>From: Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Ed Lipinski > >Does anyone know how Ed Lipinski is doing? >Have the ferrets gotten new homes? > >[CD] Yep . . . he's improving following cervical and lumbar spinal surgery to correct extensive spinal stenosis. Untoward and surprising complications ( lymphoedema) in the neck and the left leg thrust him back into the hospital via 911 emergency service (may you never experience intubation without anesthetic in a bouncing aid truck) for two days emergency care and four days critical care. Then six weeks in a Care and Rehab hospital. His trachea was blocked by the lymphoedema, except for the intubation tube and his swallowing mechanism was inoperative. He spent six weeks in a care and rehab hospital taking liquid nutrients through a plastic tube punctured into his stomach (ouch!). To eat or drink at this time, as would a normal person not so incapacitated, meant a lingering death from aspirational pneumonia, because the swallowing musculature could not close off the trachea coincident with a swallow. His swallow migrated to Capistrano, along with all the other birdies. Specialty physical therapists trained him daily to ultimately regain swallowing capability. Today he is somewhat recovered and he and his bride of 49 years have been huckleberry picking and cruising the high mountain logging roads in the majestic Cascades in his 1971 VW Squareback, lovingly dubbed, The Rommel Wagen. Always an adventure since something always seem to break down in this old station wagon from Rommel's Afrika Corps. His eleven ferrets were surrendered to the local ferret rescue/rehab/homing group in Kirkland, Washington, by his bride and daughter during his traumatic and surprising near asphyxiation, following and related to his complex neck surgery (eight titanium screws and two rectangular titanium plates and three inter-vertebral discs made from bone fragments taken from his left sacrum. Two orthopaedic surgeons cooperated in this complex surgery, accessed through the left side of his neck and hip. Now he is saddened from the loss of all his ferrets, all of whom were fantastic diggers, and who were just undergoing training to improve their scenting and digging out from the soil special paper objects which he had buried for them to scent, dig out and uncover. The objects of interest to them were cigarette wrapper paper packages containing explosive gun powder. This is the gun powder he normally uses to refill his rifle and pistol cartridges during the reloading process.and is similar to some of the explosive components contained in buried anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Edward is convinced that a trained ferret can uncover part of a mine without the risk of blowing itself up, as sometimes happens with the much heavier and larger mine sniffing dogs. The dogs weigh more than the ferret and they are also much more aggressive in their digging habit than is the ferret with its tiny foreclaws. Unlike the mine digging dog, the ferret will dig only to the edge of a buried mine and leave behind a tell-tale "ditch" of dirt tailings. This unique tailings ditch will always point to the mine even though the mine may be still covered with soil. And another advantage of ferret "de-miners" is the fact that they are very, very quiet and they like to dig at night. Hence the ferret could be employed right under the "noses" of the enemy fortifications, foxholes, bunkers, etc. without the enemy even aware that the little ferret is opening the way for a surprise infantry attack right through the exposed minefield at dawn. Ferrets make difficult targets to hit with rifle fire even if the enemy should discover them night digging. Not likely. And think of the horror an enemy soldier would experience were a big doubled-balled hob to jump down on him in his foxhole or trench in the dead of night. A lot of screaming and not that of the hob. Edward's experience as a US Navy expert sharpshooter on the navy rifle range in Hawaii showed him how difficult it is, if not impossible, to hit a mongoose anywhere between the rifle butts and the firing platform. The mongoose is just a little larger then the ferret and is very quick in its action. Edward never even attempted to fire at a mongoose, because the likelihood of hitting one seemed nearly impossible. The mongoose in Hawaii is a devastating pest of wildlife, and even though it was introduced to rid the islands of rats, it failed in this misguided attempt at biological control of the rat. And not surprising, ferrets are illegal in Hawaii. Perhaps that's just as well that they are illegal there, because a fight between a ferret and a mongoose would most likely result in a dead ferret. The deployment of De-miner ferrets to locate and burrow-point the exact location of IED's, as roadside bombs, could possibly save the lives of some American and other soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Would the American Ferret Association possibly suggest this approach to the US military? Edward thinks this unlikely. Edward is contemplating just how he may locate a source of intact, young ferrets. A dozen or so, a mix of females and males, may be a good start for the digging and training of these ferrets to become De-miners. Also a defuzed mine or two. So, if you have any recommendations, he'd entertain your thoughts/condemnations. Edward thinks a few lady pet ferret owners may find this idea of training ferrets to uncover underground mines is a horrible objective albeit patriotic. Aller Anfang ist schwer. (German: Getting started is kinda tough, Pilgrim) Edward signing in for Edward Lipinski Ferrets North West Foundation, Limping Leftward Along At Half Power NOTE. Check Ferret Archives for Edward's practice of staking harnessed ferrets outside in the ferret digging grounds and describing their digging habits and their characteristic "plowed furrows" of excavated dirt that "point" towards their burrow entrance. Edward feels so sad that the average house-bound pet ferret is living but half a life, if never given the opportunity to experience life au natural on and roiling in the soil. It' quite sad, you know. Very. [Moderator's note: That note above was Edward's note, not mine. Due to previous problems with some of Edward's posts, all his posts are now subject to strict moderation. BIG] [Posted in FML 6464]