All the fuzzies are snuggled into their warm hammies here in the Ryan house. Warm soupies have filled their bellies and all are safe and sound. Libby Nibby Ryan is now part of the Oreo cage. The sweetest little DEW with half a tail ,wedged between my soft and beautiful sable girls. Thursday we had to rush off to see Darryl, the vet tech possessing skills of extracting blood out of a rock. Little Belle was having issues and refused to give up any of her blood for Momma to check her BG. HMMMMM: Holiday weekend coming.....vets closed ..... fear of the Emergency Clinic lingering......lots of money to get help....limited info and experience available for ferrets. Belle, almost a rock, Darryl was challenged with Belle's tough, tough mustelid skin. While Darryl did her thing, Doc and I talked about Dot, the little Ferret from Ft. Drum, NY. We talked surgical outcomes, costs, considerations, travel time, surgery options, implants. Then came this interesting pitch......... "Wouldn't it be great if we had a local non profit fund for ferret owners in need of help with vet care." Doc knows I am a doer. Do you suppose he is planting a seed? We do need a ferret club in this area for new (and old) folks to get help and even become aware of the FML and FHL. I've collected names and e-mails, yet no one seems to respond. Perhaps a different approach is needed. I'll chew on this for a bit.... It would seem from the pic I received yesterday that Dot's nemesis sitting right beside her right ear is a mast cell tumor. Doc presented on the hows and why of advanced flap surgery - I think that's what he called it. I learned about the good and bad places from which to have a tumor excised. Pathology considerations, we cans see what we have and what we can do in house....absolutely, I want a FBG before surgery......oh he is thinking out loud again!!! Amidst the calmness of his office, complete with musician playing Christmas carols on her dulcimer in the waiting room, I joked with Doc that I tell folks I have paid for his first son's first year of college. Thinking the young man should be home on holiday now, I asked after him. With chuckles, like all proud parents, his Dad explained he is doing well, loves Northeastern where he is taking up Engineering, however grades are not out yet....do we forget that our vets have a family side too???? I'm excited that Dot and her family will blow into town on Monday, get her exam and needed testing. Surgery will probably be Tuesday. She will part ways with her tumor, receive a Des implant, spend a day or two to be sure she is stable to handle her trip home, three hours away. May she live long and prosper. This sure is a happier ending for a little girl who was nearly pitched to the roadside, but instead rescued by some caring folks who saved her from ferret trafficking on Craigs list. Thank you everyone for sharing your funds, inspirational words and pictures. I cannot tell you how warm my heart is that Ian and Amber have hope for Dot's future and can relax a bit to enjoy their Christmas. (Although I did hear Ian not only pulled duty on base Christmas Day, he gets to spend Christmas Eve there as well.) This is the first time I have been on the financial end of a fundraiser and I did want to say this. If you ever feel moved to help a family, animal, organization etc. and feel you can only give a few dollars, give the few dollars. Saving Dot was made possible because enough folks gave a few dollars each. There were no presidential size donations to this get this done, it was a collection of big hearts giving a little bit of what they had. The warm words and encouragement from shelter directors who have been through this helped me to have positive thoughts for Dot and her humans. So, as you think about the New Year coming, do think positively. Energy follows thought. Good happenings come with positive thought. Warm Blessings to All Creatures, Great and Small. Cathy Ryan Feed rescued animals in two clicks http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 [Posted in FML 7284]