By heart broke hearing Mr Ferret's story. I was behind on the fml, and
heard the story directly from Diane. As she explained the ordeal from
the beginning, I was silently pleading for the ferret to be ok. It was
not to be. And I had to remind myself of my deep belief that as long
as the ferret reaches the rescuer's caring hands, then it's a happy
ending. That, as long as he gets to that moment of love, even if just
for an hour, we can in some small way rejoice.

Knowing Diane of South Shore Ferret Care, and her volunteer assistant
Michele, I can imagine the love that surrounded Mr Ferret for that
hour. And for all the miracles of that hour, short of the one that
would have saved Mr Ferret, I am thankful.

Thankful to Diane, dropping everything to immediately get emergency
care for Mr Ferret. Giving Mr Ferret all the love and reassurance
she could, in such a short time, while emotionally dealing with this
desperate situation.

Thankful to Michele, making sure that Mr Ferret's two siblings in fur
were being safely attended to, securely out of a bad situation. Getting
warm soup for their bellies and dealing with the fleas, while still
being there for Mr Ferret.

Thankful to their vet, staying after hours into the night to see what
could be done for Mr Ferret. Oxygen, fluids, and bloodwork to see if
this ferret, cool to the touch, could be helped. If his body wasn't
too gone, his organs shutting down, to bring him back.

In the end the decision they made was the only one. To try and keep his
body going for maybe one more day, maybe one more day of pain, would
not have been fair. And so in the end, that hour had to do. That hour
of unconditional love and acceptance. That hour of reassurance and
tenderness. That hour of what life should be. Mr Ferret got to know
that.

I don't know what an hour is to a ferret. I don't know what it feels
like. But I imagine that an hour to feel the embrace of love, to feel
the touch of caring, was everything to this ferret. Was in it's small
moment, a lifetime. A sudden lifetime of love to carry with him into
death and whatever lies beyond. A feeling that touched him, filled
him, and could be carried in his soul.

I imagine Diane's love enveloping this little one. In his final moments
filling his cool body with warmth. I imagine that feeling such love
before death must have felt like the beginning of heaven, it must have
been everything. And it fills my eyes with tears, that although it was
only for the hour, that it was. Thank heavens that it was.

I'm so thankful for the heroic efforts of Diane, Michele, their vet,
and most sincerely, of Mr Ferret. Mr Ferret who held on until a rescue
came. A rescue that brought him love, and will bring his siblings in
fur their second chance. Thank you.

There are small miracles of love everyday at shelters. Along with the
heartache, hard work, and challenges, there are these small miracles
of love.

Please, thank a shelter. Please thank them for what they do everyday,
every hour, and for what they do on extraordinary days like this.
Please thank and support them, so they can be there for the next
ferret who needs their miracle.

Risa

[Posted in FML 5937]