It's been quite a while since I posted, and as it is, I'm still catching up
on past issues, but I really needed to get this out.
 
Our 8-year-old ferret Elektra has left us for the Rainbow Bridge.  It
happened so fast...last week she was fine, although a little thin.  Friday
night she kept zoning out, I kept bumping her with my toe to remind her
where she was.  Saturday I knew it was the end.  Her personality was *gone*
-- I mean she was just a shell.  There was nothing there.  I kept feeding
her Duck Soup (her favorite).  By Sunday she was forgetting how to eat; she
kept blowing bubbles in her Duck Soup.  By Monday she was beginning to
suffer hypothermia -- I couldn't keep her warm, I kept wrapping her in my
sweatshirt but it didn't do any good.  Yesterday when Dave and I woke up we
discovered her in the litter box and she was so cold I thought she was
already gone, but true to her crotchedy nature she was still alive, just in
a coma.
 
We took her in to the vet yesterday (among *more* snow) to give her peace.
 
I don't want to bore you all with how wonderful she was, but there were some
things about her that were truly amazing.  Skip reading now if you must.
 
Elektra was found at the Fairfax County (VA) animal shelter more than five
years ago.  She was brought to Pam Grant's (of STAR* fame) shelter.  She was
adopted out.  The very first day I met Pam I came to look at adoptees, and
although they were all cute, I didn't really consider any of them seriously.
My college ferret, Pericles, died a very untimely death, and I was alone in
the big city, renting a room and needing a friend.
 
Then John walked in with Laure -- a beautiful little black silver mitt who
apparently did not work out in her new home.  I took one look and said,
"That's the one." She looked like Pericles somewhat, and she was tiny and
precious.
 
Her new name was Elektra.  She was my buddy.  It was just her and I against
the big bad world.  Since I was renting this tiny room, I had no room for
anything other than a mattress on the floor and a shelving unit.  Elektra
would curl up with me every night.  I loved her so much.
 
As time wore on and we started adding more ferrets, Elektra became the
matriarch of the family.  She was fussy and particular, but we loved her all
the more for it.  She survived a bout of ECE 3/93 and came back after we
were certain she was gone.  She's never weighed more than 1.1 lbs, but has
kicked everybody's butts all over the place.  About a year ago, she had to
have a skin cyst removed and pulled a stunt I will never forget at the
vet's.  Since the cyst was right on the surface of her skin, she was given a
local anesthetic.  Apparently once they were done removing it, she gave a
little hiccup and went limp.  The vet was mortified, telling me "I've never
had a ferret die under local." I told him not to worry about it, although I
was concerned.  After a while I took her home, while she was still limp and
unresponsive.  The minute we got home I tried to take her out of the
carrier, but she beat me to it and ran right to her food dish and started
eating furiously.  Those poor people!  She really made her point that night.
 
She had a bad cold last year at age 7, and survived that just fine.  She was
also the one who got caught in her bedding, had radial nerve damage, and
came back from that with full use of her leg.  She was fussy, crotchety,
tempermental and one tough old bird.  But I guess time got the best of her.
 
So much has changed.  It's so empty without her here.  The extra cage has
been cleaned out and put away, no more Duck Soup in the freezer.  No one to
sleep in the smelly green blanket in the hall closet.  No one to enjoy
Dave's cooking.  No little poops in the middle of the floor.
 
For those of you who have read this far, thanks.  I just needed to unleash
my sorrow, it's killing me inside.
 
I miss her so much!  I swear, she's left the biggest hole in my heart.  She
was my special girl.  She was always there -- and now she's gone.
 
Good bye, my little Twinkle. Mommy loves you and misses you. I will always
remember my little Elektra.
 
Amy & Dave (the gaggle are not giggling today)
 
RIP Elektra 05/05/87 - 01/09/96
[Posted in FML issue 1441]