Smokey is one of the Utah kids that came to me from Jackie H when she
took in a bunch of them last September.  If you have just joined this
list & you don't know about the Utah rescue last September I think you
can go to the archives & look it up (BIG?)   [yes?]
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
 
It was soon found out that Smokey had Insulinoma, Lymphoma & liver
problems, plus the vet thought he had some tumors.  Smokey was always
happy to just be laying alongside of me on the bed.  Many afternoons when
I was taking a break, (which I took just to hold be by him) I had him
next to me, stroking him for a couple of hours.  Some days he would play
fight with my hand.  On days when he was feeling really good he would be
on the floor either playing with his 2 cage mates (also Utah kids) or the
other 8 Utah kids.  He wasn't very peppy, but it made me laugh when he
tried to war dance or the weasel dance of joy.  He was so very clumsy he
would fall over.  But undaunted he would try it again, & again.
 
Then he started putting on a lot of weight & ballooned up.  He had a hard
time walking around but still remained a happy guy.  He loved his
supplemental duck soup & was almost always waiting for me when it was
time for him to eat.  The other kids would try to get him to play but I
think he couldn't do it anymore.  His body was betraying him.  His most
favorite thing was to lay by me & just get loved & he did it very well. *S*
 
Recently his pain started to increase, but it was an intermittent thing.
One day he would whimper often, the next he was fine & a little playful.
He always wanted to eat which really threw me off because I know if a
ferret is in enough pain it will stop eating.  On days he whimpered a lot
I knew it was time to help him go.  Then he would be as "frisky" as he
could so I knew he wasn't ready.
 
Yesterday he had a bad day & would whimper at every movement.  Very early
this morning when I went to get him for his duck soup I found him having
a seizure.  He immediately got a shot of Dex & a increase in his pred
dose, honey on his gums, but he was clawing at his mouth, (even before he
got any medicine) & then he was foaming & it was tinged with red, which
had to be blood.  He did come out of it & did eat a little bit, but it
was nowhere near like he usually did.  I knew it was time.
 
We tried to get him to the emergency hospital, but the brakes went out on
one car yesterday, on another vehicle it died before getting out of the
driveway this morning & my van blew up months ago.  So we had to wait
until someone came home with a vehicle.  Then I had to make an
appointment for him.  On the way to the vet he was active, scratching to
get out of the carrier, (he was too active to hold).  He was quite alert
& wasn't whimpering in pain.  By the time we got to the vet I didn't know
what in the hell to do so had a talk with the vet about Smokey.  We
thought he might have perked up from the shot & the pred & the food, but
there was the fact that he did have blood in the foam &the fact that he
had been in enough pain to cry about it.  I could have brought him back
home, & maybe had to go back later this afternoon or tomorrow or the next
day, so we felt it was time to help him go to the Bridge.  It was a even
more painful decision because last Saturday my little girl Cocoa had a
very bad Insulinoma seizure, one I couldn't get her out of it.  By the
time I got her to the emergency hospital I believe her brain was gone.
It was affecting one side of her head.  So I had to let her go.  Smokey
was sure to be greeted by all of the other War Weasels that have gone to
the Bridge, Blossom, George, Sammy, Max, Samantha, Dakota, Gizmo & of
course Cocoa.  And I know that all of the other fur kids already there
had a great big welcoming party.  I wish I could have seen Smokey doing
the dance of joy as a ferret unencumbered by all the extra body weight he
had & as graceful as a kit.  Then I just know that he, as of all the
other War Weasels that have gone to the bridge, dove into the chicken
gravy or the duck soup or whatever other food they have there.  All of
the kids just love their chicken!  Way to go Smokey!
 
I posted this only because Smokey was a Utah kid & as far as I am
concerned he belongs to everyone that had anything to do with the
rescue, & to all of you wonderful people that contributed whatever you
could to S.O.S for the Utah kids.  And because the horror of it lives on
in the form of Jen Morrison, who has started collecting all over again.
She has already murdered 3 that we know of, by starving them, little
Spirit being the last.  Please check out the archives & find out where to
send letters to the people that didn't prosecute JM for animal abuse,
Animal Control, (for warning her ahead of time that they were going there
so she had plenty of time to clear out), for the prosecutor that didn't
charge her with animal abuse, to the judge that let her off with a slight
tap on the write & a "don't do that anymore".  I am very sorry that I
don't have the names & address's at hand to give you, but maybe someone,
(Tara?) can post them again?  I just have not had the time to find them.
And I don't want to be rude to anyone, but please don't write me or send
cards about Smokey or Cocoa.  I still have 29 ferrets, some needing extra
feedings & care plus a slew of birds to care for by myself & am going
straight for about 18 hours a day from early morning, before light to
after dark & my computer time is very limited.  I just do not have the
time to reply to anyone.  I am rather exhausted & stressed out.  I know
that you all care very much & that is all that matters.
 
And if you all don't mind whispering in God's ear, next Tuesday Nutmeg
(Utah kid) goes for adrenal surgery.  Another one Miss Molly Mouse (Utah)
will be going as soon as I get enough money, along with Rosie, Sadie &
maybe Caffie who are not Utah kids.  And another Utah kid, Pumpkin was
just diagnosed with IBD.  He was on a downhill skid * I think I came
close to losing him, but it looks like he is coming back & is now gaining
weight.  He has been very playful yesterday & today so he is getting
better.  God bless you all.
 
Lynn & Clan War Weasels
[Posted in FML issue 3861]