Humphrey

I took Humphrey out a couple of nights ago and he was at first low and slow. But he perked up, almost to the level he was at when he was in his manic phases. I took Humphrey out in his ball and he rolled around the house, occasionally running up on my feet and looking up at me with his dark chocolate eyes before he rolled away.

This morning I took him out and he was very, low. He just barely perked up while I cuddled with him. I put him in the upper level of his home and he munched down on a yogurt cheerio before looking for a corner to bury himself him. He eventually waddled back down to his favorite corner and tucked himself in.

This evening he was the lowest ever. Humprey just barely responded to being picked up and touched. He was over all limp, his legs on one side slightly curled up and he was cool to the touch. His breathing was shallow and at times he would twitch. We heated up a pad for him to lay on while we kept an eye on him. I sat with him and for awhile I kept him tucked in on my chest under my shirt and then moved him to the pad. I stayed with him, stroking his fur while softly whispering to him. Humphrey started jerking with forced sigh like breaths, making a whimpering noise with each exhale with his mouth open. His eyes where wide and I held him in his last moment, whispering to him that I was so sorry that I was not a better 'daddy' and that he was my 'fuzzy little boy.' I looked into his eyes and I could swear he was looking right back at me up to the moment the life left them.

I put Humphrey down on a napkin as I prepared his burial cloth. I gave him some treats for his journey and wrapped him up, preparing him for cold storage before taking him to be with the rest of the rodent family.