Category Archives: Memorials

5 I did not think I would be posting this so soon, but Max passed away peacefully at home with me around 430 am Sunday, the 14th morning. He had a really strong week thru Friday, and Friday afternoon he just seemed tired, was not munching as much as usual, but nothing that was a big worry. We were surprised Saturday when we pulled another 150ml of fluid from his abdomen and that dropped his weight to his lowest ever. He was barely munching on his own so were doing small supplemental feedings every 30 minutes. By the last night he seemed really tired and just off but still alert and interacting. He wanted to go to bed in his cage, so we tucked him in around 9. Byron checked on him once and he was picking thru his fresh foods. I checked on him right before midnight and he was sleeping on his top roosting perch and he responded to my presence and called out. Victoria checked on him at 2 am and found him on the bottom of his cage. He was alert but his feet and face felt cool to the touch (and we keep his room at 80 degrees). We came downstairs and set up on the sofa with him, he wanted to get on the back of the sofa (his hangout with us the last 3 years during his fight). I tucked him into his hospital pen and laid on the sofa with my hand in his pen for head and face rubs. He did his preening of my fingers one last time and picked up one of his rattles but was too weak to shake it. I pulled him back out to snuggle and let him lay on my chest. He took a couple deep shaking breaths, then settled down and quietly snuggled til he drifted away. I knew his time was getting closer everyday but hoped he’d make it thru the holidays. The house feels so empty already, he’s been the reason I get up everyday, taking care of him thru this cancer battle has been the focus of my days these last 3 years. While my heart hurts more than I thought it could, I want to share and celebrate the fierce spirit Max had that fought so long against cancer, he will always be our Miracle Max. The first photo is the very first photo of Max and I together the day at the shelter he decided I was his new mom. The second photo is the last photo of him snuggling with me just after 2 am before he passed. We were blessed to have 11 years, 8 months of awesome memories of our Big Blue Brat. His medical case will be studied and discussed for years, forever Miracle Max.