Sampson Bell, Congo African Grey

[Lisa B]

The worlds best baby boy. You are gone from my physical touch, but never far from my thoughts. You will always be my baby boy, and I will always be YOUR mommy.


Please don't think you are alone
because I've left your sight,
for I proudly sit atop a cloud
and visit you each night.
The angel wings upon your skin,
and the nudge within your palm
are really me inside your dreams
the quiet hours before dawn.
Please know I'm waiting for you,
but until your time arrives
I'll be the touch and comfort
in the dreams that fill your mind.



http://www.avianweb.com/sampson.htm



I am locked within your broken heart
(That`s a place I can never leave)
I hate to see you cry those tears
Although I know you have to grieve

I never wanted to leave you Mom
I tried so very hard to stay
But it was God, you see, he called me home
And sent angels to help me on my way

This new place, Mom, it`s not so bad
For there are many more like me
Who, now released from their pain & suffering
Are well, and their spirits set so free

I want to thank you for trying so hard
And for all of the loving care you gave
I know your heart aches that I am gone
But my little soul you saved

So every time you think of me
Please hold those memories tight
And please know that we`ll be together again
One day, when the time is right

[Lisa B]

Sampson Bell

Sampson was a gift to me during a very difficult time in my life. While in Florida visiting my critically ill nephew, Sampson came to live with me. While on the drive home to New Jersey, I stopped in the Nations Capitol to see DC. While there, I observed this bald little creature take the tears from the veterans’ faces as they stroked and loved this innocent baby bird. It was then I decided Sampson would make the perfect healing and teaching companion. Sampson and I volunteered at local schools, scout meetings, memorial services, and town functions, to educate the public on birds and proper care. We even visited the National Guard Aviation Unit, where they joked about making Sampson their mascot


Sampson’s middle name was Bell. This was for the helicopter manufacturer that his "pop-pop" maintained and flew with the Army in the Vietnam War, as he does to this day with the NJ National Guard. Where ever we went, Sampson would have a different outfit, weather it was just a red, white, and blue bandana for Guard events, or a Halloween costume for him to fit in with the other kids on Halloween. Since I do not have any biological children, Sampson was my son. His vocabulary was just starting to blossom. One of his favorite phrases was “handsome Sampson” or “Ham Sam” for short. Mine was “ my pop-pop can fly!!” Most of all I miss him calling me “mommy” and telling me He “loved mommy”, when I needed it most

One evening last October, I noticed that Sampson, sounded a little hoarse, as if he were coming down with a cold. At first, I was not too concerned, knowing greys are masters at imitating sounds. After all, Sampson was a robust bird named for his size. When he was only seven weeks old, still a pinfeathered baby, the veterinarian had pronounced him larger than 95 percent of the African grey population. But an appointment for Sampson was made at the Avian veterinarian anyway, just in case. Little did I know it would be the beginning of a medical, financial and emotional ordeal I will never forget, and the events that unfolded would change my world forever.

Sampson was tentatively diagnosed with aspergillosis, a fungal infection that causes respiratory problems. The diagnosis of aspergillosis can be very difficult. Only a tentative diagnosis can be made of the basis of physical findings, a history of environmental conditions, and recent stress. A CBC may show a significant elevated white blood cell count. Aspergillosis spores are widespread in the environment and many birds may carry them in their lungs and air sacks until immunosuppression, such as antibiotics or stress triggers the disease, and it can be extremely difficult to cure. Asper is contracted as the result of inhalation of spores, or oral ingestion, if birds are fed moldy seed. The fungus is capable of penetrating broken skin and eggshells, and is able to infect a developing embryo.

Sampson, would have to undergo stressful treatments, and over the next two months, as Sampson made the rounds of half a dozen avian vets, the bills would pile higher than I ever could have imagined.

Sampson underwent three surgeries to remove growths doctors thought might be blocking his airway. In between operations, Sampson would breath a special medicated mist twice a day and took massive doses of oral antifungals, antibiotics, and painful injections. Sampson's treatment included a shunt placed directly into an air sac to help him breathe.

When Sampson could no longer breathe on his own, doctors installed a shunt directly into an air sac via a hole in his body. Without the shunt Sampson struggled to breathe, making terrible gurgling sounds. Once the number of surgeries grew to eight, and it was realized no more could be done, Sampson was sent home to spend his last days of life with me.

Sadly, On Dec. 7, after seven weeks of treatments and 20 days in the animal hospital, Sampson, age 2 1/2 died at home, in my arms as I sang to him, "You Are My Sunshine."

The last words he learned and said to me was “It’s ok”, and looking back now, I wonder if he was trying to calm himself, or reassure me, that things would be alright in the end, either way.

Sampson fought real hard to stay with us, so he could continue to help humans learn about parrots and how to care for them. He enjoyed meeting and entertaining his neighbors, as well as visiting the local schools.

In his passing, he continued to aid in the research of Aspergillosis, that will hopefully help the Dr’s to find a better cure or aid in preventive medicine.

[totty]

hi lisa i have just sat here and read sampsons story omg i cried my eyes out that is sooooo sad and i feel for you for your loss.....wow this has really affecteed me tonight as i cant imagine how you must feel about samson...he sounded like a wonderful bird and i am glad that he spoke a few last words to you. i also have a CAG named brodie and i would hate to lose him in fact i would be inconsoluable he is my everything. i just wanted to send you my condolences. jo

[jessicaboyer89]

Lisa, This is bringing tears to my eyes. If I wasn't at work I would spend a moment crying for your sweet Sampson. It is amazing how these sweet creatures can change our lives. Sounds like Sampson did alot of good in his short 2 1/2 years. Thank you for sharing.

[Lisa B]

Thank you very much for taking the time to read about my Sampson Bell.
He was an incredible little boy and is very dearly missed.

[Joel]

Lisa,

Darn, I just finished a post to you regarding your dear Sampson Bell and it disappeared into cyberspace.

What I said in general is that I feel for you and know first hand pretty much what you are going thru. I rarily read or respond to posts such as yours only because it brings back a few very very sad memories for myself also (still really hurts a lot), as I too have lost some beloved feathered buddies of my own. Some of them may have still been with me if I had gotten them to a well experienced Avian Vet sooner. Maybe not but I always kick myself anyway for not doing that asap.

Sampson Bell was a lucky bird to have found someone who did all they could for him regardless of the cost, you are truly one in a million IMO & IME. He could not have passed in a more loving and warm place than in your arms. Brings tears to my eyes also.

Well Lisa, if there is a heaven above or where ever, I'm sure Sampson Bell will be there waiting for you. If there is no heaven without our beloved birds, who have shared time here with us, then I for one don't care to go there. I hope to see you both there in the future and hope my Kitty (female Jardine) and Sunshine (female yellow IRN) and Bobby (Blue male IRN) and Angel (Green male IRN) AND Cocky (male whiteface tiel) & others (that I was less attached to but still loved dearly) will all be there perching in a beautiful tree with a majestic waterfall in the background all speaking to me and saying: Where the heck ya been, we have been waiting for ya and we forgive you. Then maybe we all fly/soar off together above our new Garden Of Eden......Heck, I don't even really care if the tree or waterfall are even there, just my guys & gals...........Sorry, gotta go now.........

[LtlWngdAngl]

I'm SO SORRY for your loss...I know what it's like to comfort and support a pet, that had changed your life, while thier sole leaves their earthly body. It's heartbreaking and a feeling you won't ever forget. I'm glad to hear, though, that Samson was able to spend the last of his time here on earth with someone who loved him and that he loved. It's wonderful how much he was able to accomplish while he was here. I'm sure he changed more lives and helped bring joy to people who needed it. I take my quaker on a regular basis to the water front mission shelter because, though the people there are going through a very rough time, something about the parrot makes them smile and forget about their troubles for a moment. Last time I took him there was even a gentleman there that had once raised quakers. I let him hold Cayo, and he talked to Cayo and played with him for a good 30 minutes. He then began to cry. He said he had forgotten how happy a bird can make you, and how it's the first time he had smiled in a very long time. Samson could, and I'm sure he did, have the same effect on at least one person, like the vetran.
I don't think it was a coinsidence that Samson's last words were "it's okay." I think he, at that point, was no longer scared, but he knew you were, and he wanted to let you know that everything would work out and that he would watch over you until he could be with you again.
I'm going to have to stop there, I'm beginning to cry again.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.

[Monica]

There are a few sites that talk about budgies that can speak human. The starter of the flock has died, and when he was dieing, he had his mate with him who he taught to talk, and they were talking about death and heaven, and sometime before that, the one who had died did talk earlier about God not accepting him into heaven. It's a great site about a flock of budgies, that even if we cannot fully understand them, their owner can, and he knows many of their thoughts and ideas. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy was further than Irene and Alex.

When Sampson said "It's ok", I'm pretty sure that he was most likely talking to you, and that he knew that it was his time to finally go to meet his maker. Bird's seem to know when it is their time to go, and accept it. Sampson had a great life.

[LtlWngdAngl]

The morning that my 'tiel passed on, though weak, she still wanted to be as close to me as her little muscles would let her. The night before, I had given her a bath and blow-dried her, as usual. Afterwards she was A LOT more cuddley than usual and she kept nudging my neck and chirping sweetly. I think she knew she was growing weak and that her time was coming. She had a hearattack in my hands, and I watched the life fade from her eyes and her little pink feet curl up. It happened just before I was about to walk out the door to go to work, I had picked her up to put her in her cage and realized something was wrong. I think she knew I was going to leave, and she knew she couldn't hold on that long, and that she didn't want to die alone.
On a human note, My grandfather also knew that his time had grown short. I think that God spoke to him a good year before. He kept wanting me to take a trip to his childhood home for several years, and I kept coming up with excuses why I couldn't go. Finally, the summer before he died, I tried coming up with yet another excuse and told him we would do it next summer. He said "Nina, I'm not going to be able to do it next summer, this is our last chance to go." Of course it kinda creeped me out, so I went, and sure enough, June of the following year, he passed on. To understand the events surrounding his death, you have to understand that my grandfather was still 16, LOVED hamburgers, and his '65 Pontiac GTO and his grandchildren (primarily myself and my 7 yr. old cousin) were his whole life. With that said...The day he died, he had taken my cousin for the day (He had asked me to go with him, but I had to work). They stopped for lunch at my grandfather's favorite burger joint. They had messed up thier order, and had included 2 extra cheeseburgers, which my grandfather gladly ate. After that, they went to the junk-yard to get parts for his car. He suffered Pulminary Heart Failure (quicker and less painful than a heartattack) While over the engine of a '67 Pontiac LeMans. Though my cousin was so young, I think it was a good thing he was there, and I think he saw something the rest of us wouldn't have been able to. I say this because he was so at peace with his granfathers passing, even though he watched it happen. He said that he had seen a white light around him as he grabbed his chest and lowered himself to the ground. I couldn't imagine that God could've planned it any better...being with his grandchild, favorite food for lunch, and spending his last moments doing something he so immensely enjoyed. It took me a while to come to terms with it because he and I were so close, but in the end I know it was what he wanted and it was what was best for him. He HATED taking pills every morning, and, though a good christian, would curse the fact he had to take them. Also, because of his many strokes, he was VERY emotional, and HATED the fact that he would start to cry when looking back on things in his life, especially concerning the military and the Vietnam war. He had also lost his sense of humor through the many strokes. He just wasn't himself anymore and wasn't happy here anymore. He was proud to have served his country, and I'm glad that he's now serving in the Lord's army.

[Lisa B]

Thanks all for the words of support...I have not been around due to the fact we are moving and my father just passed away.
I did not want anyone to think thier notes to me went unoticed....
THANK YOU