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]