it is with a very heavy heart that I speak in loving memory of yet another
rescue.  I went four years without a single death from illness in my
rescues, I guess we are just due.
 
Little Bagel was dumped off at a local vet's office.  he arrived the day
my darling PB departed for the Bridge.  Bagel had just seen our vet, got
his rabies shot, and was ready for a new home when Friday I thought he
might be a little thinner than normal.  I could not get him to eat Duck
soup though I made him two fresh batches.  After he still hadn't touched
it I decided last night I would get a feeding tube out and make him eat
and get him to Doc Beer first thing Monday for a glucose test.  When I
went back downstairs to get him, I found him on the cage floor crashed,
Chloe his cagemate looking at him from her hammock.  I grabbed him up,
wrapped him in a clean blankie and brought him upstairs.  Rubbed his gums
with Kayro syrup, made a solution of water and Kayro, and was giving him
some through the syringe through his clenched teeth.  He had a few
convulsions, and seemed out of it for a while so I did get .  3 cc of
pediapred in him.  Then I called Scarlett, which is just as good as
calling the vet as she is a fount of knowledge, because I wanted to know
what else could be done (at 10 PM out here in the boonies mind) and she
let me know that it was all that could be done for him other than giving
him the pepcid as he did have sores in his mouth and had soiled himself
with black poo, and not to try giving him anymore fluids while he was
shaking which he had begun again, which is good sense.  After he quieted
down, I gave him some Pedialyte and Pepcid.  I just held him to me,
keeping him warm in his blankie, slipped into a sleep sack, held with one
arm to my body.  He was very rigid at time, pawing the air with front
paws.  I sat in the living room chair, and cuddled him, stroking him and
talking to him.  A few minutes later I looked down at him again and he
began blinking, and when I turned him to the side he actually turned his
head back to look at me!  His eyes focused, and he wiggled his nose,
twitched his whiskers and was looking back at me!  I thought maybe he was
going to come through after all!  I told him that it was OK to go if he
wanted, but that if he stayed he could stay with me forever if he wanted,
but if it was too hard, too painful, it was OK to leave though I want him
to stay.  Then I sang to him, stroking his head and kissing that twitchy
pink nose, making up a nonsense love song just for "my Bagel Beans, and
what that means?  I love you..." As I sang, he gasped, shuddered, and
passed away in my arms.  I think he was saying good-bye when he turned to
look at me, gave me a moment where he was letting me know he had enough
and thanking me for trying to help.  I am so thankful that I was here to
hold him, that he wasn't alone and that we had that few minutes of
lucidity to communicate our feelings.  When PB died, I knew that sorrows
come in threes, but I never knew that in the near future, over a mere two
days time, that I would lose Bagel.  He was otherwise a healthy, bouncy
ferret who was around 2 years old.  Now I am really worried about our
almost 10 year old Granny Dooker.  Will she be the third?  Or Zed and
Jawz, the 6 year olds?  I had four lucky years, I'm scared to think what
will happen this year, there is 6 months left.  But, for now we are
grieving for my Bagel Beans, who just had an inquiry to be adopted.  His
prospective new Mom was so eager, I can't believe I have to tell her that
he is gone.  My little beady eyed bino boy, who could dance and tunnel,
and find the oddest places to take a nap.  Who got along with EVERYBODY,
ferret, cat, human, or canine.  Who hated to have his ears cleaned, and
loved Yogies.  I feel so inadequate for losing you.  Find PB and know that
I loved you very much Bagel.
 
Bagel Beans: ?/?/? - 6/2/02
 
Kim Wolf
Mystyx Arctic Breed Canine,
and Ferret Rescue of Galloway, Ohio
www.mystyxcritters.com
www.mystyxrescue.petfinder.com
[Posted in FML issue 3803]