Farewell Sweet Cheeks

It's been a sad week here at home. My little sister Lucky the hamster passed away.

Mom and Dad got Lucky when she was a wee baby. She was one of many hamsters that were found abandoned at the Dixie Outlet Mall last October. Rabbit Rescue took them in and Mom and Dad picked Lucky to add to our family. She quickly grew into a sweet, lovable and funny friend who loved running in her ball and stuffing her cheeks to immense proportions. Mom even stayed up late one night, worried that she had stuffed her cheeks too much and would not be able to get it all out. But little Lucky told her that "stuffing our pouches is what we do!" and she was perfectly fine. She loved filling her cheeks like it was the end of the world or she was going on some sort of incredible adventure and didn't know when she would be fed again. It could be weeks! (Of course not!) But she was ready, just in case. That's why Mommy started calling her Sweet Cheeks.

A week ago today, Lucky had a very wet bum and Mom worried she might have wet tail so she took her to the vet. At first, a UTI was suspected and meds were given. But on Saturday morning Lucky was in very bad shape, haunched over like a little buffalo, hardly able to walk and in obvious pain. Mom and Dad rushed her back to the vet where she underwent xrays and various tests. The vet determined that she was suffering from a spinal injury, probably cage-related. Perhaps Lucky had climbed up the bars of her cage (as hammies often do) and fell, landing on the side of a bowl or something else. Mom and Dad had no idea - they never saw anything happen, but of course, with hamsters being nocturnal, it certainly could have happened without them knowing it.

Lucky spent the weekend at the vet. Xrays showed no actual break in the spine, but she was still waddling around all funny. With the right meds, including pain management, she did slowly improve and was able to come back home on Sunday. For the next few days, bit by bit with continued meds, she got better. She was still a little haunched, but she was running around, stuffing her cheeks again and eating like a champion. But she still was not her normal, happy hammie self...

On Wednesday evening, after mom came home from work and was about to prepare dinner, Daddy found Lucky curled up in her hammie house. She had passed away earlier in the day. She was curled up, seemingly asleep, yet very much gone.....

Mom and Dad have been consumed with sadness. They tried to do everything they could to make her better, but poor little Lucky was just too injured to fully recover. Binks and I, as well as Ella and Scooter upstairs, have been working overtime giving them all the snorgles they need to help them feel better. We let them squeeze us extra tight and cry in our fur and kiss us and tell us how much they love us.

I sure am going to miss Lucky. She was extra good at grooming me through the air vents of her ball (see picture above) and loved to stuff my fur in her cheeks and take it into her hammie house to use as a pillow. She was only 8 months old. Mom and Dad aren't sure if another hammie is in the cards for them. We only lost my little brother Boo 9 months ago (actually, nine months to the day, today)and now to lose Lucky - that's two in less than a year. It really hurts. "But Mom, the important thing is that you and Dad gave Lucky a wonderful life! You gave her a wonderful home when she was abandoned, you gave her tons of love and she was such a happy little hamster! She had the best life ever with you and Dad..." Mom squeezed me extra tight and covered my head with kisses. "Thank you Fluffy. Thank you so much my Little Man. Mommy loves all of you bunnies more than anything in the world...."

"We know, Mom, you tell us every single day. And by the way, I'm not a Little Man - I'm a BIG TOUGH LOP!"

"Ha! Sorry McFluffersons, you are right! You're Mommy's Big Tough Lop!" she laughed through her tears.

My job for the night was done.

Farewell Sweet Lucky. Our hearts are all the more bigger for having known you....