I am not personally passing judgment on what happened in Washington because we don't have both sides of the occurrence. Certainly, no matter how the miscommunication happened, it is tragic. One thing which folks might want to remember is the value of the research being done: this is a project which among other things is studying a possible way to PREVENT adrenal tumors. As such, Dr. Johnson-Delaney's work may benefit each of our well loved furries. It is, in fact, based on what has been learned so far in that study that we will be using a low level of Lupron in one injection in Spring to short-circuit the seasonal hormonal cascade which may predispose ferrets to adrenal growths. Meanwhile, I'm not taking sides without a full picture from each side. That approach just seems to make sense to me. Gary wrote to someone else: >Here's a tip if you don't already know it: >Always take your shoes off when the ferrets are out playing. It >increases the tactile ability of your feet, not to mention that it's >softer on them if you do step on a toe or tail. Having my shoes off >when the ferrets are out is now second nature to me - I don't feel >right if they are out and my shoes are on. That is what we have always done, too, but I'm going to use this as a lead-in asking for a different set of tips that I really NEED right now. As some of you know, I was born with bilateral clubfoot and had years of therapy and bracing early on but cutting the plantar fascia was a still relatively new approach 53 years ago and my parents didn't have it done, so instead of floppy feet I still have very tight and high arched ones and have cumulative damage as a result which recently is leading to my arches tightening more, walking more on the outside edge of my feet, and bad pain. Worse, I have been falling a lot. I do better now in shoes with stiff soles BUT that means that one way or another I pose some risk to the ferrets, and if the orthopedist decides to operate then the casts will as well. Either is safer than falling on them. I NEED your tips for ways to keep ferrets out from under shoes. (Yes, this is a real nuisance given how much I LOVE walking usually and I mind that as much as the rest.) (BTW, if anyone has info on long term adult damage from "corrected" clubfoot found with the plantar fascia in tact still I'd appreciate it.) It used to be that Steve had a funny comment when I was doing neck traction (for damage from a problem caught when I was assisting in a study done the jungles of Suriname); he would say to folks "Sukie can't talk. She is hanging herself right now." Now when my feet kick up too badly he is saying, "Sukie can't come to the phone. She is too unstable right now." I also NEED a good but loving practical joke to play on him for that. (Don't worry; he is careful who he says it to, but it IS absolutely hilarious.) Oh, and has anyone else noticed that ferrets know WHERE pain is? I think that they can pick up on inflammation. When they get a chance they are trying to nurture my arches and the lateral portions of my feet. I've noticed this with other places where I have had inflammation. They KNOW. I wonder if inflamed areas smell different despite the skin being intact, or what aspect it is that they notice. [Posted in FML issue 4328]