PANDA IN HEAVEN APRIL 12, 2010

PANDA PIG GIVES HIS FAVORITE RAINBOW TO BEAR TODAY

BEAR HAS SURGERY, WILL RECOVER!

Today all 3 pigs are in hospital, the entire herd. YumYum is getting neutered, YEAH!

Bear chewed a hole through himself to relieve pressure and pain from an internal condition and has been treated successfully, including LOTS of
pain medication and antibiotics. The vet admitted he has never seen anything like this before in his life. Neither have we, but the BeaverPig could not say he was in pain, so he chewed his way to it in an effort to "self-treat" which makes us wish we could understand them better...if they could just say, "I hurt, please help me."
(NOTE TO EDITOR: LEARN HOW!)

 The vet called it "self-mutilation" but we RECOGNIZE  it was Bear's only way of  "self-treating..." although the infection could easily have killed him. Panda's hospitalization and taking the herd there to board and be with him DID SAVE BEAR'S LIFE! AMAZING, YEAH? PandaPig keeps on giving!

Speaking of our little Buddha, PandaPig is hanging in there and will be X-rayed today since it is possible something is wrong with his spine. He recently began hopping like a bunny, instead of walking like a guinea pig. It remains possible that we could still find the cause of his suffering and treat it, although there could be more going on than we can know at this time: "Panda, please help us help YOU!"

Mom was given an ultimatum to be out of our home by month's end yet we still don't have a confirmation on a place to move INTO! The pressure, grief and too much running around has caused mom's illness to flare-up severely and she can no longer walk without the aid of her walker: Good times, yeah!

Snow is dusting the hills with more winter to come. It's colder and snowier now than during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver last Feb! Go figure. Climate change?

Mom is being comforted by a severe bout of MOD (Molly Obsessive Disorder) and watching Molly's four owls grow up is hilarious. Max, the oldest, hasn't got a clue what to do with those long legs he is growing, and Molly has to actually pin him down with one of her talons to prevent his hogging all the prey brought into the owl box. Hey, share a little with your brothers and sisters, Max! Just because you can swallow a mouse whole now doesn't mean you have to swallow EVERY MOUSE!

Apparently, so many people around the world are also tuned into Molly's Owl box that Molly is going to be featured on some CBS Monday Morning early show. A barn owl is more popular than "American Idol!"
Something is right with the world! SOMETHING IS VERY, VERY RIGHT WITH THE WORLD!

We here at PandaPig's Sanctuary do not own a TV since the Pigolletos provide more than enough entertainment and - in their absence - we have Molly and her brood!

So, that's all the news that's fit to print on Thursday, April 8, 2010.

We want to give a special SHOUT-OUT TO Dr. Berry and his staff at the Lynden Veterinary Hospital for their compassionate care of our herd and exotic animals like the little hedgehog with Multiple Sclerosis we met Saturday.  He and his staff are doing everything in their power to not only diagnose and treat "The Herd That Hears" but also offer as much palliative care as safely possible to treat the pain and suffering of all in their care. 

We are strong advocates of palliative care because we recognize that animals feel pain (and guinea pigs more acutely than most animals: (FACT: A GUINEA PIG CAN ACTUALLY DIE FROM PAIN) and ARE PROFOUNDLY grateful to HAVE a vet who recognizes AND SHARES our moral and ethical obligation to treat even the littlest brothers and sisters compassionately with every tool in our toolbox!

Thank you, Dr. Berry and your patient staff!

Preciou Readers, we invite all of you to send  love to the Piggies and all residents of the Lynden Veterinary Hospital in Lynden, WA...and don't forget the little hedgehog who did get to go home in her mother's arms Saturday.

Gacious thanks!

PANDA PIG STILL DOWN BUT NOT OUT!

PANDA PIG AND THE MEDIC ALERT BRACELET: YUMMY!

PLEASE GET WELL AND COME HOME, PANDA PIG!

WE ARE BEREFT WITHOUT YOUR WARMTH, CURIOSITY, AFFECTION, PLAYFULNESS, AND AMUSEMENT.
LITTLE PIGGIE, PLEASE GET WELL. COME HOME. LET US FEEL YOUR FUNNY HAIRCUT AND SMELL THE
FRAGRANCE OF YOUR BOYISH CHARM. WE MISS YOU, PANDA.

LOVE,
all whom you have loved and touched with those beautiful eyes and soft piggie kisses.

p.s. mom really misses you chewing on her MedicAlert bracelet, missing the bracelet, and leaving little chew marks - your distinctive signature - on her arm.
you look at the world and you see that it's turning, while our hearts gently weep.

COMMUNION OF EARTH AND SKY

LITTLE PIG ON THE PRECIPICE: PILGRIMAGE TO MT. SINAI

When PandaPig journeyed up to Mt. Baker for his first photo shoot of the new "GuineaPiggin'Adventure" series (ok, he sent a photographer, but still!) he felt this image
symbolized a paradox in Mysticism: one tiny guinea pig (wearing Panda's borrowed alpaca Peruvian hat to keep warm) poised bravely
upon his ski
teetering on the brink of an unfathomable expanse of pure whiteness...such a deep, vast, expanse of unexplored, unknowable territory. One courageous, anonymous cavy explorer actually venturing to an altitude few guinea pigs
dare dream of
from the lonely confines of their little cages...

Days later, PandaPig himself fell gravely ill, now also teetering on that brink of Mystical Experience
known to us only through mystic poets, masters, saints, and the gift of witnessing Divine Grace Blessing our little one
because God hears even the tiniest, most plaintive prayers when permeated in naked, honest, humble sincerity.

Death transects Life, humbling us in Silent Wonder: even the angels weep in sympathy!

"Guinea Piggin'" was to be a whimsical adventure series for PandaPig's blog, his unique expression
of the unbridled Joy for Living all guinea pigs have, yet precious few actually experience.
PandaPig hoped this could be a catalyst for humans to more deeply appreciate
the wildest devotion of their Dervish Pigs...if  humans could become receptive and respectful enough to translate the extraordinary mystic devotional poetry sung by their intoxicated, dervish
guinea pigs... and respond with ecstatic love of their own, OUR OWN,  ONE humanity permeated with faithful LOVE FOR GOD and commitment to serve all dwelling upon Earth, Sea, Mountains, and Sky!

Was this Panda's way of climbing Heavenward to experience Communion with his Creator in the white, expansive Wilderness of one little guinea pig's personal Mt. Sinai: the moment he could offer, humbled by his smallness
in such A seemingly endless winter mountain landscape, one prayer:
his sincerest gratitude to God for a life blessed with Second Chances?

We are moved to tears by the Awesome generosity of spirit encased within a few pounds of one rodent's weakening body.

Will he recover or does he attempt more diligently than ever, in the time left to him, to teach us Love?

Molly's Box

Molly's Box

Molly's very own blog!

WHAT UP TODAY, MOLLY-BIRD?

carlosroyal

TODAY we are following Molly and her 4 owlets through a 90 degree heat wave while Max, the largest, pretends to be Big Bird! He is a laugh-riot, trying to walk and wobble!

Molly's owl box calms us through our own acute pain, mingled with fear and grief for PandaPig. And our intense desire to accept whatever happens with grace. We love him so!

NOW FOR SOME GOOD NEWS: This morning, Bear was treated successfully by Dr. Berry for an abcess and Yum-Yum still in possession of "his manhood" until tomorrow morning.
Heh, heh, little fella, just you wait!
After today, his Super-Charged cajones get WHACKED! We hope they "get it all" because he is one CRAZYCAVY and we adore that about him but the other two do not appreciate
being run after in his rabid, uncontrollable attempts to hump anything that moves. Not pretty for anyone. Really, trust us on this one. Not. Pretty. Stop the madness, Dr. Berry!

IF SUCCESSFUL (the cajone whacking) we hope YumYum may once again cohabitate in the same cage with his best pal, PandaPig.

Yum-Yum is a TRUE Space Oddity: He sits on his haunches like a squirrel, leaps through the air AS IF FLYING and has many behaviors not normally associated with ground-dwelling cavies.
He loves being Airborne and often appears to be reaching for the Sky! What do you see, YumYum, that we cannot? Or are you praying? What is it, little Pig, that we don't get about you?!

ALAS, our beloved PandaPig's condition has not changed since yesterday. He is better receiving treatment in hospital than at home without pain meds and hydration, but is not actually recovering, yet.
His illness remains a mystery. Speculation from heart disease, an unknown infection, even cancer; but since nothing more can be done even if he is diagnosed with any of those things,
we choose not to cause further trauma with invasive medical testing. Vet and mom in agreement.

PandaPig is receiving the best treatment in the safest place surrounded by both his herdmates. Now, we wait.
We pray. We send love. We ask you, dear readers for your loving support. And we watch Molly's brood grow in their little owlbox, pondering the incomprehensible Circle of Life.

PANDA STILL OUT.

HARD TO SEE THROUGH STORM ON HIGH

GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR RENEWAL OF LIFE!

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL AS WE ARE PRIVELEDGED TO SHARE PANDAPIG'S personal experience - up close and personal - with suffering, loneliness, pain, life, and death: a little guinea pig with an undiagnosed, possibly terminal illness that he endures without complaint: Inspiring within us placid, still REFLECTIONS ON OUR OWN MORTALITY AS WE QUESTION whether or not we have offered selfless service to others to the best of our own ability as generously as a little guinea pig can still offer love and affection - even comfort! - in the midst of his own suffering? HE IMPRINTS THOSE HE TOUCHES WITH A SURE KNOWING THAT THE ONLY LEGACY WE LEAVE ONCE WE ARE FREED FROM OUR MORTAL COIL IS THE LOVE AND SERVICE WE HAVE GIVEN TO OTHERS AS SELFLESSLY as this LITTLE GUINEA PIG; RESCUED AFTER ABANDONMENT, NEGLECT, AND TRAUMA at the hands of his humans. And yet, how is it he loves each and every one of us as innocently and sweetly as if loving for the very first time? How many humans posses Panda's holy capacity for forgiveness, trust, and faithfulness?

Panda's spirit illuminates creation as he ceaselessly offers affection, giving mom little kisses in the hospital, silently enduring his own fragile, vulnerable, suffering with no complaint upon his soft lips, only kisses, Panda comforting his grieving mom.

WHO AMONG US LOVES LIKE THIS GUINEA PIG? Who among us live in an innocent holiness equal to that of a little rodent once thrown away as a nuisance and bother who nobody wanted... hair matted, full of the stench of his own urine and poo,
then abandoned, alone, in his filthy cage at a feed store just a year or so ago? Could we endure that and still love?

Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj once said: "Work is worship...So do one thing at a time, completely, wholly, and solely; and you will find you will save many troubles." ( Excerpted  from his talk to disciples entitled "Little, Little Things")  He also said, "Man is the highest in all creation...So, have reverence for all...All are our brothers, our younger brothers in the family of God, whether they are around you, above you, or below you."

The guinea pigs enable mom to focus all of her attention on tending to each detail necessary to comforting the littlest dear ones, no matter how tired she is or ill she feels. A silken cloak of Holiness always descends softly as falling feathers, gathering up the herd and mom, warming and uniting all in sure knowing that we, too, are Loved. Life and death are of less consequence than loving and giving while living with all our heart, all our soul, and all our might. That done, we may rest peacefully in whatever God wills for us, knowing we have shown up for work, having sincerely and mightily done our very best...tended to details, loved when we feel tired, served when we are ragged, and thus made a difference, however large or small is not for us to judge, in the life of one less fortunate than ourselves. This is what we are learning from PandaPig's Sanctuary: how work with loving attention to detail transforms even the most mundane task into a Holy Pilgrimage of Service. Panda Pig is not the one who got rescued. Indeed, he is the one rescuing us! Our little BuddhaPig humbles us by his innocent, good-natured example of Giving comfort to those so worried about him!

Good night, sweet dreams. Wake up in Peace, walk in Peace, sleep in Peace, and give, give, give only love, love, love. For Panda.

PANDA PIG LIVES!

Today Panda's condition began to improve! We will report more soon.

Exhausted but spent much time with him today with the rest of the herd boarding at vet to support PandaPig, each in his own cage from home.

Prayers, kind wishes, and support of every one of you dear friends and readers are profoundly appreciated by all of us here at PandaPigSanctuary. Love Rules!

PandaPig's near-death experience ALSO saved Bear's life! Hope we remember to share that story with you.

For now, sleep sweetly, all. And thank you for supporting us through this painful, challenging experience...we are humbled.