Hello, this is Susie Lee (with Wes at the Pensacola Ferret & Dove Sanctuary) and this one is for a little feisty sprite named Caira The Winsome. Caira The Winsome first came to us nearly completely bald and thin as a whipcord with severe adrenal tumor symptoms. Because she was estimated middle-aged plus a health risk with advanced symptoms and nutritionally deficient (her body was "feeding" on her muscle tissue, sustained high-metabolism-"burn" from the hyper adrenals will certainly do that) she was too much of a surgery risk, so she recieved a Lupron shot, the three-month one from the vet. Results were dramatic, for after just a month she re-grew her fur and the metabolic rate slowed to nearly-normal, she began to re-gain some weight and might even have a chance to gain back enough of that to withstand and recover from surgery. She went to stay with the "adoptables" at another house, because that's how good she seemed to have recovered to.Then she had a bad low blood-sugar episode and after being rushed back to the vet and kept for a confirmation, she was diagnosed with insulinoma. It seemed that Caira The Winsome's cancer had metastasized. So she came back to our Sanctuary for the rest of her brief life, which, it turned out, was just a few more months after the multiple-cancer diagnosis. One nice thing is that her brother, Shadow Superguy, was able to join her. Once they were reunited, they were nearly inseparable. Both of them were look-alike blacksables, yet Shadow Superguy has never shown the least sign of all the cancers that have plagued his little feisty sister. Caira The Winsome lost her battle with cancer, but won the war in Love. Every human she ever met loved her and she loved them all, right back. Her last 12 hours, she spent in each of our arms,(only settled down hourly or bi-hourly for very light bland food and water, given with those little doll's bottles) right next to a human heart. Her passage was just as comfortable and peaceful as we could possibly help he be, and when she breathed her last I still was reluctant to let her go, still cradling her tiny, cancer-battle-weary form for nearly another hour. Here is Caira's Lullaby...I think her ferret-angel gave it to us. (Or maybe the little Goddess of Ferrets, Mafdet. Who can say?)((to the tune of "Bless this House, Oh Lord we pray")) Rest your soul in gentle peace All your pain and troubles ceased Someday, soon, we'll meet again At the Rainbow Bridges' end Now all the angels softly make A bough of fleecy clouds and take Your loving spirit , with shining wings, A lullaby for you they'll sing.=20 [Posted in FML issue 4151]