Emm

[JarBax]

My sweet little Emm died on Wednesday.



Older members will remember her as the fourth of my Ms, one of two who came from a hideous 'visitor attraction', rescued by Thistle, and adopted by us in October 2006. Mellow and Emm's story is here. They had lived in ridiculously overcrowded conditions, suffering from malnourishment and general neglect, and were rescued along with over 100 other piggies.

Emm was the skattiest piggy I have ever seen, but settled in well (after a while). She grew to be quite a character - a very nosey pig who got over her fear of everything to investigate at every opportunity. I knew from the moment that she stole mary and Marbles' carrot from between the divider bars, pre-intros, that she was an eccentric individual! I remember describing her as having autistic tendencies socially, I seriously had to watch myself when cleaning out their cage, because as the other girls were hiding in the hay loft, she was sniffing around under me - wondering what was going on!

She always drank a lot of water - I had some job keeping up with her thirst. I knew that this wasn't a good sign, but she was otherwise healthy and happy.

Until a week past Sunday. I had only just recovered from two horrible bouts of flu/colds. I hadn't picked the girls up for about a month, as I was really quite unwell. (Obviously they were kept fed and cleaned etc, but I wanted to keep contact to a minimum whilst I wasn't well) I noticed that Sunday that she was a bit puffy, and a little hunched. I couldn't believe it when I picked her up, because, apart from the fact that I managed it without a chase, she was so little. Her weight had dropped by around 200g, so I was really worried.



I made an appointment with the vet, started giving her critical care and contacted Thistle. Wendi confirmed what I didn't want to believe, that it didn't sound good. The vet said that her kidneys were enlarged. I offered to try and get a urine sample, and took dip sticks and some baytril home. Thistle kindly sent me more appropriate anti-biotics and some painkillers, and as they were in the post, I gave her calpol. I was worried that as she was puffy and hunched, that she was in pain.

On returning from the vet, I sat her in the bath, and syringe fed her water. When she wouldn't take more, I offered her wet veggies (cucumber, wet romaine and red pepper). It took longer than anticipated, but she pee'd. I syringed up a sample, and dip-sticked some too. The protein bars changed drastically, and the vet confirmed that the sample was 'teeming with casts, protein and some blood (which wasn't visible to the naked eye).



She deteriorated steadily - from pretending to eat (sitting close to the other girls, nibbling at/playing with her veggies), she stopped coming down from the hay loft for her fresh veg. The critical care was getting more difficult to get down her, then began to just lie in her mouth. It was heartbreaking, and on more than one occassion, I decided that I would take her to the vet to be 'put to sleep'. I had this distant glimmer that she might recover - there was still some fight in her.

I gave her as much water as she would take, a weak mix with sodium citrate, and used my garlic press to 'puree' her favorite veg, for syringing. I knew that she wasn't going to get better, but taking her to the vet just wasn't 'right'. Whilst she wasn't well, she wasn't suffering - just getting weaker, and weaker, and becoming distant. Near the end, she sat facing the corner of the loft if she wasn't in my arms.

On Wednesday morning, I knew that she wasn't far from leaving us. I'd been getting up at 6.30 to have more time with her before work. Sometimes it took more than that extra half hour to try and feed her. I could hear a faint noise to her breathing, and when I picked her up, she had little muscle tone. It seems silly now, but I gave her her septrin, and her calpol. I laid her on my lap, still wrapped in the towel I'd been swaddling her in, so I could eat the last of my cereal, then picked her up again. In those few seconds, she had gone.

It was funny, because I could just tell that she had gone. I remember when Midge died, I spent about 20 minutes trying to see through my tears if she was still breathing or not, it was awful. But with Emm, I knew. She had such a strong spirit; she was so different when left without it!



My son was sad, but less vocally upset than his soppy mum! Whilst I know that we gave her a good life: an enormous fleece lined cage with cozies and cushions galore, the best grass hays, quality pellets and veg. (kept fresh in the new larger fridge I purchased specifically to accommodate the quantity), spells out on the specially weeded lawn on warm summer evenings, regular grooming sessions, complete with pedicures and extra cuddles, and three very special friends - a bond made stronger by the difficult start, I can't help but feel so sad that her life was cut short. I am a sentimental fool at times, and times like these find me bubbling unashamedly in sorrow filled waves of regret.

I feel also passionate aggression towards the ignorance of her initial owners, who saw fit to keep her with 60 others in a cage smaller than the one she lived in here with her 3 companions, who didn't offer enough water to go round and thought an occassional slimy cabbage would do as a change from the bark chippings the piggies had been chewing for lack of food, who neglected to see her blistered eyelids and tattered ears, and chose to ignore that she shared a pen with many others who looked so alike.

My sweet little Emm had a different look to her - she was a bit 'ratty'. Whether her premature death was due to some inbred flaw, or as a result of initial neglect, her short life filled our lives with joy, humour and love.

Thankyou Emm

YouTube - "Hello Emm!"

[piggly wiggly]

I am so sorry Jarbax.
I remember when Emm first came home with you.Emm had a wonderful life with you and your son and the other "M's.

Rest in peace sweet Emm.

[RayFay]

*hugs* Jarbax. I know what you're going through right now.

*more hugs*

Rest in peace Emm. xx

[wiggley_narco]

My goodness, I'm so very sorry. At least she had a good life with you.

[PiggieMamaKelly]

Your story is very touching. I'm so sorry you lost her.

[SerpentineSylph]

That very much brought a tear to my eye. I'm so sorry for your loss, but you can at least have the comfort in knowing she had the best years of her life with you - and they truly were the very best and pig could ask for.

[cavy-cool-crazy]

Jane, you know my sympathies are with you. I too remember when you first completed the 4 Ms and it is so sad that they are now 3. ((Hugs))

[FoolOnTheHill]

I'm so sorry to hear about Emm. She was truly beautiful! She had such a great life with you; I'm sure she was incredibly happy. Give the others a huggle from me. Hope you're doing ok.

[luvmyboyz]

I`m so sorry for your loss. She was a lovely girl, who because of you lived a wonderful life. I`m in tears because I know your in pain and that another sweet angel has left us. I`ve said it before but I`ll say it again. These babys of ours get into our hearts and we can never let go. My thoughts are with you. Emm, rest well little one.

[JarBax]

Thankyou everyone (new and 'old') for your lovely words of comfort. I think am still in denial - still cutting veg into quarters, and arranging the veggie the plate into four. Will take a while to get used to having 'the three little piggies' instead of the 4 Ms!

I bought a beautiful daphne today, which I have planted over the spot where we laid Emm. It is in flower at this time of year, with a beautiful perfume, and will remind us of her sweetness throughout the year.

[thalestral]

I'm so sorry Jane, I was utterly shocked to hear the news She was such a special girl and so lucky to go home with you and live in your piggie palace. Your tribute to your Emm here is so full of love.

All my thoughts are with you and your son, and your girls *hugs*

[auburnmare5]

Rest in Peace Emm-

Emm was an adorable piggy!

My deepest condolences

[JarBax]

My son should be revising for exams, but took 'some time out', and surprised me with this lovely video tribute to Emm...how could I be angry?!!

Thought you might like to see it too:

YouTube - Tribute to sweet little piggy Emm

[FoolOnTheHill]

Oh, I'm sitting here with tears dripping down my face now. That's such a beautiful vid - and a perfect song.
"When you love someone and it goes to waste". This isn't true though; Emm must have thought she was the luckiest pig in the world to have been taken in by you.
Every so often I remember little things about pigs I've lost and it hurts terribly - Hope you are doing okay

[JanJam]

Oh I'm so sorry. I'm sitting here crying as well, so sorry you've lost such a lovely, sweet piggie

[TX_2_Pigs]

Jarbax, I am so sorry to hear this. I have been thinking of you lately as the lupins are blooming and I was thinking of posting a picture to you. I still have the card the girls sent us last year. It is hanging on my cubicle wall at work. And I ran across the tablet recipe today too.

I hope that your heart heals quickly and I am sending you my thoughts and prayers. Emm was lucky to have a human like you to take care of her and she left in the best conditions she could have had. Warm and loved.