In 2004 I moved to New England and found myself in the midst of all
those wonderful ferret people I had heard about and known only at
meetings for so many years!  One of those people was a colorful and
fun-loving woman, veterinarian Dr. Karen Purcell.  The first time I saw
her out of the security of a structured presentation, Dr. Purcell was
fighting me for a basket of human goodies at Ferret Stock!  Not only did
she raise every bid I made, she pulled out cheesecake after cheesecake
to raise more money for ferret education!
 
The next time I caught up with her was at a Boston, MA area vet's
office where she examined all of my ferrets for me!  Never one to let
grass grow under her feet, Dr. Purcell always makes the most of every
situation.  Born and raised in upstate New York, Dr. Purcell loves
that area.  Playing the dutiful wife, she followed her husband to New
Hampshire, where she is now seeing ferrets throughout New England.
 
Dr. Purcell did not actively choose to be a ferret veterinarian.  Rather,
the ferrets chose her!  One of my favorite ferret stories, the manner
in which Dr. Purcell overcame her initial fear of these little critters
is an example of just how tight a hold they can have on your heart.  She
has known, however, that she wanted to be a vet most of her life.  If
you have not yet heard about the cat who joined her in her crib while she
was an infant, you may want to ask Dr. Purcell about her first delivery!
 
Those of you who have attended previous ferret meetings know that Dr.
Purcell is not shy!  An avid belly-dancer, she performed for attendees of
the 2005 St.  Louis symposium and anyone who happened to be in the hotel
watering holes, raising several hundred dollars for Support Our Shelters.
Dr. Purcell's comment?  "I like to see my fellow veterinarians get paid!"
Not only does she support causes herself, Dr. Purcell has the ability
to involve her colleagues and patients, as evidenced by the after-hours
presentation made for those in St.  Louis.  This is a lady who likes to
have fun -- and knows how to do it!
 
Previously I have caught up with Dr. Purcell in quite interesting
situations.  Like, waiting to hear about a C-section on a cat, or the
really bad time that we don't want to know more about, or even preparing
dinner.  This time she was on the way to a dance recital dress rehearsal;
for those of you in the Boston area, you may be able to catch the
performance and preview some of the upcoming steps you may see in
Toronto.  Where does she find the time for all this fun?  "It's not
like I sleep," said the good doctor.  And, believe me, she is another
who doesn't let grass grow under her feet!
 
In addition to belly dancing, Dr. Purcell is also active in the sci-fi
genre.  Serving as the Art Show Director of ARISIA in 2006, she will
serve in this capacity once more over MLK weekend in January 2007.  You
may want to learn more about this event at (website).  Dr. Purcell has
been involved in ARISA for years and even combines her loves by teaching
belly-dancing to future generations.
 
Last year, Dr. Purcell and her husband had the opportunity to take two
weeks to themselves.  They spent the time relaxing on the beach and
bought a place in the Caribbean islands.  Next year they plan to spend
time on a Caribbean cruise and visit each of the islands.  Upcoming plans
include trips to LA, Florida and twice to Pittsburgh!  While there she
will participate in a sci-fi camping trip and the World Science Fiction
Convention.
 
In Toronto, Dr. Purcell will address endocrine disease in ferrets, with
a focus on diabetes and Addison's disease.  In New England, her address
may be at a vet office near you!  To find her, go online to
http://www.world.std.com/~dgp/schedule.html to learn when Dr. Purcell
might be playing at a veterinarian near you.  Or, send your letters and
questions -- plus any invitations to perform -- to Dr. Purcell via email:
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[Posted in FML issue 5243]