I didn't go to see my friends after all, but there's always next week.

I never thought I'd want to teach a bird to talk, but now it's starting to
seem like a good idea -- company you know.  I am thinking about an African
Gray, who are the best talkers of all the birds.  About two years ago, I was
in the store where I got Astro an African Gray that hadn't been off the nest
long.  He snuggled inside the front opening of my jacket and didn't want to
come out.  He really won my heart when he did that.  I'll have to build up my
vet savings account again before I get another bird though.

Astro's vet bill was $820.00 for two days of emergency care.  It could have
been much more expensive so I need to sock away more before I do this again.
I don't ever want money to be the deciding factor for whether my animals get
medical attention.

This has been an expensive summer for me, and I had to dip into my animal's
savings account which I swore I'd never do.  It may not be like the kid's
college fund, but I would feel terrible if I had to say no to a medical
procedure because I couldn't afford it.

It's bad enough that I've made decisions like that for myself.  I'm sure many
of us have, and we all know what that feels like.

Here's the sordid story for anyone who might be interested:
I was supposed to take Astro to a second vet -- an "exotics specialist," they
call them -- for more specialized treatment.  I couldn't afford it and I
called to ask them if we could set up a payment schedule.  They told me no,
since I hadn't been there before.  I really don't think it would have made a
difference though.  My heart tells me that she was still going to die.  I
know I didn't say that before; I was trying to be positive.  It was a killer
to hear the word "no" though.  They could have called my regular vet clinic
and checked my bill-paying reputation with them.  I and my Mother have been
taking our animals there for over 30 years.

I can't repeat my response to the second clinic on this list.  Trust me
though, I responded.

Astro's exotics specialist, Pamela Slack, was killed in a plane crash last
year or so, but the vet clinic where she was still treated her patients.
Plus, they have 24/7 vets at that clinic.  I took Astro there around 1:00 in
the morning the Saturday before she died, and it was business as usual there.
 They had a full staff and everything.  They took me back and let me see
Astro before I left, and explained everything that they were doing for her.
They took my feelings about leaving my little girl into account, and I really
appreciated that.

I'm rambling -- sorry.  It's been quite a week.

That doesn't mean I've forgotten about the CP Grand Prix though.  I'm not
saying what color my chair is either.

Betty

In a message dated 11/01/2000 9:44:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> if this time with chi chi is benifitual, then you might want to consider
>  getting a young bird and start over with it. but, my guess is that you'll
>  need time to grieve for Astro before another bird would be in order.
>


Betty
aut viam inveniam aut faciam
"I will either find a way or make one."