the healing journey of Pippa the Pelican
I have to be away from the sunrise today, so Pippa the Pelican asked me to share her healing journey.
March 21, 2022 was a scary day for me. You see I’m an immature brown pelican which is a fancy way to say I’m young. You see, I was really hungry and I ate a filleted fish carcass of a sheepshead.
This fish has sharp spikes that got caught in my gullet also known as my pouch. I couldn’t get it unstuck. It was awful, but I guess I’m lucky because my pouch didn’t tear. I couldn’t eat or fly so I sat on the edge of the water for a couple days wondering what to do.
I can’t remember if the fish was given to me or if I found it in the water, but either way, I think it’s best if fisherfolk don’t trust us birds not to eat the pokey fish.
6 people came to my rescue, 3 of them held me and had their hands in my gullet to turn the fish around, getting it unstuck to pull it out. It was like having a porcupine in my mouth.
I was weak and nauseous and although it was scary having all those hands on me, I knew they were trying to help. When they got the fish fish out I was so relieved, I flew a few feet away, swam to the beach and stayed there for 2 days.
Shelley and the fishermen said the bird hospital is closed because of a bird flu. Shelley called a bird expert who advised the hoomans to feed me, this of course made me very happy.
For the first 2 days I was disoriented and couldn’t see the fish they were giving me. I slept a lot in a cozy little spot in the mangroves on the beach out of the wind. Shelley sat with me for long periods of time to keep me company. Sometimes we were just quiet together and other times she was giving me pep talks about getting my own fish.
3 days after the fish was removed when I was sitting with Shelley I decided it would be a good time to get the bugs off and so I waddled in into the water and flapped my wings, splashing around in the cool water. Shelley said, it was like taking the best shower ever. She was very excited I was feeling up to grooming. This was a good day!
It took me 5 days to be able to fly more that 15 feet, at first it was hard to get up in the air but when I did, it felt amazing! I couldn’t go very far at first, it took a couple more days to be able to really fly. At this point when Shelley gave me food she would throw it so I had to chase it, but these fish were not alive so I was able to catch them pretty good.
7 days post pokey fish I could really fly! And boy was that a relief. For a bird, being grounded isn’ t a good thing.
One day I was hanging with Shelley where the dolphin were and she said, Why don’t you go see if the dolphins will toss you a fish.” I tried, but those mature pelicans are a bit intense and scared me so I pooped a lot! I've learned only to hang out with the mom dolphins and their kids, it tends to be less crazy.
The turning point in my recovery was when I saw Shelley in the water with the dolphins along with a few fisherfolk on the dock. This was 13 days after the pokey fish removal.
I flew up next to Shelley away from the dolphin mayhem, and the fisherfolk tossed me some little fish out of a net. It was like Pennies from heaven, it was raining little fish.
Something about being stronger and catching live fish gave me a new confidence!
The next day I ate little fish on my own! And I started diving for fish too! I wasn’t able to catch fish by diving but I tried and I tried and I tried. It took me until the next day to be able to dive and catch a fish but I did it! Shelley was there and cheered my success.
I wanted to share my pokey fish story for a couple reasons. First, I love fish, shrimp not so much, so if you are a fisherfolk and toss a fish my way I’m gonna eat it. Please don’t toss us birds those pokey fish!
Also I wanted to share how the compassion of the hoomans saved my life. They were all so nice. So many people came together to give me fish and compassion.
I spent a lot of time sitting on the beach alone, or on the dock. When I was on the dock, no-one yelled at me, they were nice enough just to walk by.
Everyone was very kind and I’m grateful. I learned how healing takes time. I thought once the fish was out I would be good as new, but it really was a journey to have my mind and body recover. I believe the secret to a happy life is patience, compassion and fish!
Wishing you a happy day friends!
The day after the pokey fish, I’m still tired and disoriented.
3 days post pokey fish in my safe place where I can rest
2 days post pokey fish, I can fly short distances close to the ground.
9 days post pokey fish
12 days post pokey fish and I’m looking good!
14 days post pokey fish and I’m getting a fish on my own!
12 days post pokey fish with my friend Shelley