It's been quite a while since I posted, and as it is, I'm still catching up on past issues, but I really needed to get this out. Our 8-year-old ferret Elektra has left us for the Rainbow Bridge. It happened so fast...last week she was fine, although a little thin. Friday night she kept zoning out, I kept bumping her with my toe to remind her where she was. Saturday I knew it was the end. Her personality was *gone* -- I mean she was just a shell. There was nothing there. I kept feeding her Duck Soup (her favorite). By Sunday she was forgetting how to eat; she kept blowing bubbles in her Duck Soup. By Monday she was beginning to suffer hypothermia -- I couldn't keep her warm, I kept wrapping her in my sweatshirt but it didn't do any good. Yesterday when Dave and I woke up we discovered her in the litter box and she was so cold I thought she was already gone, but true to her crotchedy nature she was still alive, just in a coma. We took her in to the vet yesterday (among *more* snow) to give her peace. I don't want to bore you all with how wonderful she was, but there were some things about her that were truly amazing. Skip reading now if you must. Elektra was found at the Fairfax County (VA) animal shelter more than five years ago. She was brought to Pam Grant's (of STAR* fame) shelter. She was adopted out. The very first day I met Pam I came to look at adoptees, and although they were all cute, I didn't really consider any of them seriously. My college ferret, Pericles, died a very untimely death, and I was alone in the big city, renting a room and needing a friend. Then John walked in with Laure -- a beautiful little black silver mitt who apparently did not work out in her new home. I took one look and said, "That's the one." She looked like Pericles somewhat, and she was tiny and precious. Her new name was Elektra. She was my buddy. It was just her and I against the big bad world. Since I was renting this tiny room, I had no room for anything other than a mattress on the floor and a shelving unit. Elektra would curl up with me every night. I loved her so much. As time wore on and we started adding more ferrets, Elektra became the matriarch of the family. She was fussy and particular, but we loved her all the more for it. She survived a bout of ECE 3/93 and came back after we were certain she was gone. She's never weighed more than 1.1 lbs, but has kicked everybody's butts all over the place. About a year ago, she had to have a skin cyst removed and pulled a stunt I will never forget at the vet's. Since the cyst was right on the surface of her skin, she was given a local anesthetic. Apparently once they were done removing it, she gave a little hiccup and went limp. The vet was mortified, telling me "I've never had a ferret die under local." I told him not to worry about it, although I was concerned. After a while I took her home, while she was still limp and unresponsive. The minute we got home I tried to take her out of the carrier, but she beat me to it and ran right to her food dish and started eating furiously. Those poor people! She really made her point that night. She had a bad cold last year at age 7, and survived that just fine. She was also the one who got caught in her bedding, had radial nerve damage, and came back from that with full use of her leg. She was fussy, crotchety, tempermental and one tough old bird. But I guess time got the best of her. So much has changed. It's so empty without her here. The extra cage has been cleaned out and put away, no more Duck Soup in the freezer. No one to sleep in the smelly green blanket in the hall closet. No one to enjoy Dave's cooking. No little poops in the middle of the floor. For those of you who have read this far, thanks. I just needed to unleash my sorrow, it's killing me inside. I miss her so much! I swear, she's left the biggest hole in my heart. She was my special girl. She was always there -- and now she's gone. Good bye, my little Twinkle. Mommy loves you and misses you. I will always remember my little Elektra. Amy & Dave (the gaggle are not giggling today) RIP Elektra 05/05/87 - 01/09/96 [Posted in FML issue 1441]