[Gpdd] [ANNOUNCE] <Taffy has gone to the Rainbow Bridge>

[Sandra Park]

It is with great sadness that I write today.  A while ago I wrote for
advice about Taffy, who had lost significant weight yet still had a
hearty appetite for his fresh foods and for life.  Many of you posted
words of advice and concern; I thank you all.  In spite of the best care
by my local vet and specialists at the Univ. of Florida Veterinary
Medical Teaching Hospital, we were unable to determine the cause of his
weight loss.  I continued to make "Critical Care lettuce wraps" for
Taffy and feed him his favorite foods, in hopes of reversing his weight
loss and stimulating his pellet consumption.  It seemed to be working
for a while, although most recently he began to leave more and more
uneaten.  On Thursday, Aug. 12, shortly before 6 am, Taffy passed away
in my arms.  Taffy would have been six years old in October.

Taffy was my first guinea pig, my "first love", and the reason I came to
know about the gpdd and love guinea pigs so much.  We survived a broken
jaw which miraculously healed on its own with no complications.  I
believe those weeks of round-the-clock syringe feeding  were the
foundation for the close bond we shared in the years that followed.
Taffy loved human attention, loved perching on my left shoulder, purring
all the while he was petted.  He would have loved to be a "free-range"
pig (making "putt-putt" sounds all the while), and I indulged his desire
for wandering & exploring (a favorite spot was under my son's bed) --
and playing under towels -- as much as possible.  Taffy was my calm
sweet boy, my old man, my "Taffy-roo", and I miss him terribly.  But I
am greatly comforted by the fact that I was able to be with him, gently
holding him, and he seemed to pass without suffering, without obvious
pain.  Perhaps he did wait till morning, knowing I would come to feed
him, knowing I would need to be there.  Taffy was loved deeply by the
whole family and we are thankful for the love gave to us.

Taffy follows his cagemate Winter who passed away Feb. 29.  I was never
able to write about her passing -- she suffered terribly, in spite of --
even because of -- my efforts to do the best for her.  I am only
grateful that I can say I have no regrets concerning Taffy's care.

Hoping there truly are guinea pigs in heaven,
Sandy in Tampa with Tiger, the sole surviving member of the Tampa Krewe;

remembering always Crystal, Autumn, Winter and now Taffy