addendum

I don't mean to imply the last few days or months went flawlessly. There are things I would have done differently for Jerome if given a second chance. I let him get all the way to maggots in his fur, whereas if I had let him go a day earlier, he wouldn't have had to experience that. If I had made the appointment earlier with the housecall vet, I wouldn't have had to put Jerome through a sudden trip to the vet as his last memory (though I think whatever Donya did seemed to have tranquilized him a great deal before we even left the house.) But I think these are just the flaw in the tapestry. Times like birth and death are the territory of the Mystery, where we don't get to know exactly what to do. There is no right and wrong. Dealing with an animal who doesn't speak English makes this all the more clear; sometimes you just don't hear what they're saying and have to make a difficult call. All we can do is be as present as possible, and learn from the experience without self-judgment. It is really a magnificent adventure, as life always is if we let it be.
Jerome obviously didn't stop being my teacher, even in death. Thanks, little dude.