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Post by cookie72 on Sept 8, 2014 5:47:37 GMT
Thanks again for the warm thoughts gals. Things are finally starting to look up! Mom's surgery went very well, and the surgeon is confident he got all the cancer removed. My sister is doing better. They released her this past week from the hospital to a brain injury rehab facility. We don't know how long she will have to be there, but I visited a couple days ago and she was doing very well. She's making more sense when she talks, can hold a conversation allright, is in pretty good spirits. But nowhere near being able to live on her own. It's weird cause I thought she seems almost normal, really happy, and then my dad pointed out that if her brain was working normally, she would not be this happy, she'd be really sad and upset and mad that she's stuck in this place. And I agree that makes sense. So there's definitely a ways to go but things are going in the right direction.
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Post by Bean on Sept 8, 2014 9:14:03 GMT
I'm only just catching up on this thread and am so sorry to hear about your sister's head injury and your mum being diagnosed with cancer too, cookie. What a lot you all have to cope with.
I'm really pleased to hear things are sounding so promising for your mum after her hysterectomy, what positive news and I will keep everything crossed for her here. Hope she is recovering from the surgery okay.
I can't imagine how upsetting it must have been to see your sister so badly affected by her injury but I'm so happy things are moving in the right direction and hope that bodes well for a full recovery. It sounds like she's come a long way in a couple of months which is really promising.
You sound like you have a lovely close family and I'm sure that's giving you all lots of strength to get through these difficult times, as well as having your lovely furry family. Glad the piggies are getting along nicely through the divide. They have company and everything they need - intros can certainly wait.
Take care and keep us updated with how everyone's getting on - and of course you can talk about what you like in your thread! If you need a bit of distraction, you should pop over to the Chatterbox forum too. x
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 8, 2014 15:16:02 GMT
Great news all around Brain injuries are the hardest to fix, because we still know so little, but it sounds as if she's making goid progress. So glad your mom's surgery also went so well. I hope you and your family have an easier time, now. Hugs
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 8, 2014 16:11:40 GMT
I am so glad things are starting to get better love. My mother had breast cancer but she was cured. The trouble is she had rhematoid arthritis and it was the many pills she had to take which ultimately took her life. Please give my love to your mum and sister.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by cookie72 on Sept 28, 2014 3:59:37 GMT
Ok gals, after a break I'm ready to try to re-introduce my piggies. I got a brand new C&C cage from a nice lady off Craigslist. So I've read all I can find and all your advice on introductions. I still have one question that I'm unsure of. Everything I've learned says to do intros on neutral ground. So the brand new cage will be neutral...should I just put them in there together? I read the good idea of having 2 people sit at opposite ends of the couch each holding a pig and let them find each other, but I live alone and don't have anyone to help me with that. Or what I was thinking is to take them both out for some floor time together and if that goes well, then put them in the new cage together? I did briefly let them have some floor time together last weekend. For about 5 minutes, and then Guinness mounted Bedhead...that made me nervous but it didn't escalate. You all have way more experience with this! I already have 2 water bottles, 2 food dishes, no pigloos for anyone to get trapped in. Guinness's hidey has been a cardboard box that I cut and ziptied to the side of her cage and she seems very content with that. Bedhead's hidey hut has both an entry, and an extra exit door that I cut out when I bought it, but I would need to clean it to remove her scent. I'm anxious to do intros soon, but next Friday I'm going to a concert in Chicago and I'll be gone overnight. I never get to go overnight anywhere! My mom will be staying at my house to dog sit, and I dread the thought of something happening with the piggies and mom won't know what to do, so I probably will wait until after I'm back to do this.
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 28, 2014 12:43:29 GMT
A neutral place is just a secure place outside of the cage, with nothing but a pile of hay in the middle. You don't want the cahlge associated with the initial greeting. The cage is the next step where they have to share a space with houses, pellets, etc. Just secure an area about the size of a bathtub, or use the bathtub. Put in enough hay to bring them together over it, but not to block their path when they move around. Have a towel handy to drop on at least one of them, if they start drawing blood in a fight. Let them move around, get used to each other and share the space until they seem calm and accepting of each other. Then move them into the cage. Have houses, pellets and water at each end of the cage so they can have their own space. Put the hay in the middle so they can meet there. You'll know when they hsve accepted each others presence. There can be a lot oh rumblestrutting, posturing, mounting, etc. Don't intefere unless blood is drawn, or one is being bullied so badly, he can relax. Once they establish dominance, that should calm down to periodic reminders. Good luck
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Post by cookie72 on Sept 28, 2014 19:59:04 GMT
Thanks for the advice Piggles The bathtub sounds like a good idea!
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Post by Bean on Sept 29, 2014 8:34:12 GMT
Glad things have settled down enough that you feel ready to take on this challenge. It does sound better to do it when you won't be feeling rushed to have them happy within the week or worrying about leaving them. I hope your ladies have a peaceful introduction, but have the list of acceptable behaviours in front of you and keep telling yourself it's totally normal. Don't start thinking how you'd feel if you were being chased etc - that's just how they do things! I had one alpha female who was soooooo strumpy with everyone she met at first. But there was never a pig she didn't accept after a lot of hot air. I tend to find boys are worse as they get a lot closer to the signs of real aggression - they're the ones that have given me the most grief!
Hope your sister is still recovering well and that your mum is on good form too. Nice of her to come and dog sit for you - I hope you enjoy your night out. What concert are you going to?
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Post by cookie72 on Sept 30, 2014 15:23:13 GMT
Thanks Bean! I think because I did so much reading up on what's normal behavior, this time I'll have more confidence to just leave them to work it out. Because what I thought seemed really bad when I first tried the intros...now I've learned was pretty normal and I shouldn't have interfered.
Sister and Mom both doing well. Mom made a very fast recovery from her surgery. My sister is coming along, slowly. There hasn't been a lot of progress these last few weeks, but at least some. She's having a CT Scan today to determine whether it's time to put the skull piece back into her head (that they removed when she first had accident). Hopefully all swelling is gone and they can proceed with that surgery soon.
I'm going to see Fleetwood Mac! Love them!
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Post by Bean on Sept 30, 2014 19:28:35 GMT
Oooh that'll be a great gig, for sure! I'm more of a 'best of' fan than a proper one, but would love to see them too.
I'm glad you are feeling more reassured about what to expect with the intros. They've been around each other so long now, they'll be used to the smell and sound of each other. So although they might have a bit of a shock initially at sharing a physical space, hopefully that will help things along.
Glad your mum bounced back so well and really hope your sister's recovery continues. Let us know how the scan goes - hope it's good news. xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 1, 2014 14:09:38 GMT
Enjoy Fleetwood Mac Excellent news about your mum, and encouraging news about your sister ♡
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 1, 2014 16:37:56 GMT
Enjoy Fleetwood Mac hun and I am so pleased to hear about your mum and sister.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by cookie72 on Oct 6, 2014 4:47:21 GMT
Well, the scan didn't go as hoped. Still swelling, and they think it may be another month or two before they can do the procedure. But they will redo the scan in a few weeks to check. I feel really bad because I haven't been there to visit her in a couple weeks, so I'm going to go tomorrow because I don't have to work. I try to not feel guilty about that, because I gave up most of my summer being consumed by worry and grief, and I have my own house that I've neglected because I've been depressed and unmotivated. So I guess I've taken some well deserved Me time. I didn't do the intros yet, (I am the world's best procrastinator) but I'm happy to say that since Bedhead has been by herself, she is way more willing to be picked up and cuddled. Guinness still goes to all lengths possible to outrun my touch. I suspect she was mistreated before. But she's really neat about where she puts her poos...she makes a nice big pile in the same spot everyday and I thank her for that. Bedhead just poos and pees everywhere The concert was absolutely a blast! I enjoyed myself so much. It was really nice to get away and do something fun and know that my pets were in good hands while I was gone.
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Post by Bean on Oct 6, 2014 8:29:20 GMT
Haha! I did click on this thread wondering if there was intro news!
Sorry your sister's scan didn't show as good results as was hoped. It sounds like it's been a rough few months all round for your family, so don't feel bad for things you might not have done - the world doesn't stop for us to deal with things, we just have to do the best we can as life carries on chucking stuff at us. Hope you have a good visit with your sister today.
Glad you enjoyed the concert!
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 6, 2014 13:53:54 GMT
Sorry about the scan results. You do have to take time for yourself, so don't feel guilty for not being able to deal with being overwhelmed. Once you get your life under control, your visits with her will be much better. Intros will wait. If they can talk to each other, their not alone. Really glad you enjoyed the concert
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 6, 2014 16:22:49 GMT
Lots of comfort cuddles are on ther way to you love.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by SiLamb on Oct 14, 2014 3:49:34 GMT
I'm so glad the concert was wonderful! That's fantastic news about your mother's health! WAHOO! I'm sorry to hear about the scan results for your sister. Praying. Definitely don't feel bad about taking time to take care of your home, etc. I'm so jealous that Guinness poos and pees so neatly. That is wonderful that Bedhead is so open for you to pick him up. It warms the heart. The saga of having two boys meeting is quite an ordeal on a piggie parent. The advice above is excellent. My boys are now bonded but Harry can still be a dickens. But being faithful at helping through the merge is worth it once you get through it. Don't feel rushed to do the merge until you are ready. You have a lot going on in your life right now. They are doing fine right now separated and can wait till you are ready. However, if you are ready but the procrastinating bug got you, we are here to help you
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Post by cookie72 on Oct 30, 2014 2:13:46 GMT
Well I have some very sad news to report. Bedhead had died, overnight last night She hadn't been well, off and on for a couple weeks. Two weeks ago, she just stopped eating for a day, and the same day, my elderly dog stopped eating. I had my dog to the vet for extensive testing at the tune of $650, but thankfully she's just fine now. The next day, Bedhead returned to normal and was eating just fine again. Everything was good for the next week and a half, and then on Sunday her bedding was a little pinkish where she was peeing, like blood. Monday that stopped, but then I noticed her poos were a little mushy. But she was still acting normal and eating fine. Tuesday her poos were still mushy and I noticed she hadn't been eating her pellets much, or her hay. But she was still gobbling up green peppers, and I made a special trip to the store to get her favorite grape tomatoes last night...she gobbled those up. This morning she was dead I feel terrible that I didn't get her to a vet. I told myself last night before bed, that if she wasn't back to normal today I'd call a vet. I had hoped that she'd bounce back from whatever it was, because this was probably the 3rd time since summer, when Potroast died, that she just stopped eating for a day and then she was fine the next day. I hoped the blood was from maybe passing a stone or something. I also noticed last night when I was petting her, that she felt very bony in the spine area, near her back-end. Since she was an abbysinian, with all that fur it's hard to notice if they're losing weight. She always ate so much like a piggy, until a couple days ago, that I don't understand how she could have been eating sooo much yet still losing weight! I don't know what kind of scale I'm supposed to be weighing them on. I've read other people's posts about weighing your piggies regularly, but I never did that. My piggies were always so healthy and big eaters, that it never seemed necessary.
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Post by cookie72 on Oct 30, 2014 2:28:29 GMT
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 30, 2014 16:32:32 GMT
I am so sorry for your loss love and please don't feel bad, we all can think of things which may have happened or not, if we approached it in a different way. Take care now.
Love Jo xx
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