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Mickey's Diary

August/September 2003

7th August 2003: Mickey developed bouts of paroxysmal cough for the past few months. It was thought to be due to an inborn weakness of the cartilage of his windpipe, causing partial collapse. His effort tolerance was not affected. He underwent a routine dental scaling at the vet clinic a month ago and the Vet said there was nothing to worry about. His collar leash was changed to a harness leash to avoid pressure around his neck. His cough remained unchanged.

On the 31st August 2003, he was noticed to be very breathless, even at rest. He was seen at the same clinic on the 1st of September. Heart worm was diagnosed with a positive antigen/antibody test kit. He was scheduled for anti-heartworm injection on the 8th of September


On 3rd September, he was seen to be even more breathless and decision was made to admit him to an animal hospital right away. Xrays showed enlarged heart, consistent with massive heartworm infestation. The plan was to relieve his heart falure and breathlessness with medication such as frusemide, aminophyline and steroid.


4th September at 6.30pm during our visit: Mickey was alert but still breathing heaviliy. He peed and pooed on the grass. Mickey was not trained for paper toileting. He was then placed on a chair in the waiting room of the animal hospital and he managed to eat 1/4 of a can of Caesar, bit by bit over a period of time.He was brought back into his cubicle and a little photo of the Medicine Buddha was placed on the wall of the cubicle. Siew Ying visited him at about 8plus pm and was initially refused permission as visit hours were over. She was allowed in after much insistence. She said that Mickey was breathing in short gasps.


5th September at 12.40pm: The vet informed that Mickey expired at 12.30pm of heart failure.

Jennifer took half day to claim the body and to spend an afternoon with her animal companion of 4 years. Siew Ying, too took half day off, rushed to MC to clean up and brought along to the animal hospital a yellow cloth with prints of Buddhist mantras to wrap Mickey's body.

Mickey arrived at MC at about 5.30pm. Venerable Kuan Ching arrived soon after. Recitations of Buddhist sutras were started. About 2 hours later, Mickey's eyes were still open. We decided to bring him to his home to help him accept his demise and to seek rebirth in the Western Paradise Pureland, where conditions are in place for Mickey to practise the Dharma to attain Enlightenmen for benefit all sentient beings.

Back home, he was placed in his sleeping basket with his legs wrapped around his favourite little bolster that he knew as "pillow". A favourite after-makan game was fetch-the-"pillow" but he would bite on the bolster and wouldnot let go without some force or he would hide with it under the chair, out of reach.

Buddhist sutras were recited by the people who loved him. Mantras were played from CDs and from a Mantra-playing electronic gadget. His eyes gradually close a quarter.

He spent a last night with Jennifer in her room with the aircon switched on. Mickey loved aircon and would pace excitely when the word "aircon" was mentioned. He would get "annoyed" when he was tricked with word "aircon" by Jennifer's mother and barkingly scolded her when he waited in vain in the room but no cool air came forth from the aircon.


6th September; 9.30am: Picked Mickey from his home. His body was still soft but a bit cold, probably from a night in the airconditioned room. There was just a hint of stiffness in his limbs. His eyes were still a quarter open.

10.15am: Arrived at MC. Venerable Kuan Ching, Jennifer and her mother recited sutras and mantras till 11.05am. When he was carried in a towel, blood-stained gel-like discharge from his nose and some faecal matter were noted. These were signs that his consciousness had left his body and his body was now a empty shell.

Venerable Kuan Ching sprinkled sandal wood powder, covering the base of the grave. Mickey was then lowered in, wrapped in a clean towel. Prayers were recited and we kneeled on the edge of the grave to bid him farewell. We told him to let go off all attachments in his life as Mickey and to move forth Amitabhba Pureland where the conditions so that he will be enlightened for the benefits of countless sentient beings caught in the cycles of sufferings.

And the butterflies came...first a whitish one , fluttering over the grave of Mickey and brushing on the back of Venerable Kuan Ching as she bent to touch Mickey for a last time, whispering to him..go to the pureland. Then a pair of yellow butterflies came along. Good bye Mickey.