Hi All--I'm a lurker who enjoys reading the list but never really has a
reason to post anything, until now, sadly.  I realize there are some folks
who don't care to read stores of ferrets passing on so if you're one of
them, you should probably skip over this one.
 
Like I said, I don't usually post things, but I lost one of the best
friends I've ever had today, and it's hard to find people who can truly
understand what wonderful gifts ferrets are, so I felt the need to put
something down on the list to remember Marshmallow.
 
Marshmallow was the second ferret I got, and trouble from the word go.  He
was six months old the first time I saw him, in a pet store with 3 sable
males.  I wasn't really looking for another ferret (yeah, isn't that
usually how it starts) but something drew me to him.  I picked him up and
he promply bit me and my SO at the time.  Nevertheless, once I looked in
those beautiful pink eyes, I was gone.  So home he came to become the head
ferret in charge, with my first ferret Gatsby as his lieutenant.  He was
obnoxious, loved being the center of attention, and he was my darling that
could do no wrong.  I feel that way about all my ferrets, but the
non-ferret owners I knew were afraid of him, because of the biting and his
being an albino.  He bossed everyone around, but he was my boy.  Out of the
four ferrets, he was always the one to give you a kiss or follow you
around.  Don't get me wrong, I love my three girls as much as I love him,
but I always took his more affectionate nature as a sign of him being male.
He never bit me again after about 8 weeks of training.  He hated shoes and
socks more than life itself, and loved sleeping next to me at night.
 
Last Monday, I noticed him not acting well.  I hadn't been spending the
usual playtimes with ferrets as I had the flu.  When I started feeling
better is when I noticed his sickness.  I took him into the vet and they
found his kidneys swollen to twice normal size, and his BUN and creatnine
levels off the charts.  They kept him there for 4 days, doing fluid
therapy.  He was improving when I got him home, but refused to let me give
the sub-q fluids.  So he was taking Pedialyte and ClinCare for most of the
weekend with very little complaint, acting very close to his old self.
Last night and this morning he stopped taking any food, and would only wake
up to dry heave.  I lost a cat last June to kidney problems, and saw first
hand how he suffered and promised myself I wouldn't let Marshmallow do the
same.  So at 4, I took him to see the vet.  His kidneys were back to the
level they were last Monday, so I made the only decision I could to keep
him from suffering.  I said goodbye, and sat with him until he passed.
 
As I sit writing this with a broken heart (I apologize if I'm getting too
maudlin here), I can't get over a feeling of sadness mixed with
gratefulness for having him in my life, even if it was only for 3 years.
It goes without saying I wish I had had so much more time, although it's
never enough I guess.  But I think it would be disrespectful of him not to
remember how much joy and fun he had in his short time in this world.  He
loved his life (at least he sure acted like it)....danced when he was
happy, threw fits when he was mad, ate when he was hungry, and slept
snuggled up against his sisters when he was tired.  There was more joy in
the living of his life than I have words to describe.  I can't help but be
grateful for that.  I can't also help but be tremendously grateful for the
all the hard work and compassion that Dr. Jennifer Stampf and her staff
showed to get him through last week.  It gave me a chance to say goodbye,
and for him to enjoy his sisters for a bit longer.  Dr. Stampf was almost
as heartbroken as I was to have to put him down, and couldn't be there to
give him the mercy shot.  So Dr. Scott Stahl, the other excellent vet at
the practice, was there to help him and me.  I thought it appropriate that
he did so...Dr. Stahl was the first vet Marshmallow saw as a kit.  Dr.
Stahl was so compassionate to me and so kind to Marshmallow in his final
moments.  For these things and for the kisses, the toe bites, all the sweet
ferrety things he did, and the companionship Marshmallow gave me in his
short 3 years, I thank God.
 
Thanks for letting me post this.
 
Rest in peace Marshmallow. Your momma and your sisters love you.
 
Marshmallow "Marshie" Ellis
Spring 1995 to January 18, 1998
[Posted in FML issue 2560]