Hello,
I just received the latest and greatest from our little friend Gabriel.  It
is encouraging to see that while he is not up and on them all the time, he
continues to gain increased mobility of his hind legs.  I hope you will
realize that Gabriel's healing is due to the love and dedication of his Mom,
Mary.  She is a blessing to Gabriel and to the shelter as well.!!!
 
Alicia
a shelter Mom
 
Read more on Gabriel at  http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/gabriel.html
 
Ferret Wise Shelter Page at  http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
..............
 
Hi Auntie Alicia,
Sorry I haven't written in so long.  It's my mom's fault.  She has been so
busy that I have had to wipe a ton of dust off the keyboard with my tail.
But I wanted to let you know how wonderful I'm doing!  I am having the
bestest summer so far and keep thinking it's going to end sometime.  But mom
says its not.  She says that as long as we are together, it will be summer
always.  My mom is very nice.... That's why I kiss her nose, her lips, her
eyes, her ears, her neck.....I always know when my mom has had a bad day....
she gets me out even more often so I can shower her with kisses, - she says
it makes her day much better!
 
Let's see, where do I start... I actually have my feet up under me now and I
can actually run alittle bit.  It might only be five or six steps in a row
before I lose my balance, but it sure is a lot better than it was at
Christmas time.
 
I actually can spring up and down when mom tickles me the right way.  Aunt
Jeanne says I bounce straight up and down like a Pogo stick - but I didn't
think I looked like Pogo at all!  Aunt Jeanne tickled me just right tonight
so I jumped up and down about five times right in a row - Aunt Jeanne, Uncle
Jim and my Mom were rolling on the floor laughing at me!  They looked so
funny - they looked like ferrets!  Mommy says if I lose some of my baby fat,
I might even be able to bounce six or seven times!  (But Aunt Jeanne says I
might hit my head on the ceiling if I bounce any higher!!)
 
The other big news is that I have a friend that I play with!  He just came
out of nowhere one day.  He is a sable boy.... and he was real, real skinny.
Besides that, he had even less energy than me!  Mom says it was because
somebody abandoned him and he was outside all by himself (even at night in
the dark!) and did not have his mommy to give him Totally Ferret.  Not even
junky food!!!  He was very weak and he didn't know how to play.  After he
was here for a couple of weeks, mom said I could meet him.  He was real
nice, but I had to teach him how to play... can you imagine that?  Me,
little Gabriel with the goofy legs, had to teach somebody how to run and
jump!  He had so much fun, that we both laugh real loud!!!!  (Mom says we
sound like TWO obscene phone calls!!!) He has been eating a whole bunch of
food and has gained a half a pound in the past two weeks.  He also can play
longer, which is good, because we chase each other through the tubes and
sometimes, when I'm a little slower than he is, he lays down and waits for
me to catch up.  He is very thoughtful.  He seems to know that I am a little
slower - and he doesn't seem to mind.  He plays very gentle with me.  I know
that he is still very weak and I coax him to play just a little bit harder
so he builds up some strength.  Mom says some stupid thing about Bonding,
but we don't play James Bond at all!  We play chase, which mom says is one
of the best things that has happened for me.  Something about motor-vation
for me to run more.  (guess that's why its called motor-vation).  Uncle Jim
said it's almost as if someone sent another angel to help me, so he said we
should call him Ezekiel (I can't pronounce THAT, so I call him Zeke.)
 
But anyway, I just wanted to say Hi and tell you that mom is very sorry
about getting so busy that SHE hasn't written you back (so I did!!!).  Hope
everything is okay and can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks at the
show.  My friend Zeke will come too, so you can meet him.  Also, please tell
all the nice people who gave money for my treatments that I am doing great!
They are very neat, generous people and I always think about them!
 
                           Love,  Gabriel
[Posted in FML issue 2019]