For years I have been reading, learning, and sobbing over people's posts. I have even remarked how strong people seem to be towards "the end" with their ferts. As many of you know Blizzard, our young man (Mr. January in the SOS 2008 Calendar), I must report to all of you that our cuteness took ill last Monday. We thought his spleen got very large. Monday late afternoon we called his doctor who asked us to monitor him overnight and call him in the morning if there was no improvement (he was not able to walk as his back legs just went out from under him). Tuesday first thing in the morning we called, but the doctor was not available and we were told would not be able to see Blizzard that day. We had to take matters into our own hands and we found another doctor (doctors Jean Wardell and Tom Kawasaki). Blizzard was seen by Dr. W that early afternoon giving up her lunch hour to see him. She took X-rays and a blood test. The blood test revealed he was not a strong candidate for surgery as his ALT and BUN levels were too high. She gave him an antibiotic and some hydration fluid as well as sending us home with antibiotics while making a surgery date for 8/6 if the spleen did not get better. Well, not only did it not get better but, what was a healthy ferret on Sunday (hiked for a few miles and ran around in the front yard), now was a little guy that was unable to walk, could not move, did not wish to eat or drink, was losing weight, we had to continually wash him as him went to the bathroom wherever he laid, and was losing his grip on life as we were getting devastated. Even today, Saturday, he was remarkable...in an act of bravery and courage, he still tried to crawl his way to his potty so he could go to the bathroom. By Friday we was getting even weaker. We called the Dr. Dr. W was able to move the surgery up to this Monday (7/28). On Saturday, things were looking even worse (yes...I am talking about my little Blizzard here!!!). Dr. K was kind enough to stay overtime after his office closed to see our little cuteness. He ran another blood test, took a urine sample and his temperature. He was not encouraging, as Blizzard was running a temperature, and his urine and blood strongly indicated kidney problems as well. Was it a massive infection or massive cancer? It was unclear. Dr. W said she never had seen a spleen this large before in her life. Dr. K said it was wrapped around everything and contained now 1/2 his blood and 1/2 his weight just in his spleen! He also indicated it would be a very "risky" surgery. So much so that he would put himself on this surgery with Dr. W! Not only that since he felt Blizzard would not make it off the table as he would be losing so much blood, he would bring in one of his own ferrets to give a blood transfusion to our little Blizzard! He gave him more antibiotics and food supplement and another antibiotic to give him on Sunday morning and before the surgery on Monday. We have a Shaman coming over tonight and spending the night and a Raike Master coming over tomorrow to give him a session in the hopes that their powers may be able to assist our little man. I am telling you guys all this because we have all "lived together" for the past few years, and it is my hope that you can all pray for our little Blizzard if you do that sort of thing. If not, maybe you can just think some positive thoughts for him and tell your own ferts about Blizzard in the hopes they too can get out some positive thoughts for the remainder of this weekend and for Monday. His surgery time is 8am on Monday. If you/we can all breath a collective thought at that time Blizzard and I would really appreciate it. It is my deepest, DEEPEST hope that I can write on Tuesday that he has made it through his surgery. Thank you all. Mark Sonder, CSEP Father of Blizzard the ferret Chief Entertainment Officer Mark Sonder Productions, Inc. 540-636-1640 <http://www.marksonderproductions.com> author, "Event Entertainment and Production" (Wiley 2004) [Posted in FML 6044]