Putting Riley down tomorrow

This is a straight copy & paste from my post on the Nest - sorry about that - but I just can't get myself to write it again. I may add something more later, and some pictures...

After today's vet visit, it was decided that we are going to put him down tomorrow morning at 10:30. This all stemmed from when he got hit by the car the day after Memorial Day. He was in really bad shape then, but the biggest concern was his right front leg. They didn't think he'd ever be able to use it again and would have to amputate it. Other than that, he was doing ok. He was eating, etc... They were suprised he didn't have any head trauma that they could see considering where he took the brunt of the accident.Then, just one day he started vomiting every time he ate. They did ALLLLL sorts of tests and EVERYTHING on him (and some a fellow Nestie (a vet) even suggested!) and on all sorts of medicine - but everything looks good. He did end up stopping the vomiting every time, but after a while he just stopped eating all together. Not even the faintest interest in his favorite foods. They're thinking when he got hit, perhaps there was damage done to his hunger drive or something in his brain? We just don't know.

So we have had to force feed him lately with a syringe. And that was complete torture on the little guy - he hated it. But at least it was something - even though he was throwing up some of that, too.So the last couple of days we noticed he had jaundice - pretty bad. So we took him in and the vet confirmed it - and that his liver pretty much isn't working anymore. He has gone from about 19 pounds down to 10 and he is just so not himself anymore. Doesn't do anything he used to love and pretty much just sits in one spot or hides in the bathroom or under the bed all day.

So even though it's going to be so hard on us tomorrow, I do truly know it's for the best. Starving to death and liver failure isn't a way I'd want to see him to go. I'd rather him just "go to sleep".

Oh - and the kicker? The leg they thought we'd have to amputate? Healed just fine and he can walk on it no worries. Who would have guessed the eating would have been the issue... Go figure, eh?

And on a related note, I think if I have to lose one special life tomorrow, I think it's only fair that this IVF works and I gain another. Right? Wishful thinking, I know - but it seems like it's only fair to me...

OK - I know this got long, I just needed to get it out. Thanks everyone for listening.