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March 24, 2003
RIP: Castor, 1996 - 2003
I would like to say goodbye to Castor, a male albino ferret, who died today. Castor was Brian's buddy for the last 7 years. Over the years we came to an understanding. I understood that he would bite me if I left any skin exposed. He showed a particular penchant for the webbing between my thumb and index finger. Screaming and trying to shake him off tended to excite him all the more, as it was all part of the game.
Saturday afternoon Brian discovered Castor was having trouble getting into his hammock. When he took him out, Castor just lay on the floor. We rushed him to the emergency vet, who administered antibiotics and IV fliuds. When he failed to respond by Sunday evening, they did some X-rays and found he had fluid around his heart. At 11:30 on Sunday night, the vet called to say he had taken a turn for the worse. Brian had already decided that he would end Castor's pain if he wasn't better by morning, so he told the vet to go ahead with it.
I am, of course, a complete basket case. I can't handle animal pain or suffering at all, much less an animal that I loved. And I did love Castor even if he did bite me and made alot of noise in the middle of the night which kept me up when I had sought the couch to avoid Brian's snoring. Brian's being more stolid, but I know he will grieve for "shorty mac". We went to see him this afternoon, and I am glad we did because even though he was obviously not well, I felt that he recognized us, and hopefully didn't feel that he was all alone in this. I just wish he could have enjoyed his last car ride a little more. He loved car rides.
Castor will be meeting up with his erstwhile companion Pollux, who passed away several years ago. We still have the bunnies, cat, and mice to keep us company, but Castor was the only one that was truly Brian's, so I worry for him. I offered to postpone my trip and he told me not to.
I knew it was coming, and I wish I could say I didn't. I knew something was going to happen. Castor was getting older and I just felt like his time was short. I wish it hadn't been so sudden, or I wish it was more sudden, so he didn't waste away in a strange place. Brian requested a post mortem, maybe that will tell us what happened.
Ok, I've rambled enough. Bye, Castor. You were a good boy.
Posted by Laura at March 24, 2003 12:28 AM
Comments
Yeah, my little bro is gone.
I like to think that death doesn't affect me much, actually, I like to think that very little gets through this armor, but I know that Castor's suffering, moreso than his passing, bothered me.
He will be missed.
Perhaps he will be followed by Winken, Blinken and Nod...maybe...
Posted by: BLuR at April 1, 2003 11:47 AM