Fri, 24 Dec 1999
Our entire family has been ill with flu, pneumonia, and strep for over 2
weeks now. The hospital has been a frequent place to lounge. We finally
have all gotten to the road to recovery now ... even the ferrets Ping and
Pong with the flu. But ... when Sean was his worst, Ping and Pong threw
him a ferret bash at 4 am.
The ferrets had succumbed to the family flu. Little ferret coughs and
horrible sneeze fits were to be heard through our home. One night, I heard
Ping screaming (they are deaf, and Ping especially screeches and yelps when
hurt, etc., abnormally). I jumped up to find the nesting box sideways,
and Pong crawling out looking at me like, "what?"
Just so you know Pong is the big eared terror, and Ping is the sweatheart of a gentleman.
Ping was flipping in circles and spinning in the box stuck. He was dooking for the
first time in his life hysterically now that I was there. I pulled him
out and hugged him. Pong was doing his "bear" thing with his paws, and then
flipping on his back begging. I tried to put them back to bed to only be
woken up again with noises, and hearing them digging in their litter boxes
(eeeeeeeew).
So I got up, sick as I was, and let them play in a blocked off hallway.
Pretty soon Sean was up. Annoyed I told him to go back to bed. Being
autistic, this was ignored and he sat down beside me to watch the ferrets
play. I felt his head and my lord he was burning up.
I panicked and ripped off his clothes.... the ferrets now stopped dead in
their wild tracks watching curiously. I threw him in a bath and jammed
Tylenol, and Motrin in his mouth. The ferrets seemed so upset and were
trying their best to jump up to watch and even trying to jump in the tub
with Sean. I told Sean ... be a good ferret daddy and watch the babies
a minute. I knew this would keep him still, and occupied. I then was able
to run and quickly get dressed in case an ER trip was in order.
Sean's temp was 104, and he seemed totally oblivious to it as he does with
most illness and pain. I got his temp down to 103, but it wouldn't budge
from there. He wouldn't let me wet his head either. So thank goodness
Ping is an amateur snorkeler. He was ill too so I couldn't put him in the
tub with Sean. But thank goodness it was good enough to tell Sean to "be
a ferret" and snorkel. I picked up both ferrets and told him they were
watching. Then "bloosh"! The more the ferrets watched and got excited,
the more Sean put/dunked his head in the water. Pretty soon his temp went
down some.
After towel drying Sean, I was able to keep him calm and sit him with me
in the hall. We had a ferret bash! Ferretvite, ferretone, towels, rice
boxes, and Gatorade. Those poor ferrets had to be black and blue from
bashing into the walls with all their tearing around and dancing. We even
ended up giggling and having so much fun.
I had to think my God, what if Ping and Pong didn't wake me up. Sean is
no baby, he is a big boy and that fever was waaaaaay to high. Sean never
would have told me. If it were not for Sean hearing the ferret head party
that ensued that night, he never would have come to me.
By 6:30am, Sean's fever was way way down, I had a ball, and the ferrets
were about ready to be tucked in. Finally I felt safe in putting Sean to
bed. I was so happy and relieved to see the ferrets acting so ferrety.
I feared drain bramage if they bashed their wee heads against the walls one
more time!
The next morning of course I heard it from hubby. He thought the entire
event was just oh so much fun. He thought we had the biggest bash ever
with baths, and food, and giggles, and staying up all night.
He thought we were nuts with this ferret head party.
Little did he know.
::rolling my eyes::
Have a very Ferrety Christmas,
Wolfy