12
| Feb 2009 |
mood: hopeful
Shiro's status: still hanging in there
On the writing front, revision is kicking my butt. At the same time I absolutely love the story, and I don't want to shortchange my characters. So that means I just have to gambaru*.
Re: Shiro —
On Monday, I held Shiro and cried. She was very weak, kept collapsing on her side and Hero Material and I were sure she was dying, esp. since she lost even more weight (17 grams).
The idea that Shiro might be cold and unmoving when I wake up made it very difficult for me to sleep, and Hero Material got up at 5:00 a.m. to check up on her. (He couldn't sleep well either.)
On Tuesday, Shiro ate some baby food, little chunks of her favorite nuts, grains and a little piece of dried protein treat. She also drank some water and walked better. Her eyes seem more open and alert, and we were just so grateful to have her still with us.
This morning, we weighed her. She's about 20 grams now. Hero Material held her and gave her more food. She loves the attention, I think.
I want to thank all my friends who sent Shiro good thoughts and prayers. I also want to thank generous people over at Hamster Hideout forum who gave me invaluable advice.
Thank you.
* gambaru — Japanese for “doing one's best” (at least in this context anyway)
February 12th, 2009 at 10:31 pm · Link
Yeah, Monday pretty much sucked. But Shiro is looking MUCH better now, up and around more than she has been for several days, eating more, weighing a little more, walking better and just seeming to be in less general pain. Her fur also looks a lot more like it should, rather than the matted tangle it had become when she was at her weakest.
On Monday evening she just collapsed on her side and lay there, unmoving. I honestly thought she was dying right in front of me. But she held on somehow and pulled through. We’re not completely out of the woods yet, but she is looking much better and I’m hopeful.
I also want to thank the Hamster Hideout folks for their most excellent and generous advice, and for Shiro’s veterinarian, who was very concerned on her behalf and – I think – rushed the lab work that determined what was wrong with her (an intestinal parasite) and got her the right medicine. Shiro is a very determined little hamster, but I don’t know if she would have made it if she hadn’t had such a great team backing her up.
February 13th, 2009 at 7:56 am · Link
Yay Shiro!!! So glad she seems to have turned a corner :) I hope she continues to get well, without any more bumps in the road.
February 15th, 2009 at 8:18 pm · Link
Glad to hear that Shiro is on the mend. :)
February 19th, 2009 at 3:56 pm · Link
Thanks, Sarah Leslie! :) Shiro’s doing remarkably better. :wub:
February 15th, 2009 at 2:48 pm · Link
Thanks, Bethany!
Shiro also gained two grams since Thursday! :)