I just wanted to write and let you all know that my darling Paddington Bear
ferret is at the Rainbow Bridge now.  He has had on and off "bad days" and
"good days" for a few months now (he was seven), and last night it seemed
like the kindest thing that I could do for him was have the vet.  help him
over the bridge.  He had an abdomen full of fluid, and was a poor surgical
candidate, and was uncomfortable and dehydrated.  The time was right to
help him on his way, hard as it is on me and Smokey and Scooter.  :-<
 
Those of you who were on the list in October of last year may recall that
he appeared with Jean Capulto-Lee on the Judge Mills Lane show .. he was
the little silver mitt in her arms.  Those of you who were on the list in
February will remember when it actually aired.
 
Going further back, if you were on the list in September of 1995, you may
recall a little ferret found in the woods near a home in Connecticut (near
Yale).  That was my Paddington.  I found out about him on this list, and
went up to get him.  He was about 2 or 3 years old, we think, when he was
found.  The first thing he did was kiss me and kiss me and cuddle with me
as if he'd been waiting for me all of his life.
 
He was always very sweet, very gentle, and such a cuddler.  He was
generally healthy until the last couple of years ... he had an infection of
unknown origin which wouldn't respond to ANYTHING ... Baytril, amoxicillin,
other antibiotics ..  we tried them all.  The only thing that finally
worked was colloidal silver, and I'm still grateful for all of the kind
people who sent me info.  on it so that I could get my vet. to let me use
it.
 
THen more recently Paddington went bald (and then equally as mysteriously
grew back all of his hair virtually overnight).  He had mast cell tumours,
but wasn't a very good surgical candidate to have them removed, so they
stayed in place.
 
He lost some weight in the summer, but gained it back in the fall.  In
recent weeks, he's been more lethargic, and the vet.  last night said
that it seemed to have been a very fast-acting lymphoma that brought on
his final problem (the fluid in the belly, etc.) He was alert until the
end, and seemed very grateful that I let him go.  I imagine him now running
and playing at the Bridge with my beloved rabbit who "crossed over" this
summer.
 
Skeeter and Sandee .. please greet him and make him feel at home.  I love
him dearly, and I miss him very much.
 
- Ela
 
   (000)___(000)        Ela Heyn
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[Posted in FML issue 2895]