Bumble's still doing fine.  I asked the surgeon about possible infection
from a misdirected shot needle...he said it was quite unlikely.  Some
bacterial imbalance was the probable cause.  Incidentally, if your ferret
ever has stitches and floor-fuzz gets stuck in them, dab them gently with
cotton balls soaked in warm water...no hydrogen peroxide or soap.
 
To Sandy Repper: You asked what kind of a vacuum cleaner Bumble makes with
his scoop collar.  Answer: a typically male one.  All he does is create
those vacuum-cleaner lines across the carpet without actually cleaning
anything up.  The vet said we can keep the collar after the stitches are
out...anyone know where I can get ferret stickers to decorate it with for
next Halloween?
 
To Judy Moon: Thanks for your positive post.  It was especially valuable
coming from someone so experienced.  Since I've been posting a lot lately
about Bumble's troubles, I thought I'd follow up with some homefront
statistics that should be a little more uplifting:
 
(Please bear in mind that I figured this out "by hand" since SOMEONE has
made off with my fancy little calculator with the plastic jewels that was
in my bedroom until it was turned into a recovery ward.  Possibly the same
SOMEONE who's hidden one of my white satin slippers so well I can't find it
anywhere.) Anyway, here goes:
 
I've had Bumble for 5.5 years.That's 2,007.5 days, or 48,180 hours.
I've had Blanche DuBois for 4.75 years.That's 1,733.75 days, or 41,610 hours.
I've had Red Hedda Hopper for 4.0 years.That's 1,460 days, or 35,040 hours.
I've had Patient Griselda (Grizzie) for 3.75 years.That's 1,368.75 days, or
32,850 hours.
 
So my Total Ferret Time is 18 years, or 6,570 days, or 157,680 hours.
 
Calculating Worry Time (but not including Ordinary Missing-Ferret Time when
they're just asleep somewhere), along with Seriously-Missing Time, Actual
Sick Time, and Medical Bills, I arrive at the following:
 
BUMBLE: Seriously-Missing Worry Time (from when he was a baby and I
accidentally tossed him into a dumpster with used wrapping paper the night
after Christmas), 3 hours.  Slight cold the following year, 48 hours'
worry.  Worry over possible adrenal disease, 48 hours.  Worry over having
rabies and distemper shots given together, 48 hours.  Severe illness and
surgery, 10:30 p.m. Saturday to 7 p.m.  Wednesday when he returned home
and played like crazy...92.50 hours.  Worry that tests would indicate
cancer (they didn't), additional 48 hours.  TOTAL: 287.5 negative hours;
47,892.5 positive hours.
 
BLANCHE: 1/2 hour being nipped by her (over a period of 4.75 years), plus
2.0 hours WORRYING about being nipped by her.  TOTAL: 2.5 negative hours;
41,607.5 positive hours.  Never ill.
 
HOPPER: 12 hours' worry over swollen eye, 1 hour treatment time (it soon
cleared up with ointment): TOTAL: 13 negative hours; 35,027 positive hours.
 
GRIZZIE: Never ill.  Missing 48 hours (she was in the basement, and how
she got there I still don't know, but she didn't show herself until she
was good and ready).  TOTAL: 48 negative hours; 32,802 positive hours.
 
GRAND TOTAL: 351 negative hours; 157,329 positive hours.  If someone out
there has a calculator a ferret hasn't swiped yet, feel free to figure out
the percentage of positive to negative.  (Notice I'm counting healthy
sleeping hours as positive, because the ferts look very cute while sleeping
and also aren't getting into any trouble except in their dreams.)
 
VET BILLS: About $2,200 over 18 ferret years, which comes to $122 per year.
 
I hope this helps allay any misgivings I may have been partially responsible
for rousing in the sweet bosoms of ferret-folk!  The more you're capable of
loving and worrying about ferrets, the more they need specifically YOU, and
of course the love and joy they give back is incalculable!
 
Crazy Ferret Kisses from Bumble, Blanche, Hopper and Grizzie, and sedate
best wishes from Signe.
[Posted in FML issue 2481]