We lost Norman's first ferret, Frisky, last night.  I tried to e-mail the
list and let Sandy know to watch for her, but it hurt too much - couldn't
see to type through the tears.
 
Sandy - Frisky left our home for the rainbow bridge early this morning.
She is a sweet and loving sable.  Loves her stuffed toys, especially a
little puppy dog she has had from the start.  She slept with Norman from
shortly after her first week in our home , even after we got a couple
more ferrets.  Eventually we had so many rescues, they got their own
room, but she still loved to cuddle, when she wasn't playing.  Norman
could take her for walks and she would lead him back home.  Also she
loves to rock on porch swings and have nutrimalt for treats.  She will be
looking for her real good friend, Baby, who passed over to the rainbow
bridge several years ago.  When Baby was sick and dying, she spent a lot
of time cuddling with him.  She has two other frineds there - Handsome
and Rascal.  Please, help her find them and tell her how much we miss her
and how sorry Norman was that he was working and couldn't be there with
her.  She will always have a very special place in our hearts.
 
The loss of Frisky was totally unexpected.  She was 7 1/2 years old and
has always been a healthy, happy ferret.  The past winter she showed a
little signs of her age.  Slept a little more and occasionally seemed
like she might be a little stiff in her joints - but never sick.  Norman
dropped me off at home after we got off work (we had been at work from
12:30 - 9:30 PM).  Norman had to leave immediately for a new part-time
night job he had just started on Tuesday.  A little after I got home, I
went to check on the ferrets and found Frisky lying in the middle of the
floor unable to get up and acting disoriented.  (Norman told me this
morning that she was fine around 4 PM.) I picked her up to check her out
and she just lay her head on my chest and slept.  She seemed to have lost
all control over her back end (bowel, bladder, legs, tail) and was really
out of it.  She refused water and only took a little nutrimalt and then
let me know that she didn't want any more.  She slept the next couple
hours curled up in a blanket in my arms.  Her breathing just got slower
and slower until it stopped.  I don't know if she climbed on top of the
cage and fell off, breaking her back, or had some problem we didn't know
about.  The store where Norman was working (and he had the car) was
closed and I didn't know the after hours number to call him.  She didn't
seem to be suffering or in any pain, but I knew Norman would really have
wanted to be with her.  It was a long awful night and I have had to spend
most of the day reassuring Norman that he is not an awful ferret "Dad",
that she had a wonderful life.  Boy - this hurts and stinks that we lose
these precious creatures who bring us so much joy.  It is going to a long
time before I realize, I am not missing one of the 9 to put back in the
ferret room after romp/cleaning times - really only 8 in there now.
"Sassy", her best ferret friend, and some of the others seemed to be
looking for her today, even though I let them say good-bye after she
died.  Hoping we do not lose anyone else soon.  We have 2 more who are
old and and show their age a lot more than Frisky did - and have been
fearing this happening with one of them.  All of them got extra lovings
today.
 
Good-night sweet Frisky - take care of the piece of our hearts you took
with you - until we meet again.  You were the first to teach us what
joyous creatures ferrets are.  We love you.
 
Linda
and Norman, & the 9 furry heart stealers:
Sassy, May, Rascal, Saint Patrick, Mittens, Curious George, Scamp,
Whisper and Little Dude from Lawrence, KS
with Frisky, Baby, Handsome, and Bandit watching from the Rainbow Bridge
[Posted in FML issue 4117]