When my niece was growing up, she spent several years in and out of
Children's Memorial Hospital.  She was in terrible pain for years after
that.
 
She would fall into comma like sleep and high fever.  We could not wake her
up.  Back to the hospital she would go.  They thought it might be leukemia.
Maybe rheumatoid arthritis.  Whatever it was-she had little to no immune
system.  We had been told that she might not live long.
 
This sweet 4 year old -who weighed less than 25 pounds-woke up one day: We
had to carry her around, stand her up, put cold water on her to get her to
come back from where ever she was.  She finally opened her eyes to say-
"Mom, the hand of God reached down and touched me.  "
 
It was never determined what she had in totality.  But God decided to keep
her on this earth instead of taking her that day.  She has suffered for
most of her life, yet has grown into a 13 year old who cares about the
environment, wild life, and the under dog.
 
She sees the burnt bald ferret for the very first time through wise eyes
beyond her years, and says: "What a pretty face you have little mouse."
and picks her up and kisses her.  My sister see the ferret: her body and
face display her revolt :The face sneers.  The body backs up and cringes.
My nephew says-That's gross, Aunt Lisette.  It looks like E.T.!
 
Maria exlaims-"She is not E.T.:look how sweet she is.  She is small-like
a little China doll."  Now ferret and girl kiss one another.
 
I have decided to name the half naked little ferret Maria: after a
thoughtful, sensitive, and loving living being: my niece.
 
Maria, the amiable kissing ferret ,who is well over 5 years old-probably
closer to 7-, is trotting around like a youngster under the tutelage of
Miss Mini-Me.  The terror and terrible of the household -the tiniest alpha
being-has taken Miss Maria under her batwings. :-)  Chatter, chatter,
chatter.  Two magpies talking up a storm, trotting side by side.  Maria
trying to kiss Mini-Me again and again.
 
Thank you all for helping me with names, information on burns, vet tips,
etc.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
"What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes
astray, does he not leave the ninety nine and go to the mountains and seek
the one that is straying?.... ***" Even so, it is not the will of your
Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." ***
Matthew 18:11
[Posted in FML issue 3466]