Use self-hypnosis to clear out bad thoughts?  That sounds like a good
technique, except I don't know how to do it. :)  But I have had many
thoughts and images of Betty.

Last night, I dreamed that I was with Betty.  It wasn't before her
cancer, or afterwards, but was out of time.  She came to me, standing
up with her paws on my knees, stretching her arms up at me, begging to
be held.  I picked her up and gave her a big hug.  She felt so big and
soft and substantial!  Not like the wisp of a cat she was near the
end.

At that moment, I woke up, but I still felt her against my chest!  As
I came to, I realized that I had gathered up a bunch of the comforter,
and was holding it tight.  I don't normally act out my dreams like
that.

But really, the dominant image is Betty lying dead on the table.  A
sad little expression of defeat, floating into my consciousness like
an accusation.  But it's all right - I think that there must be
something significant to that last image, and that must be why it's
the one that always comes to mind.

I've tried life without Betty for what seems like an eternity now.  I
think I've given it a fair chance, and if I were a critic, I would be
giving it a thumbs down and leaving the theater.

Right after Betty died, I had several dreams about her.  In one, I
looked up into the sky, and there were clouds, but wait, the clouds
were singing!  I looked more carefully, and the clouds were made out
of countless kitties, as innumerable as grains of sand on a beach, and
they were all holding paws, singing and celebrating!  And out of all
those countless cats, I could miraculously see Betty, and she saw me,
and waved at me.  She called to me and told me that I would find her
if I looked for her.  But I don't know if I have.