Reason to Hope
-Helen Morrison, President, Board of Directors
I know you have felt it…that little whisper in your heart, that little stirring in your soul. In the dead of Winter, when the dark is deepest, there is this shift in your core, this turning towards the light. Your face rises to the sun. A smile plays upon your face. You close your eyes. You can feel the hint of warmth. The Hope of Spring has begun.
In the Shelter, we have our very own Hope of Spring baby. His name is Peter. You may remember him from the December Newsletter. His story is precious, full of Hope. Changes are happening for him. Smiles for Peter play on many human faces.
Peter's mother and father were both Manx cats. Therefore, he got a double genetic dose. He not only had no tail but he was missing some of his spine and nerves that would have let him function normally. He had trouble walking…hopped like a bunny. And he couldn’t pee and poop on his own. These had to be “expressed” for him. He has spent the past several months in the creative, playful, skilled care of our advising vet, Dr. Sally Schlueter. He has made friends with the dog, Ebony, the cat, Wolfie (who had never met a cat before), and with Sally’s spouse, Ric. Peter likes to check out what’s on the computer with Ric…read a bit together.
-Helen Morrison, President, Board of Directors
I know you have felt it…that little whisper in your heart, that little stirring in your soul. In the dead of Winter, when the dark is deepest, there is this shift in your core, this turning towards the light. Your face rises to the sun. A smile plays upon your face. You close your eyes. You can feel the hint of warmth. The Hope of Spring has begun.
In the Shelter, we have our very own Hope of Spring baby. His name is Peter. You may remember him from the December Newsletter. His story is precious, full of Hope. Changes are happening for him. Smiles for Peter play on many human faces.
Peter's mother and father were both Manx cats. Therefore, he got a double genetic dose. He not only had no tail but he was missing some of his spine and nerves that would have let him function normally. He had trouble walking…hopped like a bunny. And he couldn’t pee and poop on his own. These had to be “expressed” for him. He has spent the past several months in the creative, playful, skilled care of our advising vet, Dr. Sally Schlueter. He has made friends with the dog, Ebony, the cat, Wolfie (who had never met a cat before), and with Sally’s spouse, Ric. Peter likes to check out what’s on the computer with Ric…read a bit together.
Peter likes to play with Ebony, the black lab…and hold paws.
Peter likes to mess with Wolfie’s tail, and eat his food when he can. Peter loves to run up the stairs to the kitchen and see what is on for dinner.
And Peter loves to lounge in front of the wood stove on those chilly Vermont nights. Sometimes he even likes to pose for Gentleman’s Quarterly in his new “Pants”.
Peter is now able to poop on his own. He has a special diet that helps keep things firm enough. And Peter is beginning to be able to urinate on his own, at least part of the time. There must be some new nerves that are taking over. Peter has to wear preemie diapers…and may always need to. But Hey. When you can wear little diapers with rosebuds or paw prints on them, the world is your oyster. He does need periodic cleaning with baby wipes…and can be a bit of a wiggler to let you know he has better things to do, places to go, toys to explore.
Peter has no idea he is challenged in any way. This is all his “normal”. He is full of the joy of life. He is our Reason to Hope. What more could a little boy want in this world…but a whole new horizon ahead ... and maybe a nap now and then.