How I found St. Thomas was a blessing in disquise. It was Friday June 5th, 2009. A weekly visit to the cemetary where my mother in law is laid to rest turned into a life changing experience.
This story however is not about the weak.. malnurished.. underweight.. filty ball of fur I found that day. This story is about the spunky.. loving.. trusting.. addition to my family that was called to heaven way to fast.
My husband and I decided to name him "St Thomas" (after the cemetary where he was found).. and decided to nickname him Tommy. Within the first few hours he was with us he befriended our two cats Bella and Dexter, Pete the guinea pig, and Zeus our Rottie/AussieShepard mix. His first night home he would not stop crying. I am someone who loves sleep so this was a challenge for me. I stayed up that night..holding him to my chest, listening to the soft purr that rose from the warm little body. Tommy and I bonded that night.
For the next few weeks Tommy grew. Not just physically, but mentally and socially as well. Tommy bonded with my husband and each night when he would come home from work Tommy would climb up on the couch and curl up next to him. He was adjusting well to life in our home and we were adjusting to having him in our home.
Everything changed though on Father's Day. We woke up and realized Thomas had an upset stomach. He was mopey, a little more tired than usual, and just seemed sad. We kept an eye on him and decided first thing Monday morning he would go to the vet. As the day pregressed Tommy's symptoms seemed to get worse. My husband sat up all night with him, gently dropping water into his mouth to keep him hydrated. Monday morning came and Tommy went to the vet. She took x-rays (his belly was swollen and was surronded by fluid) and decided to keep him and give him IV antibiotics and IV fluids. His tempature was low so she thought a heating pad might perk him up a little bit. We were told to call that afternoon to see how he was doing.
At 2:00 she called us. "He is doing better, you can come pick him up". She told me that he needed some TLC and it was best to keep him warm. She also said he should eat some baby food and get plenty of water.
We got Tommy home, set him on his heating pad, and sat on the floor next to him. Within a few minutes he began to cry. I picked him up, craddled him to my chest, and he passed away. My husband took him from me, held his ear to Tommy's chest and confirmed it. Our little St. Thomas was gone. The little orange cat who came to us so unexpectadly and stole our hearts will always be remembered and never forgotten. May he Rest In Peace.