This letter from Jackie to Sammie was written on Thursday, October 23, 2014

Dear Sammie,

I met Sammie when a co-worker asked if I would take her deceased fathers Amazon to live with me. She came on a sunny summer day, and her first words were "what are we doing?" She chirped, sang, said hello, and only knew me for a few short minutes. She had a terrible eye infection, but she still was so happy. I did not know how much I would come to love her.

I took her to her first vet visit and found out that Sammie was near death. Her pallet was gone from infection, her eye was in terrible condition, and her beak was deformed, never to return to its normal state. The treatment for her condition was: melting tiny balls in water, feeding her every 15 minutes for two and a half hours every day. I also had to clean her eye, every 15 minutes. This took a year of my life, holding her and giving her the medication and just loving her. Two and a half hours a day I was tied to this bird, giving up any life outside of work and Sammie.

We became close, and she learned to trust me completely. No matter what I had to do to her, or medicine I had to give her, she allowed me complete trust. I knew she was old, she had cataracts, but I never knew how old she was. But, she loved people, and whenever anyone came in the room she would say hello, chirp, and welcome them.

My neighbor is named Dot. And Dot came for coffee in the morning. Pretty soon Sammie was saying Hi Dot, and Bye Dot. Sammie also talked like a low radio, when she thought you were not listening. I found out later her previous owner listened to the radio all afternoon.

Sammie's feet grew growths due to her age, and then they would come off and bleed. I was always taking her to get bandages on her feet. The last time I was concerned the bandages were too tight, and ran her to the vet, 90 Miles round trip. I was doing this every week or so. I thought it was just to change her bandages. But they said they would have to amputate her claw, and stitch it up. They brought her back in to me and showed me her eye was in bad shape. The Vet said if it was his bird he would put her to sleep. So in fifteen minutes I lost Sammie.

She was a light in my life. She trusted me, she loved me, and I loved her. I am having a period of grief, and am doubting my decision to end her life. But, she was a joy, and to have her suffer anymore was not what I wanted for her. She was sweet, smart, loving, and trusting. I will carry her in my heart forever.

Missing You,

Jackie