Ode to the Smelly Lab Cat
It's been almost 1 year of weekly encounters with our smelly cat, officially known as "Rectus Rex"; however, last week, I said goodbye to smelly cat, never to smell him again. He was a big cat, and I was very thankful that he made it so easy to see his muscles, nerves, and organs!! But then when we tried to find his arteries and veins, we discovered he'd had a coronary explosion, and so we had to rinse him out to be able to see anything. That was not so nice of him, but I guess he couldn't really help it.
I have to wonder...what's the fate of Rectus Rex now that he's served his purpose. After you get to know someone literally inside and out, you can't help but wonder, you know??!! Since his days on the streets of Mexico, he's been destined for a higher calling of assisting in preparing nurses to save lives, but now that he's done that...what's his destiny? Poor smelly cat...prepare to see black plastic.
So in memory of my friend Rectus Rex, a very smelly cat indeed, but fortunately not the smelliest of all (I've smelled worse!!!), here is a little poem I've written:
Smelly Cat, oh smelly cat
It's been stinky, smelly cat.
It'd been a long time since I'd smelled your smell,
but you determined I'd come out of my shell!
Formaldehyde, you knew it well;
and although it never made me feel too swell,
Smelly cat, smelly cat,
you taught me much smelly cat.
Thanks to you, I'm one step ahead.
So sorry it had to mean you's dead.
(I tried to post a picture of Smelly Cat for you all, but I don't think it was meant to be, because the computer wouldn't let me load it. Also...I apologize if this sounded harsh...you must understand though, I have a great appreciation for smelly cat!)
4 comments:
We had to use fetal pigs my nursing courses. It was sad! They used cats in highschool biology classes, but thankfully, I had already taken biology before I switched to that school. Cats are meant to be pets! :( But I love pigs, too, do slicing and pinning open baby pigs was no fun either...
Ah, it took me a few moments to see where that post was going. I thought "hmmm..Angela threw her cat away?" But alas, I see the big picture.
Where is smelly cat now you ask? Well from one girl who's had to put her (baby) cat 'down' (if you will) to another who has disected and tossed hers - I think they are in heaven.
Pish posh! You may say! And let the record show that Andrew (the husband with 6 years of theological training and 2 degrees) laughs at me every time and basically pats my head and says something to the effect of "whatever get you by honey" whenever I mention my 'theory'.
Heaven to me is a place of all happiness. Everything there is good and wonderful and is like having little gifts all the time. Sooooooo, the perfect heaven that I can imagine is one where my beloved animals would be too. God made them just as he made us and loves them too, so why would they not be there?
Many people have tried to pull of the theoligical debate on this one for me. But alas, I stand strong. ( and also have, for the 1st time, the backing of a very esteemed prof. at ATS) Rex (shall we call him) is hanging in heaven with Gage (my little man) frolicking together.
And if you have a problem with this (anyone)..."hey, it gets me by"
I just can't help but think of the song "Pheope" (sp?) on "Friends" wrote:
"Smelly cat, smelly cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly cat, smelly cat,
It's not your fault!"
I'm sorry, but as horribly irritating (yet funny) as that "song" is, I've had it stuck in my head since I first read your post! As terribly sad as it is to read of "Rectus Rex's" disposal, I do slightly chuckle at the wording of your story:) And I agree with Kristi, because, if nothing else, a cat who so willingly laid there on the slicing and dicing table for so long, and endured so much post-mortem exploratory surgeries in order to teach young people about the body, well, let it just be said that Rectus Rex deserves to go to kitty heaven, even if no other passed kitty does!
Ladies, I'm glad you had the guts to mention what I feared to myself! A part of me really wants to believe that our dear pets go to heaven...and then part of me echos Andrew. Oh my. See, I have this glorious picture of all the animals I've ever loved dearly roaming the streets of gold in heaven, all freshly bathed and smelling so pettingly lovely. BUT then I get another picture of all the other animals on earth that I cannot stand being there also and that ruins my lovely ideal picture. I'm deathly afraid of certain large dogs, and for the most part, with the exception of a few wonderful pets I've known, I'm not a cat lover. I've had way too many bad experiences with cats. When I think about millions of cats, especially 'stray cats' roaming the streets of gold, it gives me the bajibis.
So, Kristi, maybe heaven will be a selective pet domain!! Of course, our beloved pets that we have had to say goodbye to will be there...but I think their ticket has to be that they were a kind and loyal pet, no matter what species! :-) (Like Gage!)
Kayla- I have to admit, Pheobe inspired my Smelly Cat theme. It was too perfect. It is such an irritating song, yet hilarious at the same time (when you imagine Pheobe singing it). :-)
Hmmm...I know my post may have seemed a little twisted in some ways, but my feelings on Rex were also a little twisted. He smelled sooooo gross! And he was soooo ugly! But, I felt sorry for him, and hope he gets his reward in heaven!! :-)
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