Farewell to a Furry Friend

Little Miss Frenchy Frye came to me with a host of troubles. Such a sweet personality, so calm and relaxed, even when being treated for some horrible wounds that had become so infected, it was doubtful that they would ever heal. Old abscesses that had drained and were healing on their own looked like large scabs on her back and under-arms. One leg was so badly infected, it had swollen and pulled her lower leg up into her knee joint. An abscess beneath her ear needed to be lanced and drained, and the skin on her tail was starting to peel off. Very sad indeed! The new owner that found her in this condition was horrified, and we could only presume the best about the previous owner - they might have not known it was not a good idea to put 'Frenchy' in the same quarters as a Dwarf Hamster (they are very vicious to outsiders!) or perhaps another hamster that was not very sociable - so please, if you are getting a new pet, do the research on the Do's and Don'ts with each type of animal!

I notified her mistress that Miss Frye was ready to leave the hospital - and she could pick her up on Saturday! Frenchy was bathed and powdered and ready to go! She was a flurry of hustle and bustle, eating and drinking very well, playing with her new cardboard house and shredding papers that were in her isolation booth! I was so pleased she was doing so well! Truly amazing!

What sometimes occurs in humans on Hospice, and now for the first time I've observed in the animal kingdom as well, is the final 'rally' before the inevitable death. I can honestly say her wounds were healing extremely well - swelling had gone down for the most part, and the outsides of the sores were growing new pink skin. Unfortunately, the treatment didn't begin soon enough for Miss Frenchy - if we'd have known her when they first happened, the outcome might have been better for her. My dad had reported that a woman that had been blind for years had been able to see him as she lay on her deathbed - she had never seen him before, and could describe him perfectly - could see her surroundings, could see her husband's face! What a wonderful gift from the Creator! I've witnessed this same type of miracle when working in Long Term Care a few years back, and it never ceases to amaze me. And now, for the past few days of Frenchy's life, she was able to walk pain free, to hustle and bustle like healthy hammies should - and it was the Creator's gift to her, as well as to me.