Hi, all. Sorry I haven't been around much; my free time is minimal, and I can barely keep up with my household duties these days, let alone my email or internet stuff. I have been working 6 days a week, no day less than 10 hours, most weeks. I really do miss you all, though... I have been lurking here and there, but not too much. However, I'm hoping you're all still out there and may be able to help me. I do a lot of contributing throughout the year to individuals and shelters in need, and I even work two days a week in an animal shelter's spay and neuter and medical clinic (albeit it's not a ferret shelter) in my capacity as a vet tech. Not trying to toot my own horn, but setting the background... I am asking now for a little help of my own. In the space of the last year, I have paid for two insulinoma surgeries and their ensuing treatments, three adrenalectomies, and I currently have two more adrenalectomies upcoming; I have also totalled two cars (I swear I'm a good driver-just bad luck this year!) and taken a fall down a set of 13 stairs. Needless to say, I have spent a lot of money this year, in addition to all my regular donations to shelters, rescues and human charities, all on a vet tech's salary. I am currently caring for a very adrenal little girl whom I have named Holly. We believe she is only about 2.5 years old or so. She was dumped outside of another local shelter (the Worcester Animal Rescue League) near a busy street, without even a box-they just set her loose. Okay, she may have "gotten out", but no one was looking for her in our area, and it seems a little too coincidental that she is adrenal. We had no responses to our searches for her owners. She was found a few weeks ago wandering in the Rescue League's neighborhood, with raw, red, swollen, hole-filled, scabbed feet; she was filthy, her ears were gross and full of mites, her nails were too long, she's half-naked and she has one of the biggest vulvas I've ever seen. Despite this, she is a very sweet little girl and spunky. I am trying to get my hubby to let me keep her-she has become very attached to me (and I to her)-she follows me everywhere, chitters to me constantly, climbs into my bed at night and spends 15 minutes cleaning my ankles and feet before curling up between and over them at night, if not on my chest or in the crook of my knees. She climbs on top of my head when I get home from work and can't get enough of me when I've been away. She is a little love bug, but also tears after bell toys and plays tag, stashes things. She deserves better than what she was dealt. She is now clean, though still very bald; ear-mite-free, well-fed and looking pretty good. She is happy and as healthy as she can be with her disease. She has had a lupron injection in the meantime, but really needs adrenal surgery. I will definitely do it and will pay for it, but if anyone can find it in their hearts to help us out, I would greatly appreciate it. She is a rescue, as are most of my guys, but I will do what I have to to get her what she needs. I would not ordinarily ask for help for a ferret I am considering keeping, but like I said, I have two others in line, too, on top of a tough year of surgery. The timing is also making me think she was brought to me for a reason-my Shannon died a year ago Oct. 1 from complications from a cancerous adrenal tumor post-adrenalectomy, and in some ways, this little girl reminds me of her (she chittered to herself and was a perpetual groomer, too; she, too, was found just wandering around in Worcester). Holly was obviously in need of someone who would lavish attention on her, and the WARL called me because I have helped them find homes for several other ferrets in the past, even adrenal ones. If you'd like to help Holly, you can email me privately or send donations in her name care of: VCA Northboro Animal Hospital 286 West Main Street Northboro, MA 01532 Attn: Account of Shawn and April Campbell/"Holly" Dr. Melissa Dudley, whom I work with, is the amazing surgeon there who does ferret surgeries. (In fact, she did Marley's partial pancreatectomy when I was still a vet tech elsewhere, and Melissa is the reason I wanted to work at VCA Northboro!). I assure you that what goes around, comes around, and I will continue my personal efforts to fundraise and improve the lives of fuzzy kids everywhere. Thanks for any help, April Armstrong Campbell and the Auburn Five (Marley, Nicodemus, Finnegan, Cora and Bandit; with Shannon, Renate and Sparkle form the Bridge), and Holly [Posted in FML issue 4656]