A "Just" guy...No it's not "Just" a Rat

I had a feeling. A friend of mine told me a couple months back that since I've been in EMS that I have become more superstitious with habits. I would agree with her, since I have noticed that I throw my cigarette butts in the proper place instead of throwing them off to parking lot or grass. I can proudly say I have survived over a total year of EMS since Feb. I can't say that yet as a paramedic until July though. Anyway since graduation I have obtained a part time job in Fisher County (Fisher Co EMS) and Callahan County (Citizens EMS). As I hold on to my dreams of working away away out of state like West Coast area, at the moment West Texas area holds on to me strongly.

Much has happened since that first paramedic call. Fortunately I still have the same boys (rats) since Feb 25, 2008 - Oscar and Rizzo. They are over two years old now and in rat years they are about 60 ish years old (little fact, every 10 days for us equals a year in rat life). Rizzo and Oscar are my 9th and 10th rat that I have every owned. At the very beginning I was naive to rats, the real only introduction was from this boy in college - until that time I never gave a real thought of rats in general especially as pets. Of course my guy friend was able to open my eyes to rats and my first ones were Squeekers (female PEW sickly from PetCo yet sweet as ever) and George (male berkshire aguti). At the time I believed they were both males since the staff told me so...(yeah I know I said naive before right?) I just wish I knew those two thoughts.

"So you're a girl huh?"
"Yup I don't think she knows yet"
"It's okay, you're sick huh?"
"I've had this weird wheezing so yeah...but she's a good person"
"I'll take care of you don't worry."

Squeekers passed away Christmas 2005. Before then I had figured out about separating male and female rats and so I had Jenny and Chloe for Sqeekers and Squirt for George. Jenny and George got to together with an escape and Baby Bear came along with 11 others whom I've adopted out since then two days before Squeekers left. Just to let you know, Jenny was this yellow petite girl and Chloe I considered my drinking buddy (she would go for a can of coke and once she licked it she would look at me as if saying "Dude, Mom this isn't Budweiser!." Squirt was sickly like Squeekers but I couldn't give him up, he was just too damn cute! He should jump all over George when he was itty bitty. George would look at me as if saying "Cute sure...So we are going to keep him huh??"

Squeekers passed away due to the horrible respiratory genetic infection. Squirt followed her - in a way I always figured they knew and due to that fact they became close buddies. Chloe seemed to pass away with the same disease, but old age helped her along...I was in Las Vegas with my mom and I left Chloe with the vet to be watched over - the vet called the first of Aug 2006 letting me know Chloe "expired". Ever since then the song from James Taylor Fire and Rain makes me think of her. Jenny died from a spider bite, I remember telling her "...remember when I got you. You squeaked and squeaked, Chloe showed you the ropes and now here you are...climbing in my scrubs and licking my finger like no other." George and Jenny produced Baby Bear, she was the most trusting blue rat I could ever ask for - well tempered and beautiful. She left due to old age and cancer, but even in the end she knew she was the baby.

During the time of George, Jenny, and Baby Bear came Lucy and Phoebe. Lucy and Phoebe came along during my time as a balloon twister in San Antonio during schooling. A family I was making balloons for was impressed by my rat balloon figures and we got to talking to eventually they asked if I would take in their girl rats due to the fact the daughter was just finishing high school and moving on to college and no one could give enough love to their rats. So I took in Lucy and Phoebe (was named Libby, but at the time I couldn't remember for the life of me). Lucy was the most curious of the two of them, she actually gave me a look like - "So you know the door is just cracked, I've just push it open and wow looky there..." Pheebs on the other hand was BOSSY! She took control of Alpha female and before then George has been neutered since Jenny's 12 babies so he roomed with the girls.

Lucy passed away with respiratory compilations. She was the first rat or pet ever I had to consent to putting her to sleep. She quit eating and drinking water one day and with her wheezing I knew - yet, I don't know.

Since Dec 2004, I made a deal with George. I asked him to make it with for at least four years, twice the average life at a normal pet rat. My logic at the time was I'd be done with nursing school by then - unknowingly with EMS - thinking it would be neat if I could have rat/buddy with my so long through my journey. He stuck with me until Jan 2008. He has witnessed with me the death/loss all of his friends. I remember a time I had a horrible dream that I lost George in Thailand and that I awoke straight up with fear - immediately George jumped into the cage as if saying "It's okay you had a bad dream...really I'm here and safe."

I had a dog named Luke. He was my buddy even before my family took him in in Feb. 1996. At the times I couldn't find a friend, an ear to just listen to, protection from the darkness, or even from myself - Luke was there for me. He was a mutt, a year into his dog life and I can remember a time when my brother and I would fight Luck would jump in between us just to break it up. If anything Luke was the bind to our new family. He passed away a couple days before Chloe, I wasn't there when he had to be put down nor for the burial - I just knew he knew.

Anyway, George passed away a month before his daughter (Baby Bear) - which as much as it did hurt I found comforting believing in the ole saying "Children are to buried their parents, not the other way around." George was a good rat all around. I remember a time when Chloe was so sick that she just hide/rested in a corner and each time I gave away treats George would collect his and run over to give to Chloe and run back as if to say "I've delivered, could I have my own now please." George passed away in his sleep - no respiratory distress, no pain, no cancer, and the only surgery was a neuter for him...I just woke up one morning and he was gone.

Phoebe was the last of my original Greeley/Fort Worth/San Antonio rats. By the time she passes away, I have been able to pass on my Positive Report over pet rats. I brought them over from EMS class since then in Abilene/TSTC. She was my 1/4 pound rat and she knew it. As bossy as she was, she was such a sweetheart. Lighter yellow than Jenny, Phoebe was a character. She had the respiratory problems too like her sister...she passed away while laying on the couch with me - peaceful.

Now I have these two male rats - Oscar and Rizzo from Petsmart. Not brother's at all, Rizzo is a couple weeks older then Oscar yet they compliment each other. Oscar is this sensible rat, shy, quiet only verbal when messed with, dumbo guy. Rizzo on the other hand is this rex fuzzy ball of energy with a motto of - "I'm a rat, I know life is short of me, so dammit live/trouble to the fullest!" Rizzo just had this benign tumor removal, and he looked at me like "Dude, I love stitches and all, but this IS not what I was asking for...." Oscar is getting that hind leg paralysis, yet is still trouble and look at me as if saying "What? I'm cute and self cleaning - love me!"

My boss and his wife watches them while I work in Rotan with their son and in Clyde I'm able to bring them over to the station while I work. I like the area both ways - one is hospital base and the other strictly EMS. At the moment I can truly say with the bad calls sometimes, thank God for my boys (rats)--- a simple pet will bring them bruxing, chocolate to a head cock of thanks, a hold or stick in the finger to kisses, or just a settlement of love. If anything just seeing them oblivious to all the bad stuff you've seen - damn, isn't there times were you wish giving a piece of candy to a patient would make everything better without having to transport to the hospital(excluding diabetic calls of course)...