Good morning,

I was up early this morning and got a couple of things done. I had a
second to reflect and gazed on two little ferrets who are visiting with
us for the next four to six weeks.

Stella and Fungo arrived last Saturday after we received a call from a
grandparent who asked us for help. His adult daughter had gone through
a nasty divorce last year. The ex mister had pretty much written off
his ten year old granddaughter, and her mother was diagnosed with
cancer and had gone through the full cancer treatment of chemo and
radiation. Anna had asked for pets and had studied ferrets, since her
mom had to be careful with dogs and cats, they got her two ferrets,
Stella and Fungo. These two ferrets have been a huge comfort to this
little girl and has kept her mind off her troubles, we of course know
that ferrets bring joy to our lives, and these two ferrets have helped
Anna through a lot.

Last Saturday they made the trek up to our location (a good hour plus
drive). We met Anna and her mom, chatted a bit, got to know the ferrets
(it was obvious they were wonderfully cared for). Her mom explained to
me and Michele that she had been petting one of the ferrets and thought
she got a piece of fur stuck in her throat and was trying to cough.
When she put her hand to her throat, that was when she felt the lump on
her neck which caused her to go back to the doctor. I know that Michele
an I exchanged glances and in our heads we were thinking, gosh, that
ferret likely just saved her life. If she hadn't coughed on a piece
of ferret fur, the lump may have gone unnoticed and by coughing and
putting her hand to her throat, they have caught this early
(hopefully).

It's been a week today since she has seen her ferrets, and on Monday
her mom starts her cancer treatment. We all have our troubles to deal
with, but I'm betting this little girl is wondering how her ferrets
are doing and worried that about what her Mom will be going through on
Monday.

Across the room I saw the yellow book bag that Rose German had given me
over the summer that I had tucked away for a special occasion. I had
that little girl Anna in the back of my mind.

I knew that Rose, wouldn't mind if I sent the yellow book bag (picture
of a ferret and says "Ferrets Rule") to her. I looked around the room,
and swear I heard a "pssst, over here" from a large stuffed ferret. I
picked him up and hugged him and told him he had a special assignment,
I cozied him up in one Rose's in Memory of Gizmo sleepy sacks. I
enclosed a card "from her ferrets" Stella and Fungo letting her know
that they are doing fine, and having fun playing with their ferret
friends at Auntie Diane's house.

This way she can have something at school to remind her that her
ferrets are thinking of her, and a ferret at night to hug when she is
missing her mom, having him tucked in a sleepy sack (Rose, I didn't
think you would mind, I told her the stuffed ferret's name is Gizmo
and that he needs lots of hugs).

Cathy, you had just sent me a little beautiful flower box. The little
card said that you could put thoughts and pennies in it. I knew that
you wouldn't mind that I gave that box a special purpose as well. I
also sent it to Anna and told her to put all of her fears in there when
she is scared for her mom as that little box was filled with all of our
prayers and that the prayers would eat up the fears that she put in
there.

It would be wonderful if you all would like to send your prayers into
that little box for Anna.

Let's fill it up with prayers to eat up all those fears.

I'm off now to the post office to send off Anna's package, this way it
will arrive on Monday.

Diane - South Shore Ferret Care

[Posted in FML 6636]