She was one of many birds when I met her on 09/06/2005 for the first time after I had been phoned to take part in a rescue mission of an animal-rights activists group. All of these birds were nameless and the horror I felt when I saw them was terrible. 43 budgies were in need of immediate help because their health was poor. Injuries, infectious diseases and plumage defects were what I saw, and some of the birds had scars from healed wounds - so did Isobella. Together with other animal-rights activists I cared for the birds for months, they were kept in quarantine because nearly everybody who helped them keeps birds at home and we feared the spread of contagious diseases. One ice-blue bird with a white head and big black eyes attracted my attention because this budgie lady seemed to by quite healthy compared to the others. Only her missing toe nail was a sign for what she had suffered in her former home. I was glad about each bird who was not in serious danger and therefore I didn't worry too much about this special female bird because things seemed to be all right. But that was not the truth as it turned out later...

Early in December 2005 things changed dramatically when Isobella's state of health suddenly started to worsen. It happened at the wrong time because one day before the animal-rights activists and I had begun to search new homes for the rescued birds. Instead of starting a new life in a new home, the poor budgie lady was in need of intensive care and therefore I took her to my home where I wanted to medicate her. In the meantime I had found out that she didn't suffer from a contagious disease, she just got a crop infection as it seemed. When I brought her to a vet something terrible happened. In the surgery she collapsed and nearly passed out what looks dramatic when it happens to a bird. She wasn't able to breath, her eyes were rolling and her beak turned blue because she was missing oxygen. A crop infection was not the only problem, Isobella suffered from something more serious, something life-threatening: The vet found out that a cardiac defect was the reason for her collapse.

For weeks I fought for Isobella's life and I cured her with homoeopathic drugs. Her crop infection healed fast, but she was weak and sleepy most of the time because her blood pressure was low. At the beginning of 2006 she finally felt much better and for the first time I heard her sing and chirp. From that day on Isobella softly stole my heart even though I didn't want to fall in love with her. In February she had recovered well and she was fit enough for moving into a new home somewhere in my neighbourhood. Long transports by car would most probably cause new health problems because of the excitement - Isobella didn't like to travel by car at all. Well, but against my original plans to find a new home for her I could not give her away.

I couldn't bear the thought of losing this lovely bird, it cut like a knife. In my bird room she had made friends with many other birds, especially with the friendly and cute Sara who often tenderly caressed her neck. Destroying this close relationship would have been cruel and therefore I decided not to do it. On 02/04/2006 Isobella officially became a member of my flock. Staying here with her friends meant less stress for her weak heart - and also for mine because it was the only way not to break it. :-)

In former times the bird carried a different name, she was called Paula. When she became a member of my flock I had to change the name into Isobella because I really didn't want a "new" Paula. There was another budgie who carried this name in former times and in memory of her there could never be another bird with the same name, Isobella settled in well and lived a happy life until she suddenly became very ill in June 2007. She was in a poor state and therefore I brought her to an avian vet. He decided that a surgery may save her life. It took place on 06/25/2007 and the doctor found out that she was too ill at all. We decided to let her sleep and softly slip way in a hopefully better new world without any pain. I will never forget her because she was incredibly gentle and lady-like. Thank you for everything, dear Isobella.