Life''s Highs and Lows... hugs needed...

[rfath]

A week ago today I was getting ready to celebrate one of the happiest times of my life - my marriage.

This morning I grieve for a very special little friend who left us suddenly. Our dear sweet ferret, Skittles, suddenly became critically ill and we felt it would be best to put him to sleep - a suspected perforated bowel, septic infection, and strong suspicions of lymphoma were a combination that just didn''t seem fair to ask him to live with.

My baby wasn''t old, only 6 this fall.

My heart is so broken right now... hard to imagine life without my cheeky little friend. He truly was one in a million, a reject at the pet store. It was going out of business and someone had returned him, covered in fleas and undernourished, for us to discover and cherish. We''ve had other ferrets, but he was the only one we''d had from a baby and there was an undefinable bond between us - he''d rather come be with my husband and me than play with the other ferrets.

Ferrets are much like cats in their intelligence and interactions with people.. I know a lot of people think they''re rodents, but they''re actually carnivores like cats and dogs, but part of the mustelid family like badgers and the like.

It hurts. I wish it would stop.... I keep questioning if we could have done SOMETHING to keep him with us. I can''t imagine life without him.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

I''m so so sorry to hear about your loss. What a beautiful animal. I''m afraid that the only thing that will help is for time to pass. Unfortunately, I know exactly how you feel. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
Blu

 

[mightyred]

rfath, soooo sorry for your loss, the loss of a pet is always hard.

Little skittles looked so cute! And your avatar is so adorable. What a fitting memory.

It sounds like you did the best thing given the diagnosis so know that what you did was right. Doesn''t make it any easier right now but it will when time passes.

>

And if you have any more pics please post them....it may make you feel a little better.

 

[codex57]

> I think we all need one every now and then. I've been having an absolutely horrible week that just keeps getting worse.

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh BIG HUGS, I''m so sorry to hear that about Skittles. That is so sad, I''m sorry.

 

[belle]

i am sorry to hear of your loss rfath. take comfort in knowing that you gave skittles a wonderful life that he might not otherwise have known. ((((((hugs))))) to you.

codex, you''re right...we all need a hug now and then...sorry to hear about your bad week... i hope things get better for you.

 

[Shay37]

Oh, no, Rfath I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Hearing the diagnosis, you did the right thing for Skittles. Sometimes it hurts to do the right thing. We will be thinking of you. HUGS!

Shay

 

[perry]

I offer not just the hug, but a shoulder to cry on as well...

Our relationships with our pets can be as, or more, meaningful than the relationships we have with the people arround us.

I know this is hard; but, I would also say that I respect and thank you for taking the responsible and humane way out of the situation. You did not allow continued suffering - to me the mark of a very mature person. Yet, I know how difficult it is to take that step (my eyes are tearing up in memories).

Know this, Skittles is doing well now. Grieve for a while and then start looking for a new furry freind. The will not be the same - but you will love them just as much after a while.

I am not sure if you have the option: but, in our family we buried all pets with a cerimony involving all the kids to say goodby. It helped.

Perry

 

[fountainfairfax]

I am so terribly sorry to hear of your loss, rfath.....I know you''re feeling robbed, with Skittles only being six years old and that you''re going through a severe case of "why him?"

It''s such a terrible loss when one of our babies falls ill and we can''t do anything to save them (my cat cricket died at 6 of brain tumor/lymphoma so I understand.) You did him such a kind thing by making sure he was at peace, as "Moms" it is the worst thing we will ever have to do....there is nothing worse than the pain you are feeling now, let yourself mourn & be angry and when the time is right do something to memorialize your sweet baby. In sharing your love of Skittles here with us you have already begun to honor him.
Try to take care of yourself during this terrible time and know that many people here are sending their support.

 

[rfath]

I do have more pictures of him... he was so full of life and personality that it was hard NOT to take pictures sometimes.

He''s buried at my husband''s parents'' house with his cage-friends - the other three ferrets we''ve lost in the last 18months or so. He went in his favorite hammock - the one shaped like a lobster, his koosh ball (I''ll try to share pics of him playing with it), and some dirty socks, his favorite thing to thieve and hide from us. We kept his nemesis, the purim hand-clapper that would bring him skittering from whatever corner of the apartment he''d been in to try to confiscate it from us.

I''m sure life goes on.. we lost the other ferrets as well, but they were long-term illnesses that allowed us the time to prepare to say goodbye and let them go with grace and dignity. I''m just at a loss right now, not sure how to pick up the pieces. His cage here beside my desk is just so *empty*.

Thanks for the hugs... they really do help. I''m an hour away from my other fur-kids, my horses, and not really in any shape to drive right now.

 

[ame]

*hugs*

 

[Blue824]

I''m so sorry for you loss, rfath. The sudden loss of a pet is an extremely difficult thing to deal with. Even if it is expected, is never easy. No matter how big or small the pet is, the pain is never any less. They''re friends that never get mad and love you unconditionally. That is an adorable picture of your Skittles, he looks happy and loved. Sending hugs & thoughts your way.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am sorry for your loss. Pets are like our children and it is very hard to be without them.

 

[Sundial]

So sorry for your loss. It is difficult to lose a pet. They are members of our families. Sending hugs your way.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

I''m so sorry to hear about Skittles....I can completely relate as we just put down our 5-year-old cat yesterday...If you need a hug or a shoulder to cry on, please don''t hesitate to PM me...we can cry together!!!

It sounds like you did everything right...know in your heart that you did the most selfless thing you could possibly do for him...it sounds like little consolation, but it demonstrates your love for Skittles.

*HUGS*

 

[MissAva]

*hugs*

 

[icekid]

awww.. HUGS, rfath!! Losing pets is so hard....

 

[AGBF]

I am very sorry for your pain, rfath. I always hope I will never have to "put (my dog) to sleep". I would feel like a traitor if I gave up on him, and yet watching him suffer would be even worse and more heartless. I know you must feel the same way. I wish I hadn't read this thread. (I had avoided the "sick kitty" thread for that reason. Please also accept my condolences, AChiOAlumna.) My boundaries are far too porous when it comes to animal suffering. I feel as if the animal were really me. But enough about me. I am very sorry for your pain and loss. Consider yourself hugged.

Deb

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Sorry for your pain. We lost our beloved family cat due to an accident on my sister''s wedding day--so I can understand what you feel. Hugs your way.

cheers--Sharon

 

[HOUMedGal]

I don''t like this pattern of sad pet stories lately!!! rfath, I know how difficult this can be, as I''ve lost relatively young pets suddenly in the past too. It just takes time for the sadness to become more bearable. It makes it even harder for those of us who tend to get so attached to our little fur babies, but think of it this way: if we didn''t get so attached, and love them so much, think of all the happy times we have had with them that wouldn''t have been near as happy!

Your little guy was soooo cute; I''d love to see more pictures if it would make you feel better to post them.

HUGS!!!!

 

[AndyRosse]

Oh, I''m so sorry...

 

[hearts set]

I''m very very sorry.

I can''t imagine how you are hurting.

This is a happy story of how you found him and gave him so much love.

I''m sorry that his life was cut so short.

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

RFATH I am sooooo sorry to hear about the lost of Skittles. It is so difficult losing a pet, as they become part of the family. I know it seems like things can''t get any better but eventually it will and you will be able to enjoy the time you spent with him instead of how suddenly he was taken away from you. My prayers are with you.

 

[FireGoddess]

I am so sorry to hear this, and send lots of cyber hugs your way. One of my good friends has a ferret and they are like perpetual kittens, only funnier. To see him bound around and get into mischief is truly a joy and always seemed to erase any stress I was feeling, so I can only imagine the depth of your loss. You know of course that you did the humane and kind thing, but this doesn''t diminish the pain at all. Just get everything out - have a good long cry, and then try to heal. *hugs*

 

[MelissaSue]

rfath - I''m so sorry! How terrible. The loss of a pet is SO heartbreaking, and its SO tragic that it was right after your wedding, the happiest time of your life.

What an adorable little guy he was. I know it was sudden, but I''m sure there was nothing you really could have done. Do you have other ferrets? I remember your engagement story, so I know how much a part of your life they are!

 

[rfath]

sadly, no, no other ferrets. Skittles was the last, and the one that we expected to have for quite a while yet. He''d never really been sick at all in his life. It hurts more to see his empty cage, to hear noises and think it''s him, remember that I should close a door, turn on a light or air conditioner for him and then realize that it doesn''t really matter anymore. He was my morning friend - he''d watch me eat breakfast, then pull out his crazy sexy-cute poses to convince me to let him out to play with my sleeping husband.. this morning it hurts a lot...

 

[Morticia]

Oh rfath, I''m so sorry to hear about your loss.

{{HUGS}}

You did the selfless thing by putting Skittles down and out of pain, as hard as it was. Again, I''m sorry.

 

[bstraszheim]

Oh rfath, I am *sooo* sorry to hear about Skittles, he looks like he was a little blaze with his little white feet. What a cutie! I hope that it will comfort you in time to think of all the cute things that he did, after you have had your time to grieve him.
We have 6 ferrets and lost one in May to kidney failure, she too was a sock stasher and we still find socks stashed now (how did she get between the books??) It makes us smile now to think of a tiny ferret with a sock dragging out from behind her. I hope that in time you will also be able to think of Skittles in this way. If I remember correctly, your husband used Skittles in his proposal to you, you will always have the memories of this special little guy. Please know that we are thinking of you during this very difficult time.

I wish you well,

Bridget

 

[AmantdeChat]

Sorry about your loss. May you enjoy the many happy memories you created with Skittles. Take care!

 

[rfath]

Bridget - Skittles roaned out a lot from those pictures.. I remembered that we had some pics up from his last trip to Cape Cod this spring/summer. He had SO much fun there...Skittles at the Cape