[2-part post; combined.  BIG]
 
Last night I had the pleasure to do a follow up on an adoption.  Well,
actually this woman had adopted a number of ferrets from our shelter.
Knowing that her follow-up would go well, I wanted hers to be an example
to the volunteer I am presently training in order for her to feel
comfortable in her new position.  Unfortunately, due to circumstances
beyond my control, the person I wanted to train was now on holidays and
so a fill in was brought in to learn.  I feel that every volunteer should
learn a variety of positions as it helps the shelter in the long run to
know that any job can be covered by a variety of people.
 
As expected everything went very well.  The ferrets all were obviously
well cared for.  She was straightforward and honest about what had
happened to her ferret... that there was an accident in the home that
ended up with the ferret having a badly broken hip.  After 8 weeks of
confinement and therapy, this ferret seemed to think that he was back on
top of the world again.  Even though an accident had happened, anyone
could tell that this ferret was in a good home and loved by a special
lady.  It's the kind of outcome we want for all of our adopted and
placed ferrets.
 
Unfortunately, because of circumstances and things being what they were,
our time together was not all sunshine.  It sometimes happens... people
under the best of circumstances have a falling out and we had had a
troubled year with many disagreements between us.  That happens when two
strong personalities co-exist in the same space.  As I have learned, some
things are just not meant to be and so situations have to find their own
outcomes.  Fate has something in store for all of us.
 
Three and half weeks ago I had contacted her to arrange a follow-up.  As
it also happened I didn't know one of my own ferrets was dying... Between
the time I had sent her the message and I received her reply, an usual
set of circumstances happened...
 
Mushu, my 5 year old cuddle bunny had been losing weight over the last
year.  It had been very slow and gradual.  Because she was very much
overweight, we took it as a blessing.  When the weight loss did not stop,
we got concerned and made an appointment with the vet.  My vet and I
discussed a course of treatment with surgery to be scheduled in about
three weeks.  As it happened, Mushu took a sudden turn for the worst and
I knew I had to have the surgery done as soon as possible.  I called my
vet only to find out he was now on holidays and wouldn't be back for
weeks.  I realized then I had not followed through on one of my own
cardinal rules... I forgot to ask the vet when his holidays were
scheduled so that I could make other arrangements if necessary.  When I
found out he was away, my heart sank... What was I going to do?  I felt
helpless... called my back up vet.  As it turned out, she had just been
through surgery herself and could not stand long enough to perform the
surgery required.  She recommended a third party... He too turned out to
be unavailable.  All I could think of was, I was going to lose Mushu if I
did not act quickly.  My options had run out... or so I thought...
 
The shelter I volunteer for has a big advantage... it has two main cities
that it operates within and that meant that they knew of good ferret vets
in their area as well.  I contacted the president who quickly set me up
with her vet.  All I needed to do was find a rental car.  As it turned
out, most places were booked solid with no cars available?  Was this a
sign?  Was nothing to go in my favour?  Finally, I found a car and out
the door I ran with Mushu under my arm and a grocery bag of clothes and
personal items that I never even looked at as I was packing...
 
The trip had a far sadder outcome than I had wanted and as much as I
hated to admit it, I also knew it was a possibility..  Mushu was found to
have so many things wrong with her inside that blood work, ultrasound and
aspirates did not entirely reveal, that the kindest thing I could do was
to let her go... as I held her paw, with still an open belly... she was
allowed to pass quietly and pain free... My Mushu, who I had tried to
save, was gone... My little girl who had lost her sister to a similar
illness the year before was no more.
 
Her body came back with me for cremation and to get a ceramic paw print
done.  The trip back was lonely... quiet... and sobering.... but it was
done without regret.
 
When I returned, I found the messages left from the woman I wanted to
do the follow-up with.  Unfortunately, her messages had stated that the
only night free was the night I left.  I never got her messages until I
returned with Mushu's body.  With Mushu's death still fresh, I decided
that I needed time to grieve and put a few things on hold until I could
get my heart and head back together again as her death hit me quite hard.
I knew that there was plenty of time to talk with her in the coming weeks
since she had indicated she would be busy for awhile and would not be
able to book a follow-up until much later on.  When I recontacted her she
seemed very upset with me, and although she was gracious enough to allow
me the opportunity to do the follow-up a few weeks later, I could see
that she was angry at me for not getting back to her initially.  At the
adoption follow-up I asked her if I could explain what happened.  Things
like this are always better done in person.  She made it very clear that
she did not want to know and that I had behaved unprofessionally.  As a
shelter operator, you learn to concentrate on the good and roll with the
bad... and not everyone will understand why you do what you do when you
do it...
 
It is my hope that she will read this and take it in the light it was
intended... Sometimes it's tough running a shelter... decisions get made
with what may appear to be without rhyme or reason and as I have also
learned, you can't please everyone all the time.  Although I know that
forgiveness may not come, nor it is expected, I just felt I needed to
explain...
 
betty and her blur o'fur
for the love of ferrets...
now and always
missing Mushu
[Posted in FML issue 4213]