Farewell my lovely Jonna

TPO

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So sorry for your loss FL. Your love for your dogs always shines through in your posts along with your dedication and care. Jonna was lucky to have you too ❤
 

FinnishLapphund

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Thank you so much for your comforting replies, they mean more than I can say.

It's not only too many leads hanging in the hallway, and the hole in my heart, it's also other things. Noone begged for treats last evening, all her toys that only she played with, too many boiled carrots in the box with their daily evening carrot, and this morning, too much water in the thermos with warm water to warm up the canned food from the refrigerator which Jonna wanted for breakfast, which Beata, and Blomma will now get to eat up.

I know I will get used to it. But I don't want to.

(ETA: The other 2 used to get warm water on their dry food, because warm water is supposed to make the food more tasty, and it was just easier to give everyone warm water in the morning, instead of remembering which bowl gets warm water and which doesn't, hence there was water for 3 food bowls in the thermos.)
 
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FinnishLapphund

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I'm sorry if I sound overly dramatic, but it feels like someone have stabbed my already bleeding heart. Neither my sister, nor my nephews or niece is coming to say goodbye. I think my nephew S would probably have came, but he's away working a seasonal job in Greenland.
But my sister, and the 2 others who all live like max a 15 to 20 minutes car drive away, are all too busy to come.

Besides all the weekends (and they where many), and school holidays during Spring and Autumn which the kids always was with us when my sister and brother-in-law worked, and all the many Summer weeks they used to spend with us, it's also the fact that I don't think my sister took even one single day of work for sick children when they grew up. If they needed to stay home, they got dropped off with us.
E.g. once W had a bad stomach bug, my dad drove him to hospital, but he got sent home to be taken care of us until he had recovered enough to go to school again. Guess who regularly went in to check on W a few times per day, until she felt he was starting to get better?

My lovely little Jonna.

She was so gentle mannered, she often got overlooked by other people, and didn't get as much attention as the others. And now it feels as if she gets overlooked again.

I sadly don't have kids, and my sister and her kids knows that my pets are my babies, my reason to get up in the mornings. As my mum just said both sad and angry "What if something happened to my sister's babies, W, E, or S, how would she feel if you said you was too busy to come and visit her, to comfort her in her grief?"

I know I can't control what they do, how they prioritise, but it still hurts. I really needed your replies, the knowledge that you, strangers who never met neither me nor my dogs, took the time to reply to give me comfort, when my own family can't even take their time to quickly stop by on their way to something else to give me a hug, or tell me that they're sorry for my loss.
They've always given me support and comfort on the few occasions when my previous pets have died, and I've told them many times how grateful I am for that support, and how much it means to me. But now, when my princess is gone, my lovely little Jonna, they're all too busy.

I know none of this matters to Jonna anymore, but it still hurts me. I try to remind myself S would've probably came if he wasn't away to Greenland. I know he cares more than the others. When he can get an internet connection, and sends his mum/my sister a message to let her know he's okay, he always also asks how my pets are doing.
(By the way, I asked before he left how he wanted it, and he wants to be told if anyone dies, so my sister will tell him about Jonna.)

I think I'm maybe is coping worse than usual, because beneath my grief for Jonna, is the worry about Beata. But I miss Jonna so, so much.

Thank you so much to anyone who reads this, it's not a fun subject. Here's a picture from last year, out buying dog food, and cat litter, with my girls in the Broom. Jonna on the seat in the back, Blomma to the left, and Beata to the right in front of the bags:

1KL1JLMo_o.jpg
 

Odyssey

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I'm so sorry that you've lost your lovely girl. She must have had the best of lives with you, she was very lucky to have been so loved and well cared for. I'm very sorry too that your family aren't offering you any support, that's really sad, no wonder you feel let down. The grief of losing a beloved pet is devastating, it's as hard as losing a (human) person. Sending hugs. xx
 

FinnishLapphund

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I'm so sorry that you've lost your lovely girl. She must have had the best of lives with you, she was very lucky to have been so loved and well cared for. I'm very sorry too that your family aren't offering you any support, that's really sad, no wonder you feel let down. The grief of losing a beloved pet is devastating, it's as hard as losing a (human) person. Sending hugs. xx

Thank you so much for understanding, and the hugs. I know I'm not entitled to their time, and that I'm lucky because I also have mum, and dad's support. But they're grieving as much, if not more, than me, so I don't want to burden them too much.
 

FestiveG

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Your sister sounds quite selfish and that extended to her children, from my reading of what you wrote. Sorry if I've got that wrong, but if she couldn't/ wouldn't take time off for her ill children, she's not going to put herself out for anyone.
You can't change her, but you can think what a "thin" life she will lead.
Please take care of yourself and allow yourself to grieve
 

Errin Paddywack

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I do so sympathise with you. Like you I don't have children so my dogs/cats have always been my kids and the grief I have felt when losing one is unbearable. I can honestly say that the only thing worse has been losing my husband. Losing my parents and my gran was very sad but it sounds awful to say, not as bad as losing the animals. I would be just as upset as you about the disregard for your feelings over Jonna. Worrying over Beata just adds to the sadness. When my mum lost dad her sister didn't bother to visit to console her and at the funeral she actually told my mum she was better off without him. Got her face slapped by mum for that. Your sister sounds similar, downright selfish.
I do hope you can manage to put this selfish behaviour behind you and grieve in your own way without them.
 

FinnishLapphund

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Your sister sounds quite selfish and that extended to her children, from my reading of what you wrote. Sorry if I've got that wrong, but if she couldn't/ wouldn't take time off for her ill children, she's not going to put herself out for anyone.
You can't change her, but you can think what a "thin" life she will lead.
Please take care of yourself and allow yourself to grieve

My sister have her nice sides, and at least she would never say it was just a dog, but she does prioritise the way she does. W and E are nice, they came to visit when they heard how ill Beata was some weeks ago (however S came 3 or 4 times before going to Greenland, ETA but we called and invited them, S calls us asking to come/ETA), but as they've grown older, W and E just don't feel as connected to my pets as they used to, even though having spent a lot of time with them when they where younger. But I don't care if they came more to show me support, than to grieve Jonna, I would still really appreciate it.
 
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Books'n'dogs

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Oh, Finny, I'm so sorry your sister and (some of) her children aren't being supportive in your time of grief. I never forgot or forgave how callous a relative was about the loss of my childhood dog. I too am childless and my dogs are first in my heart so I know how much it hurts when it's time to say goodbye. Please consider yourself hugged.
 
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