I recently posted about Fang going through pred withdrawal : We are weaning because he went from Insulinoma to Diabetes, but not until three months AFTER his insulinoma surgery. We are weaning from 1 ml. TWICE a day to 1 ml. ONCE a day for a week; then down to 1/2 ml once a day...if his blood glucose test shows some positive results. I think it is important here, for anyone that might go through this, to learn WHY that amount of decrease, instead of 1/2 ml. twice a day, which is what I thought would be better. Dr. Weiss and my vet agreed that staying with the fairly high dose of 1 ml., but only once a day, will hopefully recreate the NATURAL up and downs of the blood glucose, and eventually (and hopefully), stimulate the pancreas into producing insulin again on its own. Cutting back to 1/2 twice a day would be keeping a more *even* blood glucose, and we are needing the up and down swing. <sigh> I think I understand, but the twelve hours in between has been scary . In the middle of this, Fang has been jinxed with a snotty nose that he hasn't been able to kick for a week, and is now on amoxicillian. In the past, he always kicked a cold in three to four days. Sometimes I think about the wonderful people on this list, and how much they have warmed my heart with their stories. I just read Feb. 26 post (I told you I was way behind), and Julie Dowdy's list of things we tolerate when being owned by ferrets really hit home. I laughed outloud. I remember others listing similar things, (the brown ice cubes in the freezer), but Julie's was a direct reflection of our own household. I too, have run out the door in the cold of winter without my jacket of choice, only because Fang was sleeping it the sleeve. I too, have given up ownership of some favorite things (t-shirts, silk cowgirl scarves) because he has claimed them for his own. We too, have given up dresser drawers because they are on his *favorite places to sleep* list. My own addition to the list would be: The bed goes temporarily unmade if Fang is snuggled somewhere in there; I don't want to disturb his ferret dreams; We tolerate a ladder of six misshapen shaped pillows on the floor at the end of our bed cuz it's Fang's Freeway to the top. We don't use Klean Shower, even though we WANT to, because Fang gets in the shower to lick the bottom. We have *Watch for Ferret* posted signs at our doors for non family members coming and going. Family members have long ago embedded our modification of every day life. If we have to get up in the night (applies to those of us over 50) we automatically do the *midnight shuffle*, a perfected form of dragging our feet in order to avoid a furry road bump. (No, I don't shuffle from age, I am actually quite spiffy). ....and the story of Amy's Little Bear who wanted to own a tire store found its' own permanent corner in my heart. The sad stories, unfortunately, have stayed in my heart too. But through our sharing, I believe we are all better people. I live a hectic, unorganized life, always going from one thing to the next...When I need to get centered, and I can't go into the mountains on my horse, I go for my FML fix. Thank you Bill, and God bless you all for being a part of the compassion that feeds it. love and happy tails, Liz and little Fang [Posted in FML issue 3071]