I've had quite a weekend and it occurs to me to share some of the details
with you.

As most of you know, I have a cockatiel named Astro Bird (hence the screen
name "astrobrd").  Astro lays eggs every so often -- a clutch of four -- and
sits on the clutch for about two and a half weeks or until she begins to lost
interest (the eggs are not fertile).  This past weekend I expected her to lay
the fourth in the latest clutch.

Saturday afternoon she appeared to be lethargic.  This is more difficult to
notice when she is nesting, since she's almost always on the nest.  I watched
and waited to make sure.  In the late evening it became evident that she was
in distress, so I rushed her to the vet's office per their phone instruction.
 I called my best friend, Jodi, in the middle of the night.  She drove over
and helped me take Astro to my van.  Jodi has been a lifesaver.  She came to
my aid many times during my Mother's illness too.  This has been a hard year
for her because of her devotion to my family.

Jodi will also wield the disability rights sword of justice without
hesitation, but that's another story.

I was not back home long when the telephone rang.  It was the ER vet calling
to tell me that an X-ray revealed an undelivered egg resting sideways.  She
was "egg bound."  This is a bit like a breech birth situation and constitutes
a medical emergency.

Astro was given oxygen and observed through the night in the hope that see
would pass the egg on her own.  Unfortunately she could not.  Sunday morning,
they gave her a sedative and lubricated the canal. She was finally able to
pass the egg without invasive intervention (a procedure not without risk).  I
brought her home this morning.

She is exhausted from her experience and has slept most of the day.  When I
brought her home, she wanted to sit on my shoulder and nuzzle up to my cheek.
 I let her sleep that way for about twenty minutes.  I massaged her little
head in gentle circles the entire time.  She was happy to be home and I
cannot describe the relief I felt to know that she was going to be fine.
"Egg binding" sometimes results in death for the bird.

When I came back home Saturday night, I thought "Oh God, I'm going to lose my
little girl."  She and I have a special bond and I am not prepared for that
tragedy.  I can't tell you how elated and thankful I am that she survived.

I just wanted to share this with you.

Betty