The Dead (no, not James Joyce's)
My fish Ariel zal passed away last night.
Husband saw him in the morning and buried him (don't ask where, I don't know, and won't know until a long time so I don't cry every time we pass). He couldn't even tell me. I asked what of Ariel, that was supposed to be shlepped to the biggest specialists today, and was like "how to say..." and I knew.
I spent last afternoon calling up vets and being laughed at (you want surgery for your fish?..) by some and directed to ultra specialized places (neuro surgery clinic??). In the end we had two places to go today: Jardin des Plantes - where dad brought my frog 15 years ago and they saved her even though they thought my dad was CRAZY OFF HIS ROCKER as they're quite the cold type (dad called them Nazis) - and Porte Dorée Aquarium where they have other arothrons and vets who can deal with fish and won't lol away.
In last resort, we had a specialized vet who could come from Marseille, but between commute (almost 800 km/ 500 miles) and surgery (we may have social security but it doesn't cover pets! yet?) I cannot image the cost. Still my mom was saying we would pay if needed.
But now... as my mom said on the phone, now he's in heaven. I've cried all morning and I still cry every time I think of it or hear a word related to him (like "cube", or "coffer"). I am not cut to have pets, what can I say.
This has certainly awoken memory of the passing of my frog Nina zal who passed on my birthday (!) 11 or so years ago, as today is dad's birthday may it be a kappara. I cried for a week and didn't eat for days. My father was too surprised to think of inventing a story to cover up her disappearance as he did with her "husband" Mi-Cassis zal, or as my mom did with my turtles Gilberte zal and Caroline zal or my goldfish Do zal, Ré zal and Mi zal. Or my grandparents' dog. Or the neighbour's dog. Etc.
Rest in peace Ariel. Thanks to all those who tried to help in any way. Those of you who cared in any way have a big zechus because all life is holy. I am thanking especially my husband for the support and the tehillim and the burial out of my sight, and husband's cousin, a vet with twin newborns (!) who still gave a lot of her time from afar.
Husband saw him in the morning and buried him (don't ask where, I don't know, and won't know until a long time so I don't cry every time we pass). He couldn't even tell me. I asked what of Ariel, that was supposed to be shlepped to the biggest specialists today, and was like "how to say..." and I knew.
I spent last afternoon calling up vets and being laughed at (you want surgery for your fish?..) by some and directed to ultra specialized places (neuro surgery clinic??). In the end we had two places to go today: Jardin des Plantes - where dad brought my frog 15 years ago and they saved her even though they thought my dad was CRAZY OFF HIS ROCKER as they're quite the cold type (dad called them Nazis) - and Porte Dorée Aquarium where they have other arothrons and vets who can deal with fish and won't lol away.
In last resort, we had a specialized vet who could come from Marseille, but between commute (almost 800 km/ 500 miles) and surgery (we may have social security but it doesn't cover pets! yet?) I cannot image the cost. Still my mom was saying we would pay if needed.
But now... as my mom said on the phone, now he's in heaven. I've cried all morning and I still cry every time I think of it or hear a word related to him (like "cube", or "coffer"). I am not cut to have pets, what can I say.
This has certainly awoken memory of the passing of my frog Nina zal who passed on my birthday (!) 11 or so years ago, as today is dad's birthday may it be a kappara. I cried for a week and didn't eat for days. My father was too surprised to think of inventing a story to cover up her disappearance as he did with her "husband" Mi-Cassis zal, or as my mom did with my turtles Gilberte zal and Caroline zal or my goldfish Do zal, Ré zal and Mi zal. Or my grandparents' dog. Or the neighbour's dog. Etc.
Rest in peace Ariel. Thanks to all those who tried to help in any way. Those of you who cared in any way have a big zechus because all life is holy. I am thanking especially my husband for the support and the tehillim and the burial out of my sight, and husband's cousin, a vet with twin newborns (!) who still gave a lot of her time from afar.