her back end gave out on her, the vet believes the cancer was either pressing on or had invaded her spine. she had a very good sunday..lots of brushing, lots of singing from mo. she enjoyed tootling around the barn a couple of times too. yesterday was quieter for her, but she did eat her fruit and drink and she did eat her fruit for breakfast this morning. i checked her when i got home and she did appear comfortable,,,her respirations were slow and even, she muttered contentedly while i gave her a brush.
she did not care at all when the vet gave her the pre-sedation (normally she would scream bloody murder if someone (esp. a man) dared to poke her butt with a really long needle. that told me right there that he was right, she could not feel her back end anymore.
tunie fish was one of those animal persons thick with character. she liked who she liked and she didn't like others and she usually never bothered to change her mind.
i will miss her gentle tug on my pant leg to hurry me up. i will miss her patiently sitting at my feet while i mixed up their nightly feed. i will miss her waggy tail when telling her that she was the wisest and kindest pig in the world. i will miss calling her tunie-fish, i will miss just talking to her more.
petunia came here about 4 years ago, today as she died, she was thirteen years old. i do not hesitate for even a second to say, that tunie was happy here. the barn was her peaceable kingdom, the saints staff and volunteers were her forever slaves.
there were a few of us that i know she counted among her true good friends.
and the best of those was ellie...her big little sister. tunie was ellie's mentor...she taught her to quit throwing temper tantrums, she spoke to her firmly at times, laying out the realities of younger pigs around here. and yet they were friends.
i will never forget the day that tunie was unwell and ellie suctioned cupped her nose up and down tunie's side. i will never forget the arguments they had over ellie's room at bedtime. i will never forget that an 800 pound pig princess, always gave in (whining and reluctantly) to a much smaller elderly queen.
i will never forget how much petunia has changed me and taught me to truly respect the emotional and intellectual lives of pigs.
i will never forget that she decided to like me and trust me and include me in her family.
i will never forget a sweet and strong and determined little pig..rest in peace tunie, i love you.
RIP Sweet Petunia.
Thank goodness for SAINTS for making her final years so happy and free from worry. I just wish they could all live that way.
Petunia will be so sadly missed