Many friends on this list have sent beautiful condolences to me about
Sabrina, and I am very appreciative to everyone. Normally I'd reply to
each email, but tonight is not a normal night. My 4-1/2 year old boy
Morphy is spending his last night at home. Minnie Mouse may also be.

Morphy has spent the last 4 days in the animal hospital, and the bottom
line is that he has a completely blocked bile duct. It nearly destroyed
his liver, and he became very jaundiced and sick. The only way to save
his life is thru a fairly complicated operation to unblock the duct,
which I would consider if he was in good health. But he's not, and it's
unlikely that he'd make it thru the operation and the recovery.

I didn't want him to die on the table, and I didn't want his last days
to be spent in the hospital, where he was alone and scared. So he's
home tonight, with his brothers and sisters and me. His final hours
will be in comfort, surrounded by love, just like all of the rest of
his days in the 3 years and 8 months that he's been with us. He's not
eating, but is on pain meds and carafate for his ulcerated throat, one
of the side effects of the back up of bile. But he's happy. He's hiding
his favorite toys, sleeping with his long-time sister Baby Girl, and
comfortable in his hammock. This was an excruciatingly difficult
decision to make, but I know in my heart it's the best one for Morphy,
and tomorrow we'll go to see the vet who's been his primary caregiver
thru this ordeal, and she'll help Morphy to sleep one last time, in my
arms.

Minnie Mouse has rapidly advancing cancer, probably lymphoma, and is
clearly in pain most of the time. Just 2 months ago she was a bouncy
little girl full of life, but now her lymph nodes are big and she's
weak and clearly uncomfortable, despite getting 4 mg of pred daily and
also getting diazoxide and essiac and milk thistle and b-complex
vitamins and very nutritious soup. I am going to talk to the vet about
possible chemo, but given how rapidly the cancer has advanced, my heart
is telling me that it probably won't work, and it wouldn't be fair to
Minnie to put her thru it. So I may also have to help her to the Bridge
tomorrow. Maybe Minnie and Sabrina were meant to go to the Bridge
together.

We all have hard times related to our ferrets and other pets, and
although I never could have imagined losing three of my beloved little
ones in three days, I have no regrets for putting my heart out on the
line. The time that Sabrina, Minnie Mouse, and Morphy have spent with
me and have spent in happiness makes this heavy burden one I will learn
how to deal with and accept. It's just gonna take a while. I still have
four healthy babies that need me, and although things will be very,
very different here, the love that Sabrina and Minnie Mouse and Morphy
leave with us will always endure.

With gratitude to my ferret friends for listening and caring,

Jeff
In Memory of Neo, Trinity, Possum, Pip, Sabrina, Misty, Frodo, Baggins,
and Mr. Parker
Caring for Luna, Morphy, Baby Girl, Dozer, Pop, and Minnie Mouse

[Posted in FML 6856]