Dear Betty, I have a bird to. it is a parakeet. His name is Peterbird. I have had
Peterbird for 6 years now. every since he was six weeks old. So I understand your
special bond with your  Astro. I do not know what I would do if I lost my
Peterbird. we have been thourght a lot together. I do not have any family at all.
It just me and Peterbird and the Lord. He like to sit on my shoulder. and
sometimes my wrist pad when I am on the computer.  he gives me little kisses when
he is sitting on my finger or my shoulder.  I am glad your Astro is doing ok
now.  Lynn

Betty B wrote:

> 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