top of page
author-chris-and-her-cat-jimmy.jpg
Jimmy-yellow-cat-on-table.jpg

Chris and Jimmy taking a break

Jimmy the Cat, Editorial Supervisor

Jimmy-watching-computer-screen.jpg

           Proofreading

    On alert for computer issues

        Supervision is exhausting.

         Balanced life of work and play

Jimmy-the-cat-in-sunlight.jpg

Catching some rays

Jimmy-the-cat-on-red-slippers.jpg

Fun with slippers

Welcome to Grief and Pet Loss®.

 

My name is Christine Jette (pronounced ‘Jetty’). Most people call me Chris. I am a retired registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. I worked in a variety of clinical settings including public health (infectious disease), surgical oncology, recovery room, allied health education and elder care. Through the years, I have volunteered for the SPCA, a no-kill cat shelter and Drumlin Farm, part of the Massachusetts Audubon Society

 

I began writing about grief after the death of my mother in 2006. For 12 years I had a general grief site named thegrievingheart.info but I let it go because the old web builder that I was using could not be converted into a secure site. It was time for a change in style and an overhaul of the material. It was time to honor my lifelong love of animals.

The word pet comes from the Middle English word pety meaning small, trivial or insignificant. For centuries, pets were considered inferior to humans. For this reason, some animal rights advocates suggest that we eliminate the word pet from our vocabulary and use the phrase companion animal instead. But pet can also mean cherished, beloved and favored. It is in this sense of love and respect that I use the word throughout this site, but you will find the phrase companion animal, too.

Although I share city life with only cats, I also love dogs. I grew up on a large farm and Border Collies tended the flock. They were intelligent, loyal, playful and endlessly affectionate. I have had the privilege of knowing cats, dogs, horses, a pony, sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, mules, ducks, chickens, a turtle, parakeets, goldfish, and a rabbit. And so, to all creatures great and small, I say thank you for enriching my life.

 

I play cornet in a community concert band. We stopped rehearsals and public performances for more than a year because of the COVID-19 state mandates. I was happy to return, but I missed making music for the joy of it. We all lost something.

 

I call Cincinnati my home and I share the ups and downs of life with my husband and cat named Jimmy. He appeared at my back door as a sickly stray kitten on my birthday fourteen years ago. I opened the door and he walked into my heart. Best birthday gift ever.

Jimmy is still enjoying life but he has some special needs of a senior cat. I know our years together are drawing to a close and I am grateful every day for the time we have left.

 

I hope that something here rings true with you and helps to ease the way, if only for a moment. Take what is yours to take from this site and know that I wish you unexpected comfort through all the seasons of your grief.

Thank you for stopping by. Please visit anytime.

My Email

 

About Chris
iphone-screen-filled-with-social-media-i

 

Why No Social Media Links?

The answer is time and privacy. I have no social media accounts and there are no Social Share buttons on this site. You are welcome to share content from GriefandPetLoss.com®, but I will not ask you to share. 

Once you have lost time, you can never get it back. Active participation in social media takes too much time.

Facebook, now under the corporate name Meta, made its debut in 2004. Many other social media platforms followed. Sophisticated electronic devices can track everything about us. Anything recorded or analyzed can be accessed. Not much is private anymore.  

The one thing that I can manage on the Internet is the content of my own website. Because I respect the privacy of grievers, I do not use social media platforms.

Read more about the experience of grief and social media

Arlington Magazine: Grief in the Age of Social Media

Is there a right way and a wrong way to mourn online?

How Social Media has Changed the Way We Grieve

Includes the pros and cons

Grief and Facebook: the good, the bad and the ugly

Interesting Reading

 

Can My Digital Assets Pass Through My Will?

Digital assets that can and cannot pass through your will

A Plan for Your Digital Assets

What will happen to your online accounts when you die?

ASPCA: Pet Planning | Pet Trusts

Who will care for your pets in the event of your illness or death? Learn how to create a plan now for your pet's secure future.

HelpGuide.org: Social Media and Mental Health

How to modify your habits to improve your mood

Psychology Today: Young People in the Era of COVID and Facebook

A toxic brew for adolescents and children

Mashable: Algorithms control your online life. Here's how to reduce their influence.

CNET: How and Why You Should Clear Your iPhone Cache Now

Keep your iPhone's browser moving as fast as possible by clearing your cache every month -- it only takes a few seconds.

bottom of page