My two older ferrets, Percy and Bree, have both passed on to wait at
the Rainbow Bridge this week.  I took them both down to Dr. Kawasaki
in Virginia for surgery on Monday, and neither survived.
 
Percy had surgery for both pancreatic tumors and a recurring adrenal
problem.  The surgery went relatively well, with no problems with the
pancreas, however he was unable to find any problem with the remaining
adrenal (he was going to de-bulk it if it was enlarged).  Unfortunately,
she was unable to stabilize her body temperature, and died approximately 4
1/2 hours after surgery.  There is some condolence in the fact that she
was in shock and probably was not in pain.
 
Bree's surgery also went fine, and she was awake quickly after surgery.
However, over the next two days she didn't recover, and started to decline
rapidly.  She had severe diarrhea, and barely moved due to the pain.
Whenever I would have to move her, I believe that she actually passed out
from the pain.  Tuesday night had a two crises where her temperature
dropped and I had to use the heating pad.  (I took her back to the hotel
at night to care for her, instead of leaving her alone in the hospital)
Dr.  K met us at the hospital at 6:30 Wednesday morning.  We thought she
had pancreatitis, and he treated her accordingly.  Although later blood
tests showed that her pancreatic enzymes and glucose levels were actually
low, and that her creatnine (sp?) and other tests were high, possibly
indicating kidney failure.  She was given Demerol to help her deal with
the pain, but it was still obviously quite bad.  She was whimpering,
making it difficult to hear her heart.  It was the worst experience of my
life.  At about 2:00 she went into a brief seizure, relaxed, and stopped
breathing.  CPR was given to no avail.  (Her surgery was for pancreatic
tumors only)
 
This has been, simply, the worst week of my life.  I did everything
humanly possible to improve their lives, and they died anyway.  I knew
there was a risk, but I certainly wasn't prepared to lose them both.
Especially not with all the suffering that Bree had to endure.  Those who
know me, know that my ferrets are my children.  The only thing I can
imagine being worse would be losing actual human children.  So, please
endure another mourning mother's recollections on her babies...
 
Percy was my first ferret, the one who endured all a first-time ferret
owners mistakes.  A medium-dark sable with a lovely mask.  She had a bit of
an attitude, which endeared more than alienated.  She was a Womyn with a
"Y".  A devout man-hater in her youth.  Age mellowed her, she learned to
appreciate human males, but ferret males were never to be tolerated.
Totally blind in the end, she bumped around, but was always up in the
morning for scritches and to lick your feet after a shower.  Up until about
a year ago, her favorite game was "tickle-da-belly".  She knew exactly how
hard she could nip, and that it was the only time it was tolerated.  She
would have been 7 years old next month.  "Da Goose" will be missed dearly.
(a nickname derived from "silly goose")
 
Bree was my "Mommy's Girl".  Entirely devoted to me, she would get terribly
upset if she was unable to reach me.  Awake at the first sound of my voice
or footsteps upon returning home, she would run out and ask to be picked up
for kisses.  Afterward she would pout for some time that I had left her to
begin with, but I was always forgiven.  If I ever dared to scold her, she
would get so upset that she would be physically ill.  I learned to be
gentle, just letting her know I was upset was usually enough to make her
behave.  A 2 1/2 pound Cinnamon, she always walked with her tail arched to
point straight up looking very silly.  She loved to be held and scritched.
She would have been 6 next month.  She was my "Shnoogy".
 
I desperately miss them both.  Popcorn, although a wonderful ferret, is
little consolation.  She simply isn't the snuggle-ferret type.  I really
miss having someone to snug and wait for me by the door.  I also believe
that I will never love another animal like I did Percy and Bree.  Percy was
the first pet that was really mine.  Bree came a year later, but became
part of the pair.  They took me through some times in my life where they
were all that I had, and all that got me through.  Fortunately those times
are over, and I have someone special now.  But, those times made Percy and
Bree more dear to me than you can imagine.  They weren't simply pets, they
were truly my "kids".  Other pets will be loved, but they shall ever remain
the most dear to me.  "The Girls" are have left a hole in my heart that
will never be filled.
 
Now both are buried together in a 6-pack cooler.  They are resting together
wrapped in their favorite "ferret bag", which has been adored since I made
it several years ago.  They are resting beneath a beautiful ornamental
cherry tree in my parent's yard.  And, I can't seem to stop crying since.
 
If anyone knows of a wonderful 3-year old female ferret in need of a home,
please let me know.  Popcorn is also devastated by their loss.  A social
ferret, she is very lonely.  I will be posting what I am looking for soon.
I can't seem to see what I am typing very well right now.
 
- Nancy
 
P.S.  Please note that I have a new e-mail address.  I came home to find
out that my grad student account had been cancelled.  What a week...
 
---
Nancy Stephens                                  [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1330]