My Referral Is A Raccoon 8/28/07

At the time of this shot,
I had hope for the little guy,

To me, it seemed another
rescue gone good, but I did have thoughts that he did have rabies
At least no one would be injured from him...........

This picture needs to be switched, and I have to figure out how to delete it.
As I've said before, this bloggin thing is new to me and I stink at it and computers.

Today was a day with far too many hair pin turns. Started out with my Dad, eager to leave the Hospital calling at 8:19 am telling me that he was released and ready, and WAITING for a pickup........ THEN, I get a call from my neighbor Keri, across the street telling me that there has been this sickly looking raccoon that had been walking in circles, but had made it's way from the front yard into the back yard.



Me, animals, no question I'd jump in to help....... I ran over in my P.J.'s, only to find this young, definitely sick raccoon. Rabies has been on the rise here on Long Island, and I really wasn't looking for trouble. For a fleeting moment, I thought maybe I should ask my husband to shoot him.........., he's a retired Detective, but that thought was quickly dismissed.



I quickly ran for backup........ it's great having Dave home, especially in times like these. I had already done a preliminary assessment of this animal, and truly, it needed to be contained, and in my heart I knew it had to be destroyed.



Keri was quick to supply the perfect container, and a sheet, which I had thrown in his direction. He definitley had neurological issues, as his footing was unsure, his hearing not acute, and at times he looked as though he was falling over. Anyway, I threw this sheet which caught him off guard, and as he stumbled and tried to regain his footing, Dave plopped this plastic container over him. I then slid the top of the container, under him, and we secured it, and gradually flipped him, well rolled him actually till he was upright with the lid securely on top.



Job done, air holes made, I loaded him into the car, to take him to Volunteers For Wildlife..... except we hit one glitch......... while Dave and I were trapping the critter, Keri was calling various places, but had not actually finished listening to the recording regarding raccoons, and how they would not be accepted by this facility.



That put a crimp in my plans, as I was doing this on the way to my Father, probably sitting by the phone, fully packed, dressed and ready to go since the call he made to me at 8:19.



So, I drive out to Lloyds Neck with this scary little guy next to me the whole way........ thoughts of him breaking loose if I have to stop short, and visions of a John Candy, Chevy Chase movie come to mind. I can see the hysterics of a loose, rabid raccoon, chasing me around a car that is traveling along at 40mph.



Anyway, the drive out to Lloyds Neck is always pleasant...... in fact, you have to pass some beautiful landscapes, Osprey Nests, Long Island Sound, and an old home of Billy Joel's. But, my happy attitude is quickly zapped, as V.F.W., won't accept my passenger, and I am reminded of the recording that Keri didn't finish listening to stating they do not accept Raccoons.



Well, there I am with my thumb up my _ _ _, nah, I'm left with one other choice. Stop at the local Police Station that I had to pass on the way and plead my case about the situation and hope that they will at least take this animal off of my hands if not completely, then for the time it takes me to spring my Dad.



I walk into the Station, and they are the nicest, sweetest Police Officers. They absolutely agreed to take the Raccoon, and call Animal Control. I was told by V.F.W. that if I was to call Animal Control on my own to retrieve this animal, there would be a charge, and it would be quite expensive............. I have to deposit this animal, now and be done with it. So, I was overjoyed by the fact that they would take him and call the authorities..... but not before giving me the third degree on whether I had touched it, where I found it, etc, and understandably so. BUT, the funniest thing was how scared everyone was to pick up the container that housed him.

As if it was infectious through the plastic........ jeeeze, maybe it was........



Okay, there's more........but the short version is this. I FINALLY go and get my Dad. We have a wonderful dinner...... I love to cook, and we ate a meal fit for a King...... Chilean Sea Bass, and Orange Roughy.......... and all of the trimmings., Udon noodles and sauteed mushrooms and zuchinni........... yum!!!!! I pick up all of Dad's new meds, and proceed to give them to him, glancing at the labels............ this man takes so many medications............ we go through them all, and then I notice that not only are there the three meds that have his name on it, there is an additional one, THAT I GAVE HIM, that has someone elses name on it........... OH MY GOD, I ALMOST KILLED MY FATHER!!!. Now I visualize having to run to the Emergency room, but you have to understand, this man has been in and out of the E.R. three times this past week alone, and the final time he was admitted and had to have emergency surgery......... he finally got out, but it's actually worse....... he's been in and out of the hospital since July, and he was finally on the mend, that is until I POISONED him with the wrong meds........................ long story short, after consulting with CVS, and not taking their word for it, the Cardiologist, we all had a good laugh, as it was not a menacing drug at all, and no harm done.......... at least to him. I told the Cardiologist that he has a new patient, as I was having a heart attack. There's more to the ups and downs of this........... but I'm having a Corona, my favorite of Beer's......... and I truly don't want to type anymore......... tomorrow, I will tell Dad, that his daughter almost killed him.

Tonight, I will relish in the fact that he is indeed okay............ for the moment.



I do have to say this........... I'm not stupid, just exhausted from taking care of my Dad, and his precarious health......... AND, the last names on the bottle ARE the same......... so there you have it.............. oh, there is one amazingly important, greatly wonderful part about the significance of today, it is Dave and my 17 month lid anniversary..................