The lights on the kingdom dimmed yesterday afternoon as we received word
that our smallest girl, BonBon, passed quietly on the OR table from what
turned out to be metastisized cancer "everywhere".  She was 6, our
smallest mitt (always hovering at a petite pound and a quarter to pound
and a half), and our "ambassador" girl.  There wasn't a critter in our
household that she didn't accept immediately as a buddy and playmate.
Every new fuzzie that came to us in the last few years was immediately
greeted with enthusiasm and open paws!  She was a true gem, and she
fought her adrenal and insulanoma maladies with the strength of a Blue
Whale.
 
In later days, after losing most of her once luxurious coat and taking
on a rather "punkish" look that only a true ferret lover could ever
appreciate...(and looking rather like a naked mole rat), she slowed
a bit, but not that much...her playful demeanor never faltered.  The
morning wrastle in the bed and evening tustle on the carpet were eagerly
awaited and she was still often one of the first out of the cage gates.
She was a "Bandit" junkie (and in end stage, as we pretty much knew it
was...why not...), nosing out the "bad boys" in the business for "hers"
as often as not!
 
The daily pred doses got higher and higher over the last year, the
balancing act ever narrower, eventually reaching a point where we had to
finally make the decision to go in and see what was up...she had had two
prior cryos and a third was risky in her state...but we felt that letting
her go under anasthesia if the situation dictated was far better than
watching her "fade under the lights" at home hospice.
 
The cancer had spread everywhere to the point of no return...so we let
her go at 1430 yesterday afternoon.  Our vet scrubbed out to call and
make sure it was OK and that it was the right decision to live with.
 
Yesterday evening, in a sunny spot under a Cottonwood tree in our yard,
the warm earth received our Little BonBon as she begins her journey to
the "Bridge" to take up station with Bubba, Blizzard, Beeper, Casio and
Cindy.  Sandee...welcome her as you did the others and roll with her in
this time of high summer grass and cool streams.  For we are now
seperated but for a single breath...a single whisper.....
 
Here's to feathers in the air, fins in the water and furry tails in the
grass!
 
Putorius, CP and Bodie, Bounder, Brando, Bopper, Bonnie, Clyde, Bumper
and Wingnut!
[Posted in FML issue 4197]