Medical confidentiality

This is probably not going to be the blog that you expect from the title, but here we go.  If you have been following, you already know that we have and have had a variety of animals at our house.  If you haven't been following, now you know.  We currently have four dogs.  But in the past we have had fish, kittens, crabs, a tarantula, bunnies, gerbils, birds, and lobsters.  Yes, I said lobsters.

"Mommy" in particular has been responsible for a significant number of non-aquatic pets.  She really got into bunnies at one time.  Her, boyfriend/future husband, "The Trooper" decided to buy her a bunny.  This is never a simple thing you know.  You don't just get the pet, you have to get all the equipment that goes with them in addition to special food and the list goes on.  Bunny number one, (please forgive me that I cannot remember all of their names - the bunnies, I mean.  I still remember the kids' names!) lived with us for a couple of weeks before it died unexpectedly.  Bunny number two met the same fate.  "Mommy" was crushed.

We decided to give it one more try.  Bunny number three was adorable and seemed to be doing well.  One day she started to look sickly and wouldn't eat.  Not again!  We watched her throughout the day hoping she would improve.  Finally, "Mommy" came to me with tears in her eyes and said "Mom, we have to do something.  Please!"  How can you say no?  Of course, it was late at night and there is no vet's office open, so we took this little bunny to the Veterinary Emergency Room. 

Really, it is very much like an Emergency Room for people.  We checked in and they took Bunny 3 to be examined.  Periodically, someone would come out and give us an update.  We finally saw the veterinarian who informed us that Bunny had pneumonia.  They had him in an oxygen tent and on IV's and medication.  He would need to stay overnight and they took us back in the examination room to visit before we went home.  No kidding!  I half expected them to ask if we wanted to stay with him, which is what you would get at a pediatric hospital.  It broke my heart to see this little guy struggling to breathe and to watch "Mommy" say goodbye for the night.  Before we left, we paid for the bill to that point and left a deposit for anticipated expenses.

It was well after midnight when we got home.  "Doc" was already in bed and I vaguely remember giving him an abbreviated medical update.  A few hours later, the phone rang.  This is not unusual because of "Doc" and the phone is on his side of the bed.  He answered, expecting a call about a patient.  It was the Veterinary Emergency Room calling to tell us that Bunny 3 had passed.  Then I heard the conversation continue, did we want them to handle the remains, what would that cost, etc.  "Doc" hung up the phone and looked at me.  "You left them $250 to take care of that rabbit?!!!!"  Well, yes.  "Mommy" was heartbroken and crying, what else could I do?  "It's a rabbit, not one of the kids?"  Well, I know that but  "Mommy" was heartbroken and crying!  Wait a minute!  What happened to medical confidentiality?  "Doc's" name wasn't on the form!

Later on we found out that pneumonia in bunnies purchased in a pet store is common.  So the future "Trooper" got her a bunny from a breeder.  This one lived FOREVER!!!.  Mathilda lived well after they got married and actually moved out of state with them.  See, I do remember some names, especially when they hang around a long time, like the kids.  I also remember them when they are unusual, like the kitten that "The Blonde" named Tree.  Imagine us outside hollering "Here, Tree!.  Yep, that's my gang!