Goodbye Rheann

October 4 was a good day as we are talking the improvement of my mother. Around 6:30 in the evening, Dr. Voltaire called up and informed me that Rheann was dead.
For a moment I was speechless, wondering if I heard it right. This cant be true. I cant move. I felt dizzy. Two days ago I even gave her a good bath using the new LORI shampoo. I chased her before that because she teasingly "common get me mode" while running outside the compound. There was no hint that something was wrong with her.

Lying on bed that night, I recalled how i brought Rheann to Agusan from Iloilo. Funny but true, I remembered how she fitted in to a small plastic basket, settling in the sense of defeat when she could not get out after some struggles. She was a cute curling brown fur inside a blue basket, quite smaller than her age of 2 months. She did not grow with her siblings together with their mother. She was nursed by my sister since birth after their mother was brought to the veterinary hospital for medication. The owner gave her to my sister since her mother cannot accommodate her litter.

I remembered how she left the bed, and went outside our tourist accommodation in the ship from Iloilo City to Cebu City, went to the comfort room alley to pee. I was sleeping soundly when I woke up and found she was no longer in the basket under my deck. Looking for her, I found her playfully cajouling with one passenger. On our way to Nasipit from Cebu City, I placed her at my foot part to sleep and she slept earlier than me. I bet, she loved the warmth of the bed cover. Again I woke up and found her playing with one passenger who carried also a bulldog pup. I was wondering then, was she a good bitch?

I left her for almost 6 months when I went back to UPLB for schooling. My young cousin taught her some tricks, though she learned fast, she did not have focus. On the other hand, my mother was already worried because she grew fast big and strong. She could barely restrain her when she was playing. My mother was already afraid for little children passing in our house, for she might be threatened and bit them. So I ordered a cage for her.

When she was on her second "in heat", I brought her to Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte to 'Rocky d Pogi', but oh our Rheann was not a bitch. She was quite a Gabriela Silang. Poor Rocky, he did not score on her. For her 3 days stay with Rocky, she went home still intact. She was been paired and introduced to other two stud, yet, she maintained her being pure and bliss.
Her death though hurts was not as painful as the death of Russel - her supposedly lover. It was the lack of time and our failure to meet her needs especially on that fateful day. Two weeks ago, I went home and found her like a typical Somalian animal affected with famine. Ribs poking out, big eyes bulging out, with tightening hips - obese ladies would really envy the slim waist of Rheann that time. Yet, after I told the one who fed her to increase her intake. Last two days ago, she was returning back to normal.
Her death presumably was due to heat stroke. That day the temperature was high and it was really hot, accordingly. Before, she showed typical symptoms of tendency to be suffering for heat stroke during hot days. Once, my sister found Rheann to be convulsing and salivating, led Rheann out from her cage and brought under fruit trees, and became well some time. My mother also noticed that she panted and salivating vigorously. She gave her ice to lick and placed ice on her water. And also wet her cage by drenching with water. These all in one way or another improved her situation and Rheann returned to normal.
October 4, a month away on her 3rd year birthday, Rheann bade us goodbye. She was buried without us seeing her body for the last time. I dont know how I slept that night. All i noticed was the sun was shining brightly passing through the curtains by the window.