I'm sorry about using the mailing list for this, but many of you have become my friends, and I would like to explain to everyone why I haven't been answering most of my mail for the past several days, and probably won't for many more. This seems to be the best place to do it, since I don't have time to send everyone e-mail individually. Forgive me for the breach of mailing list manners, Chris. [What breach?] What follows is not a ferret-related topic except that it's been a major part of my life recently, and I'm a ferret lover. So, if you aren't interested in reading about my life, just go ahead and skip to the end of this letter. On Monday afternoon my sister, Peggy, her husband, Mike, and their 10 month old son, Alex were involved in a *VERY* serious car accident. One of the magnitute that it was covered on the news on all the major stations, and was in the newspaper for the next two days, front page on some. Piecing together the evidence and eyewitness accounts, here's what we've determined happened... It was the day after their 7th anniversary and they had taken a few days off to go to the beach. Peggy was sitting in the back seat in the center, indicating that Alex was probably being somewhat fussy. There was a truck in the left lane going about 5 mph spraying some sort of chemicals onto the median. Mike must have been distracted because of Alex and not seen the truck as he approached behind another car in the right lane. He pulled into the left to pass the car, and drove right into the back of the truck, wedging the car underneath. The speed limit is 55, so they were probably doing 50 to 65 at the time. There was absolutely *NO* drugs or alcohol involved! Peggy, who happens to be my best friend as well as my sister, made out the worst. She was sitting in the middle of the back seat, which is only equipped with a lap belt. On impact the seat belt basically sliced through her intestines and stomach. They had to remove some of her intestines and 1/2 her stomach. When she arrived at the hospital her blood pressure was practically 0, and during surgery she required 16 pints of blood, 3-4 times what is normally in her body. Due to the very low blood pressure, there was not enough sustenance going to her spine, so it basically started to starve to death. The night after the accident she lost all feeling from her chest down. She was air lifted to another hospital where she came under the care of the best neurosurgeon around. When I was finally able to arrive at the hospital, the doctor was just coming out with the results of a full day's worth of testing. He basically told us that she would more than likely never walk again. This, of course, reduced me to not much more than a sobbing heap. The doctor then went in to look at Peggy again, after several minutes he came running out, practically in tears, *Peggy had regained one of the senses in her foot!!!*. So, there was now hope that her spine is healing itself. This morning the paralasys also went from below her chest, down to her belly button. So, it's promising that she may regain the use of her legs. Tonight she underwent surgery to fix a broken vertibrat (sp?) in her spine. This is probably too low in the spine to have any effect on the paralasys, but again it is another source of hope. She came through the surgery fine, but we won't know anything else for a while. Now we just have to sit back and wait. At least the hardest is over. She didn't have any head injuries, so she's fully alert except for the drugs. She's scared to death, and she's on a respirator so it's even worse for her because she can't really even talk about it. She's limited to writing a few notes which tire her terribly, and we very often cannot even understand the handwriting. Mike was released from the hospital today. He really isn't ready, but he pestered the doctor into it, since he's dying to see Peggy. He suffered a *VERY* serious concussion. He lost his short term memory for a while, and is finally starting to get back to normal. His arm bone was broken off at the elbow, so he underwent surgery for that. Aside from that, he has a *LOT* of cosmetic damage. His nose is broken, his teeth went through his lower lip, several teeth were broken, his eyes were scratched, and *LOTS* of cuts and bruises. Right now we are more concerned with his psychological well being, he's having a hard time dealing with Peggy being so bad. And, he hasn't even started blaming himself yet. We figure that's the next step. Thank God for car seats. With all the injuries his Mommy and Daddy recieved, Alex came away from the accident with two minor bruises on either side of his neck!!!! He had to spend the night in the hospital for observation, but he is just fine. I've now suddenly been forced into the roll of substitute Mommy, since I'm the one who's closest to him. The only effect I've notice from the accident is that he's gotten quite a bad case of seperation anxiety. He becomes almost frantic when I have to leave him at his day care, which is wonderful, and he knows and loves the teachers. I guess he realizes that his Mommy and Daddy left him, now he's afraid I'm going to do the same. He also has yet to see his Daddy, so we're a bit concerned about how he will react to seing him in such bad shape. So, that's why I'm going to be out of commission for a while. If you've sent me mail, and I haven't returned it, please try again in a few weeks. I would like to respond to everyone, but I simply don't have the time right now. Any well wishes are gratefully accepted, but I probably won't send you a reply. Please keep us in your prayers. Medicine has done all it can for Peggy, now she needs a small miracle. [It sounds like it's going to turn out okay. It's often a long road back, so hang in there. You are all in our prayers. Lots of hugs and support from Patricia, Chris & Gregory.] Thanks for listening, [Any time. Please drop us a note if and when you can on how things are going.] - Nancy -- Nancy Hartman CIS graduate student [log in to unmask] U. of Delaware President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club Owner of Percy & Bree [Posted in FML 0156]