In loving memory of my sweetest Boo

I wrote the following a few days after my little hero Boo (my best friend who also happened to be my pet chinchilla) passed away. She was trying to hold on to her life for six months. Went through 3 operations, dying during the fourth. For six months I fed her through a syringe and hoped for the best. For six months I cried to sleep and prayed to God to save her. Of course, it was two months before Val's death and back then Boo's death felt like a huge tragedy in my life. I think in a weird way what I experienced with Boo somewhat prepared me for scarier things to come.

"I wish I could express what I'm feeling right now. I guess I could say that I'm feeling empty. As I stare at a picture of my beloved baby Boo on my desk I feel sadness and despair, because my mind still didn't adjust to the idea that she's gone. She passed away on January 10th on an operating table. Her poor little heart couldn't handle anesthesia for the fourth time in a little bit over 6 months. Poor Boo began having teeth problems after she had her baby and no matter how hard I tried to cure her - everything failed. I can't believe that I'll be coming home and my sweet little fur ball won't be jumping up and down from happiness that her mom is home.

Boo taught me so much. She taught me how to love something selflessly and how to enjoy every moment. Even though she suffered terribly for the past six months, she always appeared joyous and never showed that she was in pain. Her poor little feet were always cold. Boo became very skinny and would sleep under my sweater for hours trying to warm up. I wish I held her more. I wish I knew how little time we had together. I wish I kissed her little nose before she went to the operation. I know it's better that she died this way, asleep and not knowing what was going on. I hope that she never realized that she died and her furry little spirit still runs around the house and waits for me to come home. And if not I hope there's a chinchilla heaven where thousands of little chinchillas run around beautiful mountains and eat as many raisins every day as they please. Sweet dreams my dear baby. I'll never forget you!"