R.I.P. Nexus

[WarriorPrincess90]

It has been a little over a year since my first snake, Nexus, passed from this world. We were connected on a level that I'm not sure I'll ever be with any other animal I own currently, or will own. She came to me during a rough time in my life, and to this day I still attest that she saved me. I was severely depressed, but from the very first day I held her, I knew things would be okay. She comforted me in a way that people couldn't, and she trusted me.

Before her, I would have agreed to a certain extent that snake's and other reptiles didn't really exhibit emotion. But she was different. A friend gave her to me to try and cheer me up, and she did. She would curl up on my lap, or on the couch next to me and just sit there for hours. She would climb through the pillows on my bed, or wrap around my arm and we'd go for a walk. She loved going outside.

But only a couple of weeks after I got her, I noticed that she was making these strange, sneezing noises. I googled it and was horrified to find that she might be sick. I checked my temps/humidity, and watched her for a few more days. The sneeze/coughing became more pronounced. It was then that I found a herp vet and took her in immediately. Being a college student, I couldn't afford the $800 worth of tests and blood work they wanted to do. My breeder buddy said that was bogus anyway, and all I needed were the meds. So I got the baytril and treated her for one month as the doctor recommended. When I had brought her to him, he said she was somewhat small for a ball python her age. She had been a rescue, so I wasn't surprised, but I was still concerned.

When he gave her the first injection to teach me how, the second he released her she bolted for my hair. Wrapping her tail tightly around my fingers, she hid in my hair until we were out of the vet's office and safely in the car. At which point her little head appeared by my ear, with her tongue going a million miles a minute. Confident that I could treat her and everything would be okay, I took her home.

I religiously administered the medication as prescribed, gave her 30 minute warm water baths every few hours, and began to see an improvement. She ate, and seemed slightly more active. But her cough didn't go away. Towards the end of the treatment, she began to deteriorate rapidly. I called the vet immediately to set up an appointment. She was lethargic, and her belly had splotches of red spreading over it. Little did I know, she was septic.

So I took her back to the vet, hoping to get some other antibiotic, anything to save her. She was suffering, I knew. She would wheeze so loudly it would keep me awake at night, and was constantly raising her head straight up and opening her mouth to gasp for air. When I got to the vet, he told me they couldn't know what was causing it without a tracheal flush, blood work, etc. He didn't think it was viral as she was still mentally okay. But refused to speculate on what it could be without those darned expensive tests. Then he told me we could try a nebulizer treatment. I was open to the idea and was asking for specifics when he stopped me to say, "She has less than a 50% chance of survival. The medication might kill her." Turning her over, he ran his fingers over the red splotches and sighed. "She's septic." he said, "Her chances aren't very good." My only other option was euthanasia.

He gave me a few minutes to think it over, and almost as soon as he exited the room I burst into tears. And here's where it really gets hard...She knew something was wrong. But it was almost as if she was trying to tell me it was okay. Nexus started to push her nose into my hand, rubbing it so hard that her nose was contorted slightly. She began to squeeze softly where she was wrapped around my hand, and lifted her head to look at me, rubbing her nose against my cheek. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I paid for the most expensive procedure, to anesthetize her prior to injecting her with the euthanasia serum. I sat outside with my friend, not realizing that my choice of seat was right outside the window to the room where they were putting my baby down. She told me later, that I had refused to leave, until the moment when they took her lifeless form out of that room. I didn't know, but she could have sworn that something in me could feel her life end, and when that connection severed, I could leave.

I cried for days, and still cry every time I think about her. I had her cremated, and her ashes still rest in the beautiful blue urn on my mantle above the fire. I chose to share this story today for the very first time, because I was dusting her off and couldn't help but remember. And I wanted to share our story.

I will always miss her. Until we meet again my darling, across the Rainbow Bridge.

R.I.P. Nexus

[aldebono]

I am so sorry you had to go through that so soon after getting her. It is always so hard to lose a loved one. Rest In Peace Nexus.

[bsavage]

Sorry to hear, always hard to lose a friend, often harder to remember about the loss afterward.

[python_addict]

wow i couldnt help but cry.....we always have that one pet that makes our life so much easier and enjoyable and its hard to lose them....

[MoonlightBoas]

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm so sorry for your loss, but I'm glad she was there to help get you through your rough time.

[DellaF]

Man this is the 3rd story I have read this weekend of people loosing their beloved pets. The stories always make me cry because I know how bad it hurts to loose a pet that we consider well I do anyway our children. It gets easier but we never really quite get over it. So sorry for you loss. Thanks for sharing your story.

I love your avatar by the way

[ballpythonluvr]

I am so sorry for your loss. I am glad that you had Nexus in your life and that she comforted you. She is now at peace.