Liz remains in good spirits, thoroughly enjoying the companionship of her two close friends, taking turns napping in the sun and grazing. Over the past week, Liz's treatments have caused her to be a little off, which her vet team says can be a quite common as her body begins to adjust to the meds. She is eating hay and bamboo exceptionally well, even devouring willow branches from a tree that Minnie selected for her by the pond. However, Liz hasn't been eating grain or produce as readily as we would like. We continue to give Liz homeopathic remedies to help her tolerate her treatments better, which should provide a positive change in her appetite as well.
Last week, Liz was a little more reluctant to step into the restraint chute where she receives her treatments, likely because of the same minor side effects that caused her to stop eating her grain and produce. But once she is in there, she is wonderful during the treatment. Of course, consistency in meds is the key to success for treating TB, so her primary caregivers, Barbara and Richard, continue to work with Liz, looking for whatever she needs or wants that will help provide a little more comfort. Several fruits and vegetables were offered to Liz; some were marginally appealing, but yesterday, a loaf of bread was the food of the day. Liz came into the chute readily, ate all of her produce and then stood calmly for her treatment. We will continue to follow Lizzie's path, listening to her needs and accommodating her wants.
Liz has not been the only one we have been keeping our eyes on lately. A delightful change in Billie's temperament has begun to unfold! It appears Billie really likes her Phase I barn and yard accommodations with Liz and Frieda, more intimate and a little further away from the other Divas, and it has caused her to settle into a more comfortable state of mind. With a smaller crew of doting caregivers and more freedom, Billie has begun to blossom—vocalizing and even becoming more receptive to physical touch from her caregivers. Billie can now often be heard playing outside late at night. This ray of positive energy from her is so wonderful to watch, and no doubt helps to keep Liz's spirits up, too. During this time, we have also noticed Billie become even more protective of her little sister Liz, often letting us know even before we see the overt signs from Liz, that she is feeling a little under the weather.
Billie loves her big blue ball!
And then there is sweet Frieda, soft and gentle, always ready for a sing-a-long and always looking for extra goodies! Frieda's spirits are always high—we can't remember the last time she had a "bad day." As many of you know, Frieda has Osteomyelitis in her front feet. She continues to receive foot soaks to help the symptoms, along with doses of homeopathic remedies and herbal sprays for increased comfort. Frieda, much like Delhi, does not let her physical struggles interrupt her life song. In her mind, there is no such thing as a bad day, just little bumps along the journey. Often we will see Frieda resting her feet by lying on the sand pile with Liz or Billie, and sometimes they both stand over her—this sisterhood is the complete circle. Last week while Billie was headed to the barn for her dinner, Frieda stayed and stood over little Liz for more than an hour, shading her from the sun. They remind us every day of one of the primary missions of the sanctuary—to provide the space and time for the elephants to be, truly be with the other elephants. Their family is key to their growth and their health.
Today, overall on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being Lizzie at her usual moxie, vocal, playful, animated, healthy self, we would rate her at a strong 7, with appetite signs of an even more positive number tomorrow. We adore the way she brightens her sanctuary every day, not letting any of this get the best of her. Happily, she is still full of that little Lizzie spunk!
If you would like to make a donation towards the costs of Liz's treatments and other supplies, please visit her special Wish List page.