Sandi passed away in my arms Friday night.  She simply went to sleep and
peacefully drifted off.
 
Sandi, an albino (private breeder) ferret, was a rescue from Portland who
was a pretty good nipper from time to time.  She soon became quite friendly
and loved to play inside old sacks.  She never really became much of a lap
ferret, but she would sleep between my feet while I was working at my desk.
She adored ripping apart paper sacks.
 
2 1/2 years ago, Sandi started showing signs of adrenal disease, but when
she was opened up, it was found she was full of cancer.  The vet took out
as much as possible, then estimated she would only live a few more weeks.
She proved everyone wrong.
 
Lately, Sandi lost all her hair as well as her ability to care for herself.
In the last two weeks, she dropped half her body weight; her muscles
wasted.  I fed her 4 times a day and cleaned up her little messes.  She
would sleep on my lap, wrapped in a warm towel.  On Thursday, Sandi stopped
eating, letting me know she was ready to go.  She would only take a little
water from time to time and could hardly open her eyes.  On Friday, she
lost all control over her body functions, and only wanted to sleep and take
a few drops of water.  Her body temperature dropped and she went to sleep
for the last time while I held her next to my chest, wrapped in her
favorite blanket.
 
I miss her.
 
Bob C and 19 Mo' Sorrowful Sharks of the Carpet (Missing Sandi)
[Posted in FML issue 2593]