Hi Pete,

I don't know how I missed this thread!! I'm sorry I wasn't there to wish you well. Sounds like your spirits are good and that is important!! That sure does sound like a lot of fluid..you're right. Who cares if it normal or not...as long as no infection.

Nurse has been coming by every day at first to be sure I was doing everything right, then switched to every couple of days.

I just make up stuf for the rats to play with, cardboard boxes, etc., plus a hanging basket they can all sleep in. I may get one of those traveling balls.

Glad to hear that the nurse thinks that you are doing well enough for some alone time. There is nothing worse to me than to have someone hover and keep me from doing my own little routine. Do you think that you will get the trach out soon or do you still have a lot of swelling in your neck?

I am surprised that they all sleep together and in a hanging basket. I would have thought that they were more independent and that they would sleep on the floor of the cage. Interesting. It would be fun to make them one of those models that they make prior to building an office complex and let them play in that. The one at the county office I was at yesterday has little trees, cars and all kinds of miniature things that they could play with. Be sure to let me know when the little one stops licking your hand and no longer thinks that you are sick.

Rest up and enjoy the weekend. I hope that your weather is nicer than mine.

Patty

Hi Pete,
You must be doing OK if the nurse is now coming every 2 days?
Continue to improve and enjoy the entertainment provided by your furry friends.
My feathered friend had lovely holidays with me until last week when I returned to work. With all 3 seperate trips taking my Mum and Dad he enjoyed the car trips sitting in the back with Mum (81) where they both entertained each other
Cheers
Gabriele

I'm guessing that the doc wants to leave the trach in as a precaution against something bad happening -- I will rely on his judgment (He does 2-3 free flaps a week; I do 2 per lifetime).

For some reason, this bunch of rats prefers to sleep on the highest shelf, rather than the bottom. With a previous group of females, I bought a couple of finch baskets and hung them high -- If warm weather, they would each sleep alone, but if cold, they would all squeeze into one basket -- Amusing to sometimes see three tails hanging out of three baskets!

So, instead of a "Three dog night" it's a "Three rat night"?

Just returned from followup visit and some bad news -- Nurse had smelled infection and put me on anti-biotics, but it seems that part of the blood vessel system in the front of my flap has failed and some of the flap was dying -- She excised a lot of of the "mobile" flap, about a third of that part of the tongue, right down to the floor of mouth, leaving a large crater all the way back to the molars on one side -- Plan is to leave it alone and see how it grows (apparently thigh flesh rejuvenates well).

With my body no longer trying to salvage the bad area, the rest of the healing should improve rapidly.

[quote=Pete D]With my body no longer trying to salvage the bad area, the rest of the healing should improve rapidly. [/quote]

Pete,
So sorry to hear about the set-back. But leave it to you to turn a negative into a positive!

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

Smooch the little critters for me! (Oh yeah, one for you too!!)

Sending all good thoughts to you for prompt and complete healing.

Donna

Pete,

That is the sort of news nobody wants to hear at any time, let alone after what you have been through.

I hope the antibiotics do what they are designed to do and destroy any infection as soon as possible.

Take care

Karen