Yesterday morning when I was letting the gang out of the barn, Alice stopped halfway and wouldn't walk any further. I thought she was startled because the rain FINALLY came and filled the Courtyard pond again. Ducks can react this way to big changes in their pen, so I just carried her down and she went swimming with the others.

Last night when I walked everyone up to the barn, she seemed a little stiff, so I gave her some pain meds to help her sleep.

I've been checking on her every couple of hours. Sometimes she seems fine, other times not quite so... a little off...

She laid a perfect egg yesterday morning, so it doesn't appear to be an egg issue. I'm suspecting that this is either a renal issue (She's drinking a lot of water and spending most of her time standing right in front of her water bucket in the barn), or possibly even peritonitis. In either case, we've already learned, there is no saving surgery or miracle pill... and sadly... I worry we may be near the end of our journey together...

I have to wait until Tuesday to bring her in to our vet. Both Dr. Brown and Dr. Otka's offices are closed until then. In the meantime, she seems to be hanging in there.

...

Isabel and I have been praying for Alice. She assures me everything is going to be fine and Alice is going to get well--she insists she knows it. I sat on shore and watched Alice floating on the pond and saw a thin layer of yellow-orange light glowing around her. I tried blinking it away, figuring it was my eyes, but it didn't leave. It lasted about thirty seconds before flashing away.

A sign maybe? But one that she will be well, or one that she will be leaving?

I don't know...

...

I've been checking on Alice all night and plan to continue until morning. I've kept her sleepily comfortable and she's still walking around and an untrained eye would never know that something's up, but I do. If I can just keep her going strong until Tuesday, I can take her to see Dr. Otka and see if there is anything we can do.