Questions for Elvis:
Saturday, December 13th, 2008 after being diagnosed with tumors on his lungs.
December 31st cytology revealed Malignant Histiocytosis
1. How does he feel? Does he know he is sick? Yes.
I wake up and it’s going to be a good day. As the day goes by I get tired and that’s not how I usually am.
By night I don’t feel good at all. I think I will really feel good again when I get good things into my body.
2. Does he know what cancer is? Yes.
It feels like I am having a harder time getting air. This panting is not normal for me. I don’t like it. When it is windy like this I have a hard time breathing.
3. Does he know he has it? Yes. I get tired when I know I shouldn’t. Is he scared? No. Not at all. I’m a voyager and this is the next adventure for me. I like to go on adventures. Hey…Jacob is here with us!
(Jacob was his companion for about 8 years until he was taken by cancer.)
4. What would he like his mom to do for him ?
She doesn’t need to worry about me dying. I have so many friends there-I’ll be well taken care of.
Animals are different. They can go back and forth. I go to heaven all the time in my dreams. Heaven is really nice. I am not worried about leaving here because I have so many friends who come back and forth. When they are in heaven, they can come here and they come and touch us all the time. We could pay more attention and see if we feel them! I know I can always come back and touch everyone.
5. Is there anything going on that he would like to stop? Anything he doesn’t like?
I really want to keep going to the beach but the water is salty and it makes me itchy, so I probably shouldn’t go in the water even if I want to. I want to go to the beach more but not when it’s windy.
No more kibble. It hurts my tummy. I want hamburgers. Maybe you could mix up some shredded vegetables with meats and grains or make them blended. And don’t keep feeling my belly, it’s sore. Okay, you can feel it once a week, but no more than that okay?
Tell her to stop knocking on my head! (His mom used to give him noogies.) I don’t like it! She keeps trying to doctor me too! I don’t like the gooey toothpaste either. The soft one tastes good but not the sticky one!
6. What would he like to do when he gets really sick? How would he like to tell me that he is done?
What’s sad about humans is that they don’t see as much of the world as animals do. We have different (hard to translate) “levels of consciousness” than they do. If I was human I’d live at this park and wear corduroy pants. I would like to go by myself if it’s okay, maybe outside the house or at this park.
If I die, my bunny will be really sad. She tries to hop to heaven because she doesn’t realize that she needs to use her heart and her mind to go there. I’ll tell my cat not to worry because mom will get another dog right away.
(When Elvis’s mom protested, saying she needed some time, he had this comeback:) She’s all about dogs! I think it will be a little Aussie or something! She’s big into rescues! I rescue her everyday too!
7. Would he like to have our friends come and visit him? Would he like me to have a party for him?
Bring everyone over! Maybe they could all bring lots of meats! Maybe they could bring lots of pasta and salads too! Tell my friends if I don’t kiss them goodbye, it doesn’t mean I don’t love them. Anyone who loves me should come! My friend Kevin should come. He struggles with depression too.
8. Is there anyone he doesn’t want to see…anyone who makes him uncomfortable or unhappy?
Only the cross-eyed guy…but he can come if he doesn’t bring his gun.
9. What are his favorite things that he wants more of? Foods ? Activities?
More parks! I love meals at the drive through! Can I have fries?
Tell George that he doesn’t have to fight so hard for me. I am not George’s responsibility. He should just be supportive of my mom. Tell George to surrender…no struggling! (George is Elvis’s mom’s roommate.)
10. Has he ever seen Jacob, Thumper, Chica, Flower…or anyone else who’s passed over…around?
I go back and forth to heaven and so do they! Chica didn’t run away either really. She had a nightmare in her sleep and died in the bushes outside. There was something wrong with her heart. The bunnies are always hopping around in the house.
11. Has he ever seen George’s son, Isaac? (Isaac died at age 10 of brain cancer…a little over 2 years ago)
Yes. He is here alot. He plays with dominoes on the floor with George right there. Sometimes he lays down with George. You should tell mom that George cries in the middle of the night. Isaac knows. Isaac is getting older now. Now he looks like a young man. He sits at the kitchen table while dad takes the juice out of the fridge and drinks the juice. He tells his dad, “Stop it! Get up and live! Get up and live! .” I think George hears him all the time but thinks he really doesn’t because Isaac’s voice is more wise so he doesn’t sound like a kid anymore and George isn’t really sure it’s Isaac talking because he doesn’t sound like his old self anymore.
The sad thing about Isaac dying is that Isaac wanted George to hear Isaac say that he loved him more often. He says it all te time now. George doesn’t realize that it was time for Isaac to pass. (At this point Isaac came to try to talk with us. Laura said she doesn’t talk to people who have passed.) I know why you don’t talk to them Laura! If you talk to them then all these ghosts will want your help and you love animals more!
12. Is this cancer…from somewhere else? Does he know anything about it? Was it mine and he took it from me?
No. I am not shocked or anything. I don’t feel like I’m dying. I need a special food I think. When I eat, my stomach feels yucky. I am excited about special foods ! I love food! No one made me sick.
13. Does he know if Jacob took the diabetes so his mom wouldn’t have to get it?
No. Mom is really healthy inside only she doesn’t believe she’s healthy. She needs to let it go. Maybe she could become a person who does what you do Laura? Can you help her? Maybe she could do it for her profession. Can you teach her how to do it?
14. Is there anything else he wants to tell me? Or questions he has?
Coffee helps my mom study and concentrate. She should drink coffee. (Elvis’s mom doesn’t currently drink coffee)
I was jealous of the horse. She’s perfect for the family though. She’s a survivor and a fighter like the rest of us. She’s a lot prettier now. Before, when I first saw her, she looked like slime. I fell in love with her. She told me that I was lucky that I got to go home with mom. She wishes she could come home with us too. ( He is talking about Red Rose, the abused mare his mom and George rescued.)
My cat is going to be lonely without me. We need to tell him not to be scared. I would stay here if it were up to me, but it’s not. It’s up to the big energy. It’s all around us. It decides when I go. This body is only for earth anyways. You can’t take it anywhere else! We don’t understand time when we are in a body.
My mom used to be really angry inside, and now she’s not…except at herself…and she needs to let that go. I really like this water bowl. It’s pretty and it doesn’t slosh and it smells like wise dogs. Can you ask my mom to get me one?