I'm so sorry to hear about the ailing family members! It is definitely very challenging to care for elder family members, because our medical technology means we can keep someone "technically" alive far longer than they might want to be.

I imagine this all is a good topic to have in the other forum member, about humans. It is a really challenging issue.

I had a really odd development today in the Pinto situation. Pinto (age 11) is almost seeming to 'stabilize' at a health level which is certainly not great, but not miserable. She eats, she fweeps, she enjoys fresh foods, and yes she has the tumor, but she manages it. She lays on the top of the door, she still flies.

But oddly, when we got home today we found that *Santo* (who is about age 10) was sitting oddly, and that some of her back below-tail feathers were splayed on one side. It's almost as if she fell down along the inside of the cage for some reason and it bent the feathers out in that area. She's acting very subdued. So now maybe we'll have to bring Santo into the vet tomorrow. They've all been getting along well the past few days, so I don't think they were fighting, there's no signs of a fight. Santo is sometimes clumsy so I wonder if she just missed a perch, fell down against the bars and it caught at some of her feathers.

It's just odd that here Pinto has a "real" problem and we've been tending to her, and now we are trying to nurse both of them at the same time. I just hope Ivory stays healthy!

Santo passed away today, it was all very sudden. Santo also had a large tumor, this one was invisible inside her though. The only way we knew is that it finally started affecting her legs - and then the radiogram showed it when we brought her in.

So here we were taking it in gentle stages with Pinto, while Ivory and Santo were wild and active and trying to make babies and hamming it up. It is amazing to me how quickly Santo went from climbing on top of Ivory and being very active to passing away.

Pinto on the other hand seems almost as healthy as ever. You can see the tumor, I will post some photos, but she is eating, flying, bathing, singing and seems very content. So I am starting to doubt that first vet, when she said Pinto only had a few days left.

On the other hand, that first vet didn't want to do a radiogram of Pinto because she said the process could easily kill her. I wouldn't have thought that was true with Pinto or Santo - but apparently it did happen to Santo. So maybe Pinto's vet was wise in warning me. I probably would have gone for the radiogram to be sure there was nothing I could do - and I would have lost Pinto right there.

I am sorry to hear this & hope that Pinto's health continues to be positive.

Wow, Lisa, this is so sad. It's an amazing tale even so; how unexpected for Santo. It DOES sound like Santo was very happy and loving life right up until the end, so overall it seems a quick and decent way to go.

I feel sad for Ivory, who will miss her girlfriend.

Pinto is really hanging in there and that is wonderful. She may not be able to heal from this but it sounds like her keet life quality is grooving right along.

I hope you are hanging in there yourself. I am sending hugs for you and the keets.

Sorry to hear about Santo. Its hard to lose a keet suddenly. Its good that Pinto is doing better. Good luck with everything.

Sad, and traumatic for you. Hugs to you from me.

In a strange twist of fate, almost immediately Ivory started being nice to Pinto. Ivory and Santo had always ganged up against Pinto before. Now Ivory is cuddling up to Pinto, and Pinto is just SO SO happy to have someone to snuggle with. Her partner, Nazo, died over a year ago. So in a strange way, this is really good for Pinto. Pinto was spending her final days with the flock but sort of excluded - now she is spending her final days being snuggled and cuddled and fed.

So in terms of Pinto's days, she is actually much happier today than she'd been in a while. She's suddenly flying even better before, chirping a lot, and it's almost like she is recovering. Which clearly she isn't, with the big, visible tumor, but it is still impressive to see how much happier she is.

what love won't cure - Lisa, that brought tears to my eyes, I don't tear easily.

How beautiful, what a window into the soul of all of us.

How nice! I like where this soap opera is going. I hope Pinto continues happy, snuggly and stabilized for a nice long time. Perhaps when she does decline it will happen quickly with no pain.

Will you get a new keet for Ivory after this is over? I am hope i am not being disrespectful by asking. I am sure people grapple with what to do in this kind of situation and am curious what ends up being best for everyone.

Rest in Peace Pinto