Pippin Does Facebook

Hannah's Facebook Tuesday:  for I was so stressed my fingers wouldn't work.

Pippin is missing since this morning. She could be about the Dreen Road, Killyless Road, Granagh Road area. Please let us know if you have seen her as we are worried sick.

The same day, from me.

Pippin (5 months old) has not been seen since early morning. We live on Dreen Road, not far from Killyless Road near Cullybackey. We have been searching all day and are worried that something has happened to her.

That day was one of the most stressful days of our lives. We searched everywhere except where she most likely was - the big hedge on the left side of our lane. The one closest to the road. The one that we allowed a hedge-cutting contractor to cut whilst she was probably lying injured inside it. The one that she sheltered in while stove fitters worked yards from it using grinders and other loud machinery and beside the lane that Clint trundled up for hours bringing cattle for over-wintering in the big shed. It must have been Pippin's most stressful day too and all that with added shock and pain.

Facebook, Wednesday morning.

Pippin turned up 30 minutes ago. She is hurt and is on her way to the vet. Bert and I want to thank everyone for the messages and good wishes. I will update later.

We had convinced ourselves she was gone forever. The previous night I'd gone out with a torch and called her name, hoping I'd hear that faint mew. Early morning rising, checking the doors to see if she'd returned. By nine I was sitting, exactly where I'm sitting now, at this PC and I heard Bert shout, Am I seeing things? Is this her? And I turned (I'd been crying) and he is standing there and Pippin is in his arms. We embraced, and I cried more.

But something was wrong. It was clear she was glad to be in the house, she refused food and collapsed exhausted in her favourite bed. Her legs weren't right. I called the Portglenone vet.

According to the vet everything indicated that Pippin had been hit by a vehicle. The X-rays showed that her pelvis was fractured in two places and the top of her femur was irreparably smashed. Pippin was to be transferred from Portglenone to Cookstown for orthopaedic surgery. We delivered her. It was such a relief to see her again and to see that, despite everything, she was still herself, even if it was her sedated self. Hannah had reminded us to bring her favourite toy and the moment she felt and smelt it she began to purr.

Facebook Wednesday - Pippin is on her way from the Portglenone vet to Cookstown for tomorrow's surgery. She has just been happily reunited with her special grey monkey a gift, (as was Pippin) from Sara and Ben.

Facebook Thursday - Pippin has come through her surgery and we expect to have her home either tomorrow or Saturday. There will be rules. For a start, no picking fights with Fred, and no letting Judy use her as a pillow.

Facebook today - Pippin got home today. Needs to live in a cage for four weeks. She's not too happy about it. Had her first Dreemies today and we've found she is also partial to chopped liver. Helps the medicine go down.

Silly of me but I wasn't expecting the cage. But it makes sense. She needs to heal and she thinks she should still be able to rampage about as before. It is great to have her back home. Every day and in every way she will get better and better. Hannah says she has to live until she is 20 to make up for all this but I'd be happy to take fifteen.

To all our Facebook friends reading this - your support and kind messages meant such a lot.

To all at Parklands, Portglenone, Cookstown and Dungannon. Thank you.