I wanted to thank Carol for posting about Mira last night.  I was not going
to put her story on the FML, but opening the mail and finding more than a
dozen notes or cards truly did help.
 
For all who remember the story last month (May 14th) of the little albino
girl, Cupcake, who came into the PFRA on Friday, May 12th and left us early
Sunday morning.  Mira was the cagemate to Cupcake.  She was the tiny little
girl who we named Mira, short for Miracle, because she was so full of life
and came from such a horrible situation.  Mira was around 6 years old and
had already had her left adrenal out some time before she arrived to us.
She had very thin hair and swollen vulva, but she was a bundle of energy
and such a sweet little girl.  I have always been taken with the big boys,
love my big rough and tumble guys who are an armfull.  But, Mira was such
a tiny little thing, not even half the size of any of my guys, but she was
a blast.  She arrived pretty timid and scared, but within weeks blossomed
into a loveable little thing who would follow me around, I can't say how
many times I almost stepped on her because she would appear out of nowhere
and be sitting there looking up at me!  She only wanted a cuddle and then
she would be off with the boys or would take that cuddle as permission to
try to wrestle the sock off my foot!!  She loved to steal socks, but
preferred the ones that were currently on your feet!!!  When I received the
call that she did not make it through surgery, I was just shocked, I could
not believe that this little girl would have just given up and her heart
stopped.  That morning, she had been out chasing my daughter and climbing
up into the bed to see what I was doing.  We had spent the night at a hotel
close to Dr. Weiss so all the ferrets would have a restful night before
going in for surgery.
 
When we lost Cupcake, I was worried we would lose Mira too.  But, she and
the biggest boy in the bunch, Barney (one of the seniors who arrived in
January) just paired up.  Where you found Barney curled up, you found Mira.
They were so cute together because of their size difference.  I have tried
to justify in my mind and believe there is a reason for her leaving us now.
I guess the hardest part for me is that I know the terrible place she came
from, I could not save Cupcake and I was so hell bent that Mira would live
out a happy, loved life enough for both of them.  Six weeks just does not
seem fair, yes she left us loved with a plump little belly and knowing
for such a short time a spoiled life, but she just should have been here
longer.  Dr. Weiss cannot explain why, there was no medical reason.  She
made it through the cryosurgery itself very well, he said the tumor on
the right adrenal was very large, but there were no complications, at the
end of surgery, her heart simply slowed down and then stopped.  He tried
to bring her back, but she simply seemed to chose to leave.  Many of us
believe there had to be a reason.  I have tried to convince myself that
maybe there was something more going on and that this was the peaceful way
for Mira to cross the bridge to Cupcake.  That if she had not went down now
and left sleeping, then her death would have been soon and painful.  I keep
telling myself that, still not really buying it, it simply does not seem
fair.  It is purely selfish, but it should not have been here, not that I
wanted any ferret to leave, I would not wish this on anyone, but she just
should have had more time to be loved.
 
To make matters worse, during the night we lost another of the ferrets who
made the trip.  Billy Baldwin was about 6 also, had bilateral adrenal with
the right wrapped around the vena cava.  His body temp had started to drop
and he died in his sleep overnight with Kym Barone sleeping next to him.
He was a doll and was preparing to go into foster care today with 3 his
brothers (yes, the Baldwin boys).
 
If you are reading this, please understand, none of these events are to
be faulted to Dr. Weiss, we believe in his skills beyond any vet in this
country or universe for that matter.  We will continue to take our more
difficult cases to Dr. Weiss and we trust him without limit.  Mira has no
rhyme or reason and it had nothing to do with anything Dr. Weiss did or
could have done.  Billy was just such a complicated case, we would have
lost him regardless.  The other 3 ferrets who made the trip with me are
doing wonderfully, and all were involved cases that only Dr. Weiss could
have treated.
 
Thank you to everyone who posted regarding Mira.
 
Hugs,
 
Jen and Gang
[Posted in FML issue 3093]