my Idgie baby. Please ask God to keep her comfortable. Please ask God to help keep me strong, because I am so weak right now.

God bless all of you who have been such wonderful little friends to my baby.
Love,
Sandra (Idgie, Jordie, Savanna, and Patches Mommy)

My Great Grandma is going to Heaven soon...

Hi Friends:

We have some bad news to share.
Our Great Grandma (Mommy's Grandma) who lives in the house next door to us is going to be going to Heaven soon.

Our Great Grandpa went to Heaven two years ago, and Grandma misses him so much, and Mommy says that Grandma wants to see him really badly.

The doctors told Mommy last week that Grandma has something bad called a tumor, on her liver - and another tumor in her pelvis that is entirely blocking her left kidney. Both of the bad tumors are really big and can't be removed with surgery, and Grandma doesn't want something that Mommy called - Chemotherapy. Mommy says that Grandma has 3 more months to spend with us.

We rescued a little poodle from a puppy mill when Grandpa went to Heaven, and gave her to Grandma so she wouldn't be so lonely. Her name is Patches and she is my best friend. Patches is going to come and live with us when Grandma goes to Heaven - so that she won't cry and be lonely. Mommy and I feel so sorry for poor little Patches, because before Grandma had her, she was never loved in her whole 3 years of life. She didn't even know her name. Her only purpose was to produce puppies for them to sell. She didn't even know how to hug when we brought her home. Patches sure is loved now...and our Mommy will make sure that Patches is always loved and cherished when she comes to live with us. Then Patches won't just be my best friend - She'll be my SISTER!

I love my Great Grandma so much. She is always very nice to Jordie and I - and gives us lots of hugs & kisses and back scratches! She always spoils us.
Grandma promised all of us that when she gets to Heaven, she will give our sister Savanna (who is an angel) a big hug and a kiss from us - and she also promised that she would help Grandpa and our other Grandma (Mommy's Mom) to take good care of Savanna.

That made us feel good, because we all miss Savanna very much. But we are all still very sad. We don't want Grandma to be so far away from us.
Mommy promised us that someday, we will ALL be together in Heaven again, and that once we are all there, no one will ever make us be apart from each other again.

Wow! Kidney levels are NORMAL! ???

Hi Friends! :)

Just wanted to say that I hope everyone is having a great summer! I sure am!
I have wonderful news to share too!

We went to Dr. Toll and she did blood work on me...
The next day they called to tell Mommy that my Kidney levels were NORMAL!!! That's right - NORMAL!!!

We are very, VERY happy! It looks like the holistic food sure is doing it's job!
Hooray for me, Idgie! Hooray for Merrick Holistic Food, and Hooray for Innova Senior!!!!
I will be 15 years old on October 21, and I STILL don't even have cataracts yet!
Now, that everything is going smoothly - I can get back down to business with my FUN in the SUN!

Take care my friends!
Love and Hugs and Kisses too,

Idgie Threadgoode xo xo xo

My birthday party ROCKED!!!!

Hi everyone! Idgie Threadgoode here!

Just want to let you know that my party was INCREDIBLE!
We had grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, and carrots!!!
Then we had our pupcakes for dessert! They were great! My pupcake had a birthday candle on top. Grandma, Mommy, Mommy Kelly-Anne, Jordan, and Patches all sang Happy Birthday to me and then Mommy blew out the candle for me!

Wanna here something funny???
I ate all of my yummy birthday dinner, Jordie ate all of hers and some of Patches' dinner....
Later that evening... Jordie was passed out on the couch and woke up long enough to throw up everywhere!!! Hee hee! What a lightweight!
The next day, Grandma told us that Patches had the poopies EVERYWHERE!!!

Me? Are you wondering about me? Well, I slept and snored like a little LUMBERJACK!
What's wrong with these kids today? They just can't take anything! Little babies!!!

Are you wondering about my kidneys from my last diary entry?
I am doing wonderful! I am happy and I feel great! I love my food - and Mommy found out that she can still put some of my Merrick Senior Medley in it....so of course it still tastes great! Dr. Farr says that as long as I maintain my new diet - I will be fine! YiPpIe!!!
I am 14 and I run around the house, and jump up onto the couch like I am 3 years old!
Somebody has to keep this family in line, right?!

Oh, and if you are reading Jordan's diary too.....I AM NOT THE BEDHOG!!!
Jordan is the bedhog in the family.
The Mommies are going to Jamaica and I'M TELLING AUNTIE ANDREA, that Jordie is the BEDHOG and that SHE should be put on the other side of Auntie Andrea!!! Sheesh! Little sisters! What a pain in the rump!

I love Jordie though. After all, I picked her, so I can't complain!

Talk to you soon! Thanks for all of your prayers for me when I didn't feel good! I am as GOOD AS NEW now!!!

Love,
Idgie Threadgoode xo xo xo

Tomorrow's my BIG day!!!

Yippie! Tomorrow is my 14th BIRTHDAY!!!

I love my birthday, 'cause my Mama SPOILS me!
Tomorrow we are having my birthday at our house with J0rdan, and my Great-Grandma's (Mama's Grandma) dog Patches!

Mama is cooking us Salmon on the grill outside, with mashed potatoes, carrots, and green beans! I love that!

Then Mommy Kelly-Anne is baking special Banana Pupcakes - just for furkids!

I can't wait!!!

My poor Mama spent the week upset over me. I wasn't feeling too hot, and I went pee pee on the floor 4 times on Sunday. Then Monday night, we just came in from going potty outside and Mama put me on her bed, and I went pee pee on the bedspread. Thank God Mama was right there and none got onto the sheets or the mattress! I was very embarrassed and felt bad for Mama.

She took me to the vet on Tuesday night with a pee pee sample. I have to say one thing about my Mama....She is the BEST pee pee catcher I ever did see in all my days. I was outside and squatted to go potty, and before I could say "Hey, Whatchadoin" she had the pee pee tray under me! Oh well - what can I tell ya - she's quick! They should have a pee pee catchin' contest - Cause I just KNOW my Mama would win it!
I have to embarrass her once in a while - just to show her who's the boss!

Anyway, off to Dr. Farr we went... Dr. Farr was even impressed with Mama's pee pee catch! I got antibiotics for what might be a urinary tract infection and then last night - I had to get a boo boo in my neck so they could get my blood to test. Everyone told me what a good girl I was!!!
The vet called with my blood results today - and Mama was so happy she almost cried. My bloodwork is good.....certainly not the bloodwork of your average, going to be 14 years old tomorrow girl!

Dr. Farr said I have the very very beginning of Kidney problems, but that by the time most furkids are diagnosed with this they've already lost 75% of their kidney function! Dr. Farr said that I am very lucky and that I have a good Mommy and that as long as we follow this special diet, I will be okay.

Mama went online for hours last night and found me good food; stuff she's never heard of. She wants to lower my protein intake, but the recipe she was given had NO FRUITS OR VEGGIES in it like my Merrick.
So Mama consulted with lots of people she knows on the internet and she got my special food from Waggintails.com. One is called Wysong and the other one I think, is Canidae...both have lower protein with fruits and veggies and lots of vitamins and minerals that I really need.

I know that my Mama loves me, 'cause she told me and Dr. Farr that she would do ANYTHING for me - ALWAYS - no matter what.
I'm glad my Mama loves me - 'cause I really love her too and I think she ROCKS!

I'll tell you more after my birthday party!!!

Love & Hugs & Kisses too,

Idgie Threadgoode ( The BIRTHDAY Girl)