I had written a few weeks ago about how I had two deaf ferrets Ping and Pong. I wrote you about how I have had ferrets since I was nine, but had to stop eight years ago when my second son was born with autism. He was so violent, I had only one plant left in the house ... and nothing else living.

Animals fear him by some natural instinct. And luckily so. He adores puppies. But could only be close to them by far, or by pictures and movies. Finally, 2 years ago my mother-in-law across the country introduced him successfully to her large one year old golden retriever named Butch. Sean has been obsessed so much with him that she "gave" the dog to him in spirit. So if you ask...... Sean has a dog named Butch even though he has only seen him a few times ever. My 'm-i-l' puts the phone up to the dog's ear all the time when we call and Sean speaks to him.

Sean had been also emerging from his autism quite a bit the past couple years and my husband has been begging for animals again. We started with snakes and betas in aquariums safe in my bedroom for my other son to see what happened. Nothing. No regard negative or positive for them.
Nothing.

My husband, who is even more of a ferret lover than I, has been begging. I have to deal with this little boy at home 24/7 and I thought maybe it was time to try ... but I have to tell you I was terrified at the same time. Folks, I just couldn't handle a sick accident. I couldn't. We had already lost a set of ferrets in a fire that occurred in our first home while I lay in a hospital that night giving birth to my first son, Chet. Although that fire was set by roofers while we were away, and not to blame ... it was still tragic none the less. Then once again we lost a sweet fella due to a blockage. I still do not know what caused such a blockage in our other boy when I am such a fussy owner.
Those were hard losses.

I had to think of Sean also. If something happened with a ferret and he, how would that affect him ... his self esteem, if he hurt one horribly.

My husband is the sweetest angel alive. He has been with me since I was a kid. He has taken care of me and the children through illness, and many hard times. He still takes care of me as I am mentally ill now (from a huge nervous breakdown 4 years ago which triggered several mental illnesses). I looked in those sweet green eyes too many times and gave in.

This past September I took the plunge, and got him not one, but two kits and hundreds of dollars of supplies for an early Christmas present. The tears from him and thanks still come.

What of Sean though? Autism has him so that he is so tactfully defensive, the touch of fur sends him running. He can smell a fork and thinks it 'stinks'. Now I bring two ferrets in his home that he is also completely protective of and won't let most people in! We haven't changed the furniture or where the cereal is in 8 years because of his autism. Noises, and movements can disturb this child right into a rage. Now I ask him to share his small home with others, rearrange a room, have some new odors in the home, change all of our routines, and have these furry things run about.

The first day passed and he never stuck his little pink fingers in the cage as I told him not too. Wow ... he minded ... that's a change. He did nothing wrong!
He went to school the next day and when he got off the bus, he ran as fast as he could to the door.
He flung by me, and threw his coat and book bag on the floor.
PLOP!
There he sat, in front of the cage one foot away............staring.
His non emotional angelic face just staring.
The ferret babies were sleeping away.
And he sat.
He sat for 25 minutes staring. He never went to wake them up. Once they stirred ... he grinned ear to ear, flapped his hands and yelled for me over and over, "mommy, mommy, mommy....".

He never misbehaved with them. Ever. He is gentle and protective (so far). He is responsible always making sure they get to the potty in time --- he is the ONLY one in the house besides me that does this well. He makes sure everything is just right for them ... and God forbid if someone offers a treat or a plastic bag ... hahaha.

If anyone knows anything about autism ... you would surely appreciate what a miracle this is. I hope if you don't, I did ok in trying to describe and get it across to you what a Christmas miracle this is for us.

Merry Christmas ... from me, Scotti, Chet and Sean ...
and most of all the tiny little dookers!

I hope this touched each and every one of you
as much as it did me...

You never know what Miracles
these furry little creatures can be a part of...

Rebecca....

We thank you so much for sharing this touching story with all of us...
and for allowing me to make a page for it, to be shared by all...

I am not saying ferrets are the only critter
that can be part of these Miracles...

I guess the message I had in mind with this story is...
"Don't ever give up hope...
A Miracle may be just around the corner..."

UPDATE

Subject: Sean's Miracle...update
Sat, 18 Dec 1999
(sorry it took me so long to get this up...kat)

Ok, this is a child who still doesn't have an inkling as to how to brush his hair, but he learned to vacuum.
Haha....typical of autism to have the spiking abilities and disabilities.
We have had a horrible flu go through our home.
My husband came down with pneumonia.
Little Sean skipped about healthy as a horse telling us to "not breathe our sick breath on him and the ferrets".
He was wonderful in helping us feed them, etc. as we were sick and afraid to touch them.
I wish you all could hear Sean chatter to them endlessly
and hear the belly laughs that erupt from him in this home.
I can't wait until Christmas day with the paper, ribbons, boxes,
and ferrets dancing all about my boy with belly giggles.

UPDATE...

A Ferret Head Party for Sean
(Another "Thank God For Ferrets")...

Fri, 24 Dec 1999
Our entire family has been ill with flu, pneumonia, and strep for over 2 weeks now. The hospital has been a frequent place to lounge. We finally have all gotten to the road to recovery now ... even the ferrets Ping and Pong with the flu. But ... when Sean was his worst, Ping and Pong threw him a ferret bash at 4 am.

The ferrets had succumbed to the family flu. Little ferret coughs and horrible sneeze fits were to be heard through our home. One night, I heard Ping screaming (they are deaf, and Ping especially screeches and yelps when hurt, etc., abnormally). I jumped up to find the nesting box sideways, and Pong crawling out looking at me like, "what?"
Just so you know Pong is the big eared terror, and Ping is the sweatheart of a gentleman.
Ping was flipping in circles and spinning in the box stuck. He was dooking for the first time in his life hysterically now that I was there. I pulled him out and hugged him. Pong was doing his "bear" thing with his paws, and then flipping on his back begging. I tried to put them back to bed to only be woken up again with noises, and hearing them digging in their litter boxes
(eeeeeeeew).

So I got up, sick as I was, and let them play in a blocked off hallway. Pretty soon Sean was up. Annoyed I told him to go back to bed. Being autistic, this was ignored and he sat down beside me to watch the ferrets play. I felt his head and my lord he was burning up.

I panicked and ripped off his clothes.... the ferrets now stopped dead in their wild tracks watching curiously. I threw him in a bath and jammed Tylenol, and Motrin in his mouth. The ferrets seemed so upset and were trying their best to jump up to watch and even trying to jump in the tub with Sean. I told Sean ... be a good ferret daddy and watch the babies a minute. I knew this would keep him still, and occupied. I then was able to run and quickly get dressed in case an ER trip was in order.

Sean's temp was 104, and he seemed totally oblivious to it as he does with most illness and pain. I got his temp down to 103, but it wouldn't budge from there. He wouldn't let me wet his head either. So thank goodness Ping is an amateur snorkeler. He was ill too so I couldn't put him in the tub with Sean. But thank goodness it was good enough to tell Sean to "be a ferret" and snorkel. I picked up both ferrets and told him they were watching. Then "bloosh"! The more the ferrets watched and got excited, the more Sean put/dunked his head in the water. Pretty soon his temp went down some.

After towel drying Sean, I was able to keep him calm and sit him with me in the hall. We had a ferret bash! Ferretvite, ferretone, towels, rice boxes, and Gatorade. Those poor ferrets had to be black and blue from bashing into the walls with all their tearing around and dancing. We even ended up giggling and having so much fun.

I had to think my God, what if Ping and Pong didn't wake me up. Sean is no baby, he is a big boy and that fever was waaaaaay to high. Sean never would have told me. If it were not for Sean hearing the ferret head party that ensued that night, he never would have come to me.

By 6:30am, Sean's fever was way way down, I had a ball, and the ferrets were about ready to be tucked in. Finally I felt safe in putting Sean to bed. I was so happy and relieved to see the ferrets acting so ferrety. I feared drain bramage if they bashed their wee heads against the walls one more time!

The next morning of course I heard it from hubby. He thought the entire event was just oh so much fun. He thought we had the biggest bash ever with baths, and food, and giggles, and staying up all night.

He thought we were nuts with this ferret head party.
Little did he know.
::rolling my eyes::

Have a very Ferrety Christmas,
Wolfy

Rebecca

WOLFYSLUV@AOL.COM

	This Ferret Family WebRing site is owned by Wolfy's Wondifferous World of Weasels...Ferrets, that is!!!!.
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Other Sean Pages

2-19-2000A Special Valentine for Sean...

2-19-2000A Special Valentine for Sean... Part 2

2-10-2000Updates on A Christmas Miracle for Sean...

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