Boy. when it rains, it pours.
Charlie, the GCC just came back from the vet a few weeks ago with a 243.00 bill. i only get 700.00 a month.
Kiwi my Quaker I have had since he was 5 weeks old has been acting abnormal the last several days. The last two days he sat in a corner of his floor and slept. Last night when I told everyone night he didn't say "Gop" every time he heard me tell someone goodnight and I love you. He ALWAYS says "Gop" after each time; I've always thought that it must be his way of saying "Goodnight. I love you".

The next day I got him out and checked him over and he has an obvious tumor down above his vent. It is yellow like fat, but it is a tumor. He climbed into his bed mid day and was sleeping. 

He is 15 and I am scared. I am not ready to lose him....

Recently I found out that my Quaker parrot Kiwi, has terminal Cancer. Kiwi Tweezerbirdy, who I named after the original (Paulette's) Kiwi Tweezerbirdy was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor down by his vent about 3 weeks ago now. It is inoperable. He is on medication right now for his liver, which was inflamed. There is nothing to be done except love him and if circumstances force me, to do the right thing at the time it is needed. Right now he is acting almost normal. I have had him since he was 5 weeks old and he is 15 plus.

He can say 78 words/phrases/sentences. My favorite is in his teen tiny little child's voice, "Can I go sleepy in my peek-a-boo bed (with) Prickles?"

I will be incredibly sad to lose this little guy who has been my friend for all these years. We have been through all kinds of ups and downs and when I cry, he kisses away my tears.....

You know...it's hard to lose anyone you love. And for some reason, birds are especially hard for me. But I am grateful to at least have time with Kiwi knowing.

As we all know, too often we just wake up and find them gone. 

Knowing that at some point in this illness, I *will* have to say good bye for now to my baby, I find myself reliving moments and memories along the way - precious memories - of when I first got him, and the way his little head would wobble and he would quake, to the first words he spoke, to how he made me laugh so hard one time while I was holding him that he became scared of his mama's unusually crazy laughter and bit me and for some reason, that made me laugh all the more (it was the expression on his face) and he turned tail and ran away, grumbling along. It has been a wonderful, sometimes chaotic, joyous last 15 years.

I can only hope that when he is gone, he will remain forever in my heart and mind and that there truly *is* a place for him in Heaven, and that he will be waiting for his mama some day welcoming me by his "Ack! Ack! Acking, that only a Quaker can make.....

I love you, Kiwi......