# Gregor Is Ill



## Holly

Gregor Samsa, my beautiful little baby boy, is ill.

He will probably die.

He's having an ultrasound right now. There is either fluid or tumors all around his lung area, obscuring his heart. If it's fluid, it can maybe be drained off, and he might live a little bit longer.

If it's tumors, everyone recommends that I "put him to sleep" because he can't breathe, and it's a horrible way to die. (He's on oxygen right now.)

He seemed fine two days ago.

I am sitting here, typing next to his empty cage.

He's my best friend. He's alive right now. Please, please, send your good thoughts and prayers, and hopes that he lives. He's my everything.


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## twitch

oh dear. i hope he makes it through ok and can be with you. but even if he is too ill he knows you love him and will only do things that are in his best interest. i'm sure he'll watch over you from the rainbow bridge in between play times with all the other lovely rats there. i know my Pocket baby will mother him to peices while he waits for you if he does get called up so soon. good luck and lots of ratty kisses and loves from my girls.


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## Holly

Thank you, twitch.

It's tumors. We're down to the option of "medical management," say the docs, to try to buy him a little extra good time.


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## JennieLove

Awww im sorry :'( I hope he makes it through all this.


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## Holly

Thank you for the good wishes.

Some vets are recommending euthanasia, and one vet seems willing to work with him to keep him alive, giving him fluids and Baytril.

This actually turns out to be "mycoplasma" bacteria, and the reason we can't remove the tumors is, in part, because some of the tumors are not ~near~ his lungs; they ~are~ his lungs, "which have consolodated into masses."

Consequently, he can't breathe very well and is on oxygen right now.

He's supposed to go to a specialist in a few hours, but I have my doubts about taking him off oxygen right now. Will he even survive the stress of the drive?

I dearly love my little boy. I'm worried about the trouble we would both get into if we didn't have each other to keep an eye on.


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## Holly

Incidentally, what does "Pink Eeper" next to my name mean? Baby rat?


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## twitch

Holly said:


> Incidentally, what does "Pink Eeper" next to my name mean? Baby rat?


its the rank you have at the momment. when you get to 50 posts you'll go up to the next rank and when you get to a 100 then up you go again. i don't know when the next rank numbers are yet but i'm working on it. *grins*


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## Holly

Today, February 14, 2007, was definitely the hardest day of my life.

On the advice of three vets, (and two "emergency vets,") I had to euthanize Gregor this morning.

I stayed with him the whole time, stroking him when I could, and talking to him without pause. His passing seemed...peaceful.

I don't know the words to express how much he has meant to me.


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## JennieLove

I sorry to hear about Gregor :'( I know how you feel... not being able to really do anything for him but make that painful decision. He's happy now and I'm sure having a great time in ratty heaven.


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## Holly

Thank you. I do have to say that he seemed sort of...relieved, or relaxed...when they gave him the anasthetic gas. I was there to pet him and talk to him, and I can say that his passing did appear to be easy on him.


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## twitch

i'm deeply sorry for your loss but at least his passing was peaceful, that's more then his human counterparts could have hoped for. i'm sure my little Pocket is mothering him like mad at the bridge while they wait for us.


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## Holly

Special thanks to Pocket, for being there to meet Gregor, and mommy him!

At a time like this, there's not much to say, but I feel pretty crummy. It means a lot to me that my friends here are supportive and understanding. I need people like you, who don't say things like, "Well, he was just a rat, you can get another one."

Thank you for valildatlng Gregor's short but meaningful life.

Incidentally, he is being preserved by freeze-dry taxidermy. I sent him off, and in five months, he should come back to me in a form that will last forever. I would be happy to pass along a photo when he comes home.


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## twitch

i wish i could have my babies done like that but its well over 200 CDN dollars a rat for me. least it was last i checked. but that's ok, all my lost babies are going on the mantle piece in the new apartment.


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## fallinstar

im so sorry for your loss i had to make the same desicion with my daisy last september its one of the hardest things ever u have to do but at least he is out of any pain that he was in, again i am so sorry for your loss xx my thoughts are with you


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## Holly

Thank you very much. Love to Daisy in heaven, and all of your "kids" here.


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## Psykotik

... i RARELY cry... and this made a tear or 2 shed from my eye... im really sorry for ur loss


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## Holly

Thank you.


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## fallinstar

sorry for your loss


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## Holly

Thank you, fallinstar.


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## Kubo_Kita

I'm sorry for your loss. We had something similar happen to our little Kurenai a couple of years ago. She wasn't even ten months old, and there was nothing that could be done for her. *hug* I completely understand what you went through and I hope that everything is looking up for you now.


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## Holly

Thank you, Kubo_Kita. I would be lying if I didn't admit to having a good cry every now and again over Gregor, who was a wonderful friend.

I do love my new baby, Augustus, though, and sometimes he helps me to feel better.

You have my deepest sympathies for little Kurenai; it's sad when they die so young! But I hope that Gregor and Kurenai find each other in Ratly Heaven, and become good friends.


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