HARD DECISION

This is Gracie, a little cockatiel girl who had a difficult start in life but for the last 13 years she's lived with me on her terms and has seemed content.  She's between 15-18 years old.  When my niece Kat and I rescued her so long ago, I thought she was a goner but though she remained frail and some neurological issues didn't resolve, she gained some strength and time marched on.  Three years ago she went totally blind from cataracts and once again I thought I would lose her because her disorientation was so severe. She figured things out, however, and learned where everything was in her cage.  It was a good adjustment until recently when she started having episodes of dementia (I think). Now I'm faced with the difficult decision of when to let her go.  Today was not a good day and I found her thrashing in the bottom of her cage because she was lost.  I could only imagine her terror.  I made an appointment for tomorrow to put her down, but tonight when I put her to bed I was so sad and ambivalent.  Such power we have over our creatures and the burden is great.