In February 1997 dark-eyed white ferrets were still not very common.  So
Jack and I were surprised when we came across a little boy and girl in
our local pet store.  We hadn't really planned to add to our then family
of six, but couldn't resist the uncommon beauty of those dark eyes
against white fur, with the striking dark stripe down the back.  Both
were adorable, but since we hadn't planned on a 7th let alone an 8th
family member, a choice had to be made.  The little girl came home with
us and became Myst.  It became apparent to us shortly after getting home
that our Myst was oblivious to noises around her.  She did not react to
closing doors or voices or footsteps around her.  This would be a
challenge - how would we communicate with her?  How would we call her,
teach her not to nip?  How would she know when it was treat time?  Would
she play with toys when she could hear a squeak or a jingle?  At first I
felt sorry for her, thinking she would be at a disadvantage in her silent
world.  I soon learned differently.  Myst may not have heard the world
around her, but she indeed knew how to enjoy it.  When she was younger,
her vision was better than our other ferrets'.  She would see the
slightest movement of toys dangling or rolling in her proximity and
pursued them with passion.  At treat time, she watched the others and
followed in suit.  She was never left out.  When the others were called
for any reason, she always knew and was always there with the rest of
them.  She never did learn not to nip nor was she very good with the
litter box, but these were things we learned to live with.  She was very
talkative throughout her life, chattering happily like many do only as
babies.  We learned quickly that her "disability" did not hinder her
ability to enjoy life at all.
 
I have honestly never met a ferret with a bigger passion for eating than
Myst.  She was our only ferret to eat pieces of meat given from our
dinner plates.  There didn't seem to be anything that she wouldn't at
least taste.  True, we sometimes ended up finding stashes of her morsels
that she saved for later under the couch and other furniture, but
watching her trot off with a new treasure in her mouth to be sampled in a
private hideaway was truly priceless.  Cheweasels, puppy biscuits,
raisins... she'd take her treasure and hide it, then go back and see who
else's she could steal as well.  She adored Bob's Chicken Gravy.
Throughout her life, there was always one of her brothers or sisters who
were eating it regularly due to some ailment.  She became known as our
plate cleaner - while the others would leave some gravy on the plate, she
would lick the plate completely clean.  She would wake up from a sound
sleep when it was time for gravy or "mush" as we refer to it.  Even
during her last few months, when she lost her vision too, the smell of
the mush would wake her and she would follow her nose around the room
until she found me with the plate.
 
Several months ago, Myst was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.  It was
detected early and while I was concerned, I thought with medication we'd
have Myst in our lives for quite some time to come.  This was not to be.
I had noticed that her breathing seemed a bit heavier than usual and that
she was tiring easily, so I made an appointment for her to go to the vet
the following day.  I thought her medications would need to be adjusted.
Myst was in heart failure and her chest was filled with fluid.  Our vet
tried to drain the fluid, but the stress of the procedure was too much
for her.
 
Dear Myst, I never imagined when we left for the vet's office that you
would not be coming back home with me.  I'm so sorry that you didn't get
to say good bye to your brothers and sisters.  They miss you so,
especially Merlin and Clarence who don't understand what happened to
their favorite napping buddy.  They have started curling up together, but
they wish you were still here.  Binks usually cleans the plates for me
now, but she doesn't do as good a job as you did.  I hope you have found
Bandit, Gandalf, Jasmine, Aislyn, Mandrake and Amber and that you are all
having a grand time together again.  I miss you all so very much.
 
Surround yourself in Beautiful Noise, little girl.  Enjoy all the mush
and treats you can eat.  Until we meet again.
 
With all my love your Mom, Lucie,
Missing you terribly with your Dad, Jack and brothers and sisters,
Merlin, Clarence, Jessie, and Sarah, and your feline friend Binks
 
 
                        @-"-@
                       (=^ ' ^ =)
                    o00 -\o/- 00o
[Posted in FML issue 3859]