I have been too overwhelmed to keep everyone updated lately. Just after losing Zach, Hanna and Rylee with a few weeks, Hanna's sister, Lily, had to have insulinoma surgery last Friday ($$$). She also had a tumor on her spleen removed. She is recuperating nicely but at 7 years old and without Hanna around, I don't know how much longer she will last. On top of that, Ozzie, the love of my life and always the alpha male, is in kidney failure along with all his other medical issues and won't be around much longer. I'm on a day-to-day watch with him, getting up at 2am every morning to hand feed him. As if this weren't enough, my car needed expensive repair after I got stranded on Saturday when I picked up Lily from the vet after her surgery. Since the drive from the vet is about 1-1/2 hours, I had stopped about half way at Pizza Hut to pick up something to eat on the way while I drove another hour home. Picture this . . . me and my pizza in the car with 2 dogs, 1 ferret not doing well and 1 that had surgery less than 24 hours ago and when I tried to start the car it wouldn't turn over. I even got the Pizza Hut manager to give me a jump start but that didn't work. I called a tow truck and waited a while (at least I got to eat my pizza and without being in traffic while I ate) and when they got to me I tried starting the car again and it finally started and I didn't have to be towed after all. I made it home OK and stayed there until I had to go to work on Monday. I took the car to the repair shop Monday afternoon and sat for 3 hours while they did diagnostics on it but, of course, the part it needed had to be ordered and it would be Tuesday before it arrived. I took off work again Tuesday afternoon to sit in the repair shop again while the car was fixed. Just when they were about to hand over the keys so I could finally get home to check on the ferrets, especially Ozzie, the technician said I had a problem with one of my tires. So now I am off to buy a tire before I head home and before the tire store closes (more $$$). I also found out yesterday that I will no longer have a lucrative contract for some work I had done for the last 8-10 years (no more $$$). I was counting on having this work and money coming in so I could catch up on the $5,000 in vet bills I've had this month plus the car repairs and tire. At least I still have my full time job and 2 part time jobs (occasionally).I don't know what else can go wrong this month but I can't take much more. I know I should think positive and realize that things can only get better but knowing Ozzie won't be around much longer makes it very difficult. Donna http://ferretsandfriends.googlepages.com [Posted in FML 5917]