Dear fellow FML's
 
This post is a very somber post, AND not about the Katerina.  If you are
a smoker, listen up.
 
I am a Hospice Mom, working Alicia of Ferretwise.  I recently took in a
little girl who is a doll.  Her name is Reilly Marie.  She is delicate
and beautiful, and on meds that she licked off of her former owners
fingers.  .  After the usual getting adjusted routine, tired and need
sleep, not happy, hide from you, all the above, she still would not eat
or take her meds.  I purchased her favorite chicken, raisens, cheerios,
(though I do not feed them to mine, and will stop after she settles), she
wanted nothing.  Then, after a few days, I picked her up and I felt her
BACKBONE.  My heart fell into my shoes.  I have been doi ng round the
clock care, I work, but the job fell into second place, I spent every
minute with her I could.  I was desperate, then she started to eat the
kibble, but would not take her meds.  In fact, she was upset when I
picked her up.
 
I emailed Alicia, and wanted to know all about her homelife.  In the
course of the conversation, Alicia said the lady who had the ferret was a
smoker, and in my care, (no smokers) she should thrive.  No second hand
smoke to contend with.
 
People who know me know I would dance naked in the tulips if it would
help the ferret.  Okay, I spoke to a friend of mine who smokes, asked her
to save the butts, and I have some in my kitchen in a plastic bag.  I
handled one, left an awful smell on my fingers, I couldn't stand my self,
BUT I put the meds on my finger and WOW, she attacked me with gusto.  She
ate it all.  Wanted more, and licked my finger till it was all gone.
 
Get the message - your second hand smoke, and the nicotine that stays on
your finger affects your ferrets.  Now what am I going to do?  I have to
wean her off of the habit.
 
If you go by my house and see an ashtray in the driveway with 20 butts
burning away, DON'T ASK.
 
The upside to this story is, I can now call that Insurance Man who would
not give fire insurance to a non-smoking ferret.  I got one, I'm in the
loop.
 
Please, Smokers Unite and try to stop your habit.  We love you all,
we need you all, and if you cannot do it for yourself, do it for your
ferrets.  I just fell onto this by studying the situation.  But, it
makes sense.
 
God Bless
 
Marilyn and the non-smoking gang at Ledoux Hospice.
[Posted in FML issue 4995]