# Olive, I woke up and you didn't.



## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

This one is really really hard for me to write even though I've been expecting it for months. Last summer, Olive (my abscess-prone hairless girl) developed a large abscess on her neck that for some reason ruptured and left a permanent hole on the underside on her head, partially exposing her jawbone. 

The raging infection almost killed her. She was on death's door when we arrived at the vet. Through sheer skill, luck, or a combination of both, the vet was able to pick out the medicine that would save her life. She was so sick, she wasn't going to make it home. We had to force that medicine down her throat in the car in the middle of the vet's parking lot. 

She miraculously pulled through that infection, though the hole always remained, acting as a constant reminder of the time she fought death head on and won.

Because of the exposed jawbone, she was never allowed back in her cage. She became a full time out of the cage rat. She was super well behaved! She lived 100% of her life on our bed. With a table pulled up to the side of the bed with a litterbox on it, she was more than happy to both pee and poop in there rather than on the bed. Never had a rat that both PEED and pooped in the litterbox before Olive or since. I doubt i ever will. 

She became super attached to my boyfriend and I to the point of obsession. She needed to be touching one of us at all times or she would become visibly upset. We were happy to give her what she wanted. We gave her all the attention and cuddles she demanded. As long as she could feel her naked skin against you and you gave her Total cereal to munch on, she was happy.

She stopped caring about her playtime with other rats and only wanted us. 

It's okay, Olive. All we wanted was you too. 

Sadly, she was attacked during one of these playtimes by Guy, our male rat, who mistakenly was allowed to get too close to her. (I will never forgive myself.) He bit her hard and punctured her eye. She was never able to see out of that eye again but she adjusted with time. I'd like to thank LilSpaz for guiding me through that very hard time. 

I'd also like to thank Gribouilli (I hope I spelled it right!), who was always there for me to keep me going when I thought we were going to lose Olive to that neck infection.

So little naked Olive with the hole in her neck and one working eye lived happily with us for months until some strange symptoms started popping up. She would have random gasping attacks and panic attacks. 

We were working closely with the vet who couldn't pinpoint exactly what the problem was. Her heart wasn't responding to typical heart drugs and her lungs weren't responding to a wide variety of different medications meant to cover all the bases.

We tried everything but in the end, the gasping attacks kept getting longer and more frequent. We made the decision to put her down when the bad days started outnumbering the good. 

After having pretty much non-stop gasping attacks yesterday, I made the decision to bring her to the vet today to be put down. Ginger had to go in anyway for a myco flareup. 

I fell asleep with Olive on my chest. Her favorite spot. She woke me up frequently when the attacks got really bad. I'd have to settle her down so we could go back to sleep. Eventually, too much time passed without one of her attacks waking me up. I think I sensed this in my sleep so I woke up to find her lifeless body laying peacefully still warm, but stiff in her favorite spot. 

She slept there every single night and then she died there. My chest is going to feel naked without her sleeping on it now. 

I love you Olive. So so much. I always said to you, "What am I going to do without my Olive?". I guess it's time to find out. I miss you with all my heart, little girl. Tell me, do they have Total in heaven? If they do, I know you'll be happy.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

((hugs)) I am so deeply sorry


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

I'm so sorry!


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I'm so sorry about Olive. You took such great care of her; she was very lucky you were her mom. I wish all rat owners were as loving, dedicated, and responsible as you are. Rest In Peace sweet Olive, I hope you get to meet my Graine


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## Ladylazerstar702 (Sep 15, 2016)

I'm so sorry to be reading this. We talked about our hairless' a couple times and I know how much she meant to you. I actually thought about her today at work and was going to ask you how she was doing. It's not goodbye, it's see you later. She was well loved and I know she knew it.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone. I know I talked a lot about Olive on here. I've really been through a lot with her.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

You should have talked about her, you loved her. I am so sorry.


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## Andromeda (Apr 28, 2016)

I'm so sorry.  She was clearly very loved, and you took amazing care of her. <3


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

Sorry for you loss :'( Both you and Olive sound like troopers for getting through all those difficult times
I have no idea if rats can get asthma, but gasping attacks + panic attacks definitely sound like asthma because I experienced it quite often this year


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