Hello Gang!
 
I've been lurking the list since my last post of the Pathology report on
Farrah.  As those of you have followed the story may know, the findings
are turning out to be even more inconclusive to support a diagnoses of
ECE.  The gut tissues were too rotten to run the test that would have
given a more concrete answer.  So while the mystery may never be solved,
I am determined to turn this tragedy into a valuable learning experience.
 
In the wake of the loss of my fur family I found a wonderful shelter mom
just an hour away from here (which by Wyoming standards is just around
the corner) and we finally got a chance to visit Frontier Ferrets last
weekend.  We spent nearly 9 hours playing with all the kids in shifts.
I believe she said she had 29, and she knew them all by name!  We would
wear them out in waves and while one bunch was sleeping it off we would be
introduced to another.  I can't remember when I have had such a WONDERFUL
time!!!  I'm not sure who had more fun in the rice box, my daughter
(Britt) or the ferrets!  Thank you Neen!!!  We are hoping to come over
again tomorrow for a Sunday afternoon romp!  Being able to hold and love
and play and just watch them has given me a very therapeutic kick in the
butt!  It motivated me to get the cage cleaned 3 times, all the bedding
and hammys washed twice with the stuff we got from the shelter, and all
the walls and non carpeted floors washed down with the antiviral cleaner
I found after reading the archives of the FHL (Broad-Cide) Next, its on
to the carpets and furniture.  In the meantime, Britt and I hope to get
over to Diamondville as often as possible to play with the Frontier
ferrets and help their mom out anyway we can.
 
I have been asking everyone, on every list I have found, what is a good
amount of time to wait before adopting any more ferrets.  As you might
have guessed, for as many people who answered I got just as many different
answers.  I've heard everything from, "As long as you don't have any live
shedders you're good to go" to "I would wait at least a year to be safe".
That one was the hardest one to read!  A WHOLE YEAR!  Uuuuugh!  If that's
the case we will need to rent a room from Neen for the weekends!  I want
more NOW!  Sheesh, now I know where Britt gets it from!  Spoiled brats we
are!  We want what we want when we want it!
 
The things I have been thinking about since a vet from the FHL told me he
didn't think it was ECE, are these: Do I treat it like it was ECE or what?
What looks like ECE but isn't?  What else would cause those neon green
slimeys Farrah and Spaz had?  What would cause the baby to go from fine to
dead in less than 48 hours?  I sure was hoping to have a lot more answers
by now, but I am learning to understand that this is not my, nor the vets
fault.  That it just happened and I may never know why.  Shoulda',
Woulda', Coulda's do nothing but discourage and depress me, so I'm done
with all that!  What I 'can' do is prepare the way for new fuzzies by
continuing to read everything I can get my hands on, find ferret
knowledgeable vets, and give as much love and support to all the kids
over at FF as I can, until the time comes for us to adopt a couple.
 
The input and support I have found within the online ferret community has
been terrific!  Thank you for being here and reading my sometimes frantic
and shrill posts.  I have yet to see any of the flames some of you
mention.  In fact I haven't even smelled any smoke.  (KNOCK ON WOOD)
 
Cindy - In Memory of Farrah, Spaz, and Trooper
(Sorry for the long post)
[Posted in FML issue 3717]