Dealing with Death

So, I haven't posted for a little while because I haven't really felt up for it. I've had to deal with quite a few hard deaths around here. I'm normally pretty ok with finding animals dead in the morning. It's hard, but somewhat expected when the animal is known to be critical. However, the other day I went in to help with a surgery on a wolf. She was one of our permanent residents and had severe ear infections. She was to be put under anesthesia and spayed while she was under. She took over 3 hours to tranquilize and become stable under anesthesia which is not normal. Just as we were sewing her up, she stopped breathing. I took over breathing for her with the gas machine, but minutes later her heartbeat plummeted. We did CPR on her for 25 minutes before we finally let her go. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with. She was beautiful and I'll remember her always. That same day, raccoons we have raised since they didn't even have their eyes open, dropped dead of the Parvo virus. No warning. They were bright and perky at their feeding. An hour later they were gone. Another pigeon died on the table today, and a night hawk that we have been feeding in the hopes her wing would get strong enough to fly had to be put down.

But for every life we lose, we help others. We took in a great horned owl today that had barbed wire through his wing. He is gorgeous and I hope to get pictures of him soon.

On a completely different note, I have received a request to talk more about my roommates and trailer life. I live in a double-wide trailer that is several decades old. While it is old, it serves its purpose and I'm not complaining in the slightest. I get to cook my own food and sleep in a bed. Better than a tent in the middle of nowhere. I have 5 other roommates. Two are from Washington state, one is from Colorado, one is from Arkansas, and one is from Philadelphia. I get along with all of them pretty well. I also live with two animals. Romo is the trailer dog and is a geriatric (meaning very old) and needs a lot of attention. He's pretty mellow. My roommate just adopted one of the cats from here, and her name is Cairo. She is tiny, black, and full of mischief. I love her to pieces and will be sad the day she leaves here.

I hope you are all doing well. Love and miss you lots. Please email or comment or let me know how you're doing. Especially if you have questions about my life here!

New pictures are up!