Goodbye, Maggie

[elinore]

My little Maggie finally had to lay down and sleep. She fought epilepsy hard for a year and a half. She wasn't quite 8 years old. Hopefully the vets at the University hospital who treated her will be able to help future tiels with similar problems. I am just beside myself. I can't imagine life without her. She will always be my soul mate. I can't believe this was the last time I'll say, "Goodnight Maggala. Mommy loves you."

[lperry82]

Im so sorry for your loss :(
RIP Maggie

[DallyTsuka]

im so sorry to hear she has passed. she is no longer suffering

[geenz]

Oh no, I've been keeping up with all Maggie's news. I'm sad to hear that she has gone to the rainbow bridge. Fly free little Maggie :flowers:

[Woodstock]

I'm sorry Elinore for your loss. I see you live in northern Wisconsin. I'm in Madison. Did you bring her to the University of Madison Vet School? I commend you for your generosity to help other cockatiels. Take care of yourself.

[elinore]

Thanks, everyone. It's so hard dealing with this, since Maggie was the one who always comforted me when things were sad. Give your birdies a snuggle for me!

Yes, we were regulars at the UW Vet Hospital. We loved Dr Keller and Dr Mans. All the vet techs and students loved Maggie to pieces. They never did figure out exactly what was wrong with her, but they sure did all they could.

[tielfan]

I'm so sorry to hear this. You worked so hard to save her and give her a good quality of life, but now the struggle is over. She is at peace and I hope that you can be at peace with it too. This news makes me cry. She was so beautiful.

[leeisme]

Goodnight little Maggie.

[roxy culver]

O I'm so sorry...you did everything you could! RIP Maggie.

[morla]

Poor Maggie. I am deeply sorry.

[geenz]

Give your birdies a snuggle for me!



Fawkes and Jesse thank you for the snuggles hehe, Sarge is busy nesting and Spike is a cranky little boy ;)

[elinore]

Aww! I'm getting to the point where I can sometimes not cry. Losing her seriously sucks (understatement of the century). It helped that my uncle, who goes out of town nearly every weekend, has a rescued tiel who stays with us Friday-Sunday, so at least I've had Trix to talk to, though he is not at all a snuggler, and I'm not his favorite person in the world (I was always too busy paying attention to Maggie to pay him enough attention to really bond).

But now I've got to go back to college and start my semseter where I live in an apartment that doesn't allow pets (though I do have two "secret" gerbils). I just can't stand living without a bird. I am in NO way over losing Magga, but I need a feathered friend to talk to and think about and snuggle and love. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to have another tiel in my life for a long time. Next year I'll start Law School, so it's not exactly an ideal time to add a bird to my life, but I think I'll look for a bird-friendly place. I never thought I'd have to deal with this for many years. I kinda figured I'd have Maggie at least until I had a house, maybe a family of my own. I want to go out right now and find a baby bird to snuggle and love and nurture, and help me through losing my Magga, but that's not an option. I am a bird-less bird lover and I hate it!

[tielfan]

If there are any bird rescues in your area, maybe you could do a little volunteering there and get a bird fix that way. Or even do a little volunteering at the veterinary school that treated Maggie. Law school won't leave you much time though.

[elinore]

Exactly. Even if I made time to do it (which I would love to do), the closest rescue is a good 40 minute drive away and because of the absolutely ridiculous parking prices in this town, I'm trying to avoid bringing a car. Hopefully this will pay off-if I can save $ on not parking, I can justify spending a little extra for a nicer apartment that will be ok with pets. I think I may still try to convince my current apartment's management company that a cockatiel is about the cleanest, least likely to ruin anything pet there is (with weekly vaccuuming and cage cleaning), so I have this feeble hope, but I doubt it will work. Plus, I am still so incredibly broken hearted without my Magga, I'm trying to put the brakes on. It's just so hard. I want a bird to snuggle and help me through this. Argh, I am just so unprepared to deal with this!

[crinklepot]

I'm so sorry to hear about Maggie :( Rest in peace Maggie!

[NardiB]

i feel sorry about your lose ....rip maggie

[Ferg1985]

So sorry to hear of your loss :(

It is true what you say, the first place you go when feeling down is to your bird to cheer you up. The moment they're gone, you're left with nowhere to turn..

Take care.

[xxxSpikexxx]

Iam sorry for your loss :(

[elinore]

I've decided that I'm going to need to find myself a new feathered best friend as soon as I possibly can. I simply cannot live without a little fluffball to cheer me up. Maggie can never be replaced, ever, but it would be so nice to have a snuggle bird to get me through this, or at least have a definite plan, so I have something to look forward to. I will for sure be able to get one this spring, but I am hoping against hope that my current landlord will consider allowing one in my current apartment. I have already been torturing myself by looking for aviaries and rescues that have young, snuggly hens, or may breed the mutations I'm aiming for in the next few months. I think I'll probably go with a handfed baby from a good breeder, but if I can find just the right bird I would love to do a rescue. Maggie is forever in my heart, and I know that my experiences with her, even with dealing with her illness, have made me a much more understanding and patient person. Life is delicate, but so precious!

[xxxSpikexxx]

I hope the right tiel finds you :) I would be careful about where you live now if they find out about your secret gerbils you could get in a lot of trouble.

[elinore]

Thanks, though I'm not worried about my gerbils being here. I'm 99% sure they would be fine with them (they allow one of my neighbor's to have a huge aquarium with several turtles, and those smell, where my little boys are kept clean and vaccuumed in a tidy 10 gallon aquarium). If they do somehow discover the gerbils (highly unlikely as my sister is my only roommate), I'm certain they wouldn't discipline me (the apartment manager's a very nice fellow). However, I'm not confident enough to try sneaking in a bird. That just seems wrong to me. I will try to discuss the possibility with the apartment manager, but the building is owned by a large "landlord" company, and I'm not sure how far his jurisdiction extends. I'm hoping if I can convince the apartment manager that a cockatiel would be a) plenty quiet enough for apartment living, b) very clean compared to other creatures, as long as you vaccuum frequently (which I do) and c) the only reason I would continue paying them exhorbitant amounts to stay in this apartment, perhaps the apartment manager/landlord company would consider my petition.

[Dekey]

rip little maggie she was truly beautiful she deserved an owner like you , shes no longer suffering from eplepsy you were a great owner , take care and fly free beautiful maggie <3

[sarah]

i'm really sorry for your loss...

[fuzzipurr]

I'm so sorry to hear about Maggie. She is flying high with no worries.

[bjknight93]

(((Maggie))) May you rest peacefully and fly freely. :innocent:

[igottafeelin]

Oh, this brought a tear to my eye. Fly high little fighter.

[elinore]

Oh, this brought a tear to my eye. Fly high little fighter.

Thanks for the support. It's been a few months now, but I don't think I'll ever stop missing her. She was such a huge part of my life, and she really helped to shape who I am today. I actually wrote a little article about my experience with Maggie for BirdTalk Magazine, which will be published in February. Losing a loved one is awful, but having good memories helps. I've got a new baby tiel who will come to live with me in the next month or so, when she's ready, and I am beyond excited to have a bird to love again, but Maggie will always be with me.

[sunnysmom]

Maggie was a beautiful bird, and I know you will always miss her. That's great that you're getting a new baby, and I will look forward to seeing pics!

[TRose]

Maggie's picture is beautiful. I'm sorry for your loss.

[donnavla]

I am so very sorry for your loss. I just lost my sweet cockatiel this week and I can't imagine life without her also. I cannot stop crying but I am trying to be strong.
Please let it be comforting that you had wonderful years together. I am trying the same. Her cage was in my room and I have a hard time sleeping because there was always a little life in my room. I put up a memorial in the place where her cage was, it is a little wooden cage decoration along with her ashes and I light a candle by it every night. I also put photos there of her. She will always be in my heart and I will never forget her.
Blessings and comfort to you.
Donna

[Raven2322]

I'm sorry sorry for your lost. I recently lost a tiel as well and know first hand how hard it is. My heart goes out to you.