Here it is — the post I’ve been putting off. Hank the Hedgehog has died.
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He lost interest in mealworms one day.
Yes, the guy who would do flying leaps into a pile of mealworms couldn’t be coaxed to have even a bite.
He must be bored of them.
Then he stopped eating his regular food, which he normally chomped with gusto.
He’ll make up for it in a couple of days.
He didn’t.
Mixing a variety of food, I gently pressed pieces against his mouth until… Yes! He chewed!
Then all the pieces crumbled onto his chest.
He must have a hedgehog cold or flu.
Running his bath, warm but not too warm, I placed him in the sink with the water still running. As usual. I turned away for a couple of seconds–
Hank!
The water was rising to his nose and he wasn’t even tilting his head up!
He usually climbs up the sides of the sink or decides to chill and float. This time he was standing motionless, not caring that he was about to drown.
I wrapped him in his microfibre towel, trying to hide my panic.
What’s going on?
He looked back at me.
No!
His eyes were flat.
No, no, no, no.
I gave him his coconut oil quill massage, waiting for his light to come back.
He stared, expressionless.
No, I can’t. He can’t.
Every evening I held him in his blanket burrito and willed my energy into him.
Each morning, filled with hope, I checked his food dish. Not a dent.
Then he stopped drinking.
I filled his water dish and held his head over it.
When he still didn’t drink, I put him down at his food station and placed his water dish under his chin.
He started to move his head… Yes! I knew you’d come back!
…and his chin slowly slid along the edge of the dish… then right off, and he was laying flat on his placemat.
No!
A jar lid was the most shallow makeshift water dish I could find.
He struggled, and managed to hold his head upright long enough to drink. He drank, and drank, and drank, and drank.
And I cried.
One morning, his eyes were clouded over and I administered lubricant eye drops.
He growled.
There you are! I knew you’d pull through!
Then he stopped growling.
Then he stopped drinking.
One morning he was cool to the touch.
I held him over a space heater until his body temperature warmed. I wrapped him in extra blankets.
Each morning I told him, “Not today.”
And he didn’t.
…
Then one afternoon he jumped to my mind and my eyes filled with tears.
That evening when I came home, he didn’t move.
…
Hank, you made me a better person.
I wish I’d let you have Doritos.
…
…
…
~~~~~~~~~
“To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you….
To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other.
To me you will be unique in all the world.
To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”
~ Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
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I’m so, so sorry Danica.😔
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Thanks very much, Kim. 🙂
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He was a cutie.❤️
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I’m so sorry to hear about Hank, Danica. Sending you my best, take care my friend.
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Much appreciated, Bruce. Thank you.
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My sympathy for your loss. Rest in peace Hank
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Thanks so much.
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So sorry about your little fella Hank their Danica.
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Thank you, Deke. Who knew such a little fella could have such a big personality.
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I’m so sorry to hear about Hank, Danica. You were lucky to have him & he was lucky to have you
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Thanks, Geoff. You’re right, I was lucky indeed. He may have preferred to roam the earth unencumbered. 🙂
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Oh poor Hank … what adventures you shared. Thank you for being a bright spot in my day with your post. You will be missed. g
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Thank you very much, G. He’s left a big space.
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I know your heart breaks for Hank. We lost Shaggy this week and I’m still traumatized. It’s going to take awhile to get over that special boy. But it’s better to love than to not. 🙂
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I’m so sorry about your dear Shaggy. ‘Tis better to have loved and lost them than never meeting them in the first place.
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I’m aching for you, Danica. So sorry for your loss. I’m sure all the wonderful memories of your time together will eventually bring comfort & smiles but for now take solace in knowing you have lots of love & good wishes coming your way. We’ll all miss you, Hank.
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Thank you, Rich. You’re right, it’s already helping.
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Sad news. My wife and I lost our cat Lucy four years ago now and we still miss her terribly. I’m glad you got to shared time together.
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The bonds with animals are like no other. Thank you.
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Nooooooo. I had no idea. So sorry to hear of his passing. He seemed like an awesome dude.
Speaking of dudes, my last dog Dude, who I shared 23 years of awesome times with, will look after Hank in the afterlife. So all is good.
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Thank you, that’s good to know. I appreciate it. 🙂
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