This is the first time in my entire life that I've had to do this and it goes against everything I feel about owning animals but I am in a huge bind and need immediate help.
I was just released from SHC after being admitted a week ago today. The initial diagnosis was pneumonia last Monday through Urgent Care but pulmonology was immediately involved when I went to SHC and a CT scan revealed symptoms consistent with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (actually, multiple CT scans and xrays because they weren't sure what they were seeing in the middle of the night before pulmonology came in the next morning).
I went in, not because of issues with what we thought was pneumonia but because I had the worst headache I've ever experienced in my life - I deal with migraines somewhat regularly because yay, foothills, chinooks etc. and this was 100x worse than any migraine I've ever had. As it turns out, I had the headache because I was hypoxic, at only 72% oxygen saturation on room air. That turned into an immediate admission to hospital.
I had no idea any of this even existed. I underwent a bronchoscopy with lavage and biopsy and it is determined that my issue is our birds. Severely so, obviously. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is the umbrella name referring to a host of similar lung diseases that mimic pneumonia upon the person's system triggering this unusual response - my particular issue is known as "Bird Fancier's Lung" - there are others like Farmer's Lung, Hot Tub Lung, Humidifier Lung, just as examples - each of those can be/have a trigger effect on people. I have some minor scarring to my lungs as a result, which will cause me some lifelong issues but I am fortunate in that it won't impede me too much, UNLESS I am unable to alleviate the source of the exposure. Repeated, long term exposure can result in pulmonary fibrosis, need for a lung transplant or can even be fatal.
Technically, my pulmonologist did not want to release me from hospital until the birds were removed from our home but we have been unable to find a home for them within our circle of acquaintances and a call to the Humane Society for assistance only resulted in being told that they have a 2 month waiting list for surrender and I can neither stay in hospital for 2 months nor impose on friends and family for living arrangements out of my own home for that long. I am going to speak to the local pet store under the advisement of the Humane Society, since we are in a huge bind, to see if they will take them. However, I thought perhaps I'd come to CP and see if anyone was interested in them.
There are 3 budgies - 2 males, 1 female. 2 of them we took from a lady who was not looking after them and they were terrorized by her toddler. They are not hand tame, though we have tried. They may become so with a fair amount more work. The third was a pet store buy and he is somewhat tamer than the other 2 and would hand tame fairly easily, I think. To the best of our knowledge, they are healthy.
The allergy I have is quite an unusual one, and not likely to occur with most people. My husband, for example, has had a minor allergy to feathers since he was a kid but has experienced zero issues with our birds. My allergy is due to a specific protein released when the birds preen. They are bonded birds and we would prefer not to separate them.
Could/would anyone here want them? They are free, of course, and will come with their cage including everything in it (perches, toys, etc) and all the food we have for them. We would deliver them to your home, should you express an interest in taking them.
Please do not level any abuse at me about this. We are very attached to any animals we take into our home and have never rehomed an animal - we believe if we take the critter in, then we are responsible for its life until the end of its natural life and we have actively been involved in fostering animals or facilitating surrenders for those unable to keep their animals (mostly dogs). I have been involved with caring for multiple types of animals my entire life, including temporary foster of a squirrel monkey for several weeks while its owner was out of the country. This is a very hard thing for us, to have to rehome these birds.
However, in this case, it's MY life that is at stake. Each exposure can cause the condition to worsen and I really don't want to keep getting admitted to hospital or have to leave my family. And, we really really really REALLY do not want to euthanize healthy animals whose only fault is that they do what birds do and preen their feathers, because we are unable to find them a new home.
But hey, at least it's not lupus, right?
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