Hi everyone.
 
Well, as I feared, we were too late to save Dustbin.  He passed away
this morning at 11 am.  I feel I am certainly responsible for his death,
and as I told someone in an email today, I would trade places with him
if I could.  He was only five years old.  But he didn't die because of
what I thought was wrong with him.
 
He died from an intestinal blockage.  Apparently, the fact that he was
sick a couple of weeks ago with a runny nose and sneezing had nothing
to do with his sudden weight loss.  He must have eaten something he
shouldn't have while he was out playing.  I was just so convinced that
he had gone off his food when I was feeding him babyfood and just wasn't
making the comeback he should.  And I was afraid of the consequences of
taking him to the vet when we had nothing to pay the vet with.  Now in
addition to being in a town that isn't "ours", with the threat of bills
we can't pay hanging over us each day and jobs that just don't seem to
let us catch up, and Dustbin in our lives, we still have all those
things hanging over us with no Dustbin to make us laugh and play with
us to help us forget.
 
Dustbin was one of the best ferrets I ever had.  He was always cheerful,
and what he sometimes lacked in intelligence he made up in personality.
He was like our own little "frat boy".  We will miss him so much, and we
will never be able to shake the feeling that we could have saved him.
 
An important thing that I want to mention is that Dustbin showed none of
the other signs of blockage except sudden weight loss.  There was no
vomiting, strainging to eliminate, drooling, teeth grinding, or anything.
One day he was playing, the next he wasn't.  Before Katrina, in New
Orleans, we had a bit of money set aside for vet visits and a wonderful
vet.  I was always the first person to cart everyone to the vet if they
were even acting funny.  Always be that person.  Never let anyone or any
circumstances tell you to "wait and see." I know that it really isn't
that easy.  But I feel that I have committed a severe error of judgement.
We haven't really adjusted very well to the circumstances we find
ourselves in now.  We haven't been thinking very clearly since that
weekend in August.  Now, one of us has paid the ultimate price.  My only
consolation is that now he is in a place where he isn't suffering, and
he can have all the treats he wants.  Maybe when he gets there he'll see
Janice, Prospero and Puffo.  Maybe Sandee can help him out.  Janice is a
black sable girl, as is Prospero (I thought she was a he at first), and
Puffo is a big boy who is white with grey spots.
 
But again, thanks to everyone who helped.  I hope someone learns from my
mistakes.
 
thanks again,
christine
[Posted in FML issue 5161]