There have been so many losses on the list recently.  I'm heartbroken to
say I have another to add .
 
Saffy was my third ferret.  I had been shopping around for another ferret
to join Gatsby and Marshmallow (he left me in Jan of 99, due to kidney
failure).  I had always thought silver mitt ferrets were so beautiful but
I was trying to be impartial and wait for the ferret that "struck me".
 
As I walked into the local PetSmart, I glanced at the free advertisement
board that so often has "Free to a Good Home" type ads on it.  An ad
listing a tan ferret, approximately the age I was looking for, was posted,
so I took down the number.  I made an appointment to go see the ferret,
even with the owner's warning that "I think she might be sick--she's losing
weight."  Over I went to check out this ferret.  The owner showed me her
cage and opened it to coax the ferret out of her nest box.  I'm sure my jaw
hit the floor when out popped a dainty little silver mitt girl.  Right then
I knew this was supposed to be my ferret.  I cringed a bit when the woman
explained that the ferret didn't eat her grocery-store brand cat food very
much but she liked to eat a lot of pears.  She gave the ferret one in front
of me, and she did eat it pretty voraciously.  I also twitched a bit when
she said that the ferret didn't really even have a name (personal thing I
have with unnamed animals) but I told her I would be happy to take her.
 
By the next day, that little silver mitt had a name, a brother, a sister
and a mother who was totally in love with her.  A year and a half later,
Saffy began to show signs of insulinoma.  At 3, she had the first of three
surgeries for her condition.  She bounced back wonderfully from the first
one initially, but about a year and a half later she began to backslide.
I took her to see Dr. Weiss who did a partial pancreatectomy and removed
one of her adrenals.  With much thanks to Dr. Weiss, she came back again
and was wonderful for another year.  That brings us to the middle of this
month.  Dr. Weiss examined her again, and on his recommendation, Saffy
had her other adrenal removed and a debulking of her pancreas.  Everything
was going well in the post-op recovery period until last night.  She was
totally unresponsive to anything, including Karo syrup and baby food.  At
the emergency clinic the vet managed to get her back around but when she
tried to wean her off the dextrose, she crashed again and never fully came
back.  At 7am this morning, my husband and I went to the clinic to say
goodbye to my Saffy Bear.  I asked her to be with Marshmallow who was
probably bossing everyone around at the Bridge.  Saffy was always the one
who could set him straight; if the two of them were at the same water
bottle, Saffy would pick up a tiny delicate paw and smack the much bigger
than her Marshie in the face to get him away.  The last year or so she was
alive, she developed the habit of screeching like a banshee if anyone got
into a box or hammock with her until the offender got the hint and left.
She also had a near-pathological obsession with Cheweasels, taking on all
comers should anyone dare to attempt to steal one from her.  Another
favorite of her were these soft, crinkly cat toys--she would take them from
you and put them in the corner of the closet, and heaven help those toys if
she sensed any movement in the pile.  She would pick it up the offender and
shake it to no end.  My husband always felt very close to her as well.  She
was the first one of the group to give him a kiss, letting him know that he
was accepted into our family.
 
I feel a gigantic hole in my chest where my heart used to be.
 
Saffy, wherever you are, I love you so much Little B Bear.  I hope I did
right by you in your life and that you were happy I became your mommy
because I sure am happy and proud I got to be your mommy.
 
Bye sweetie. I love you.
[Posted in FML issue 3220]