he's hanging on

so we had the vets last night and akshun rat came home with me, i really didn't think he would be. I thought the vet would say that the kindest thing to do would be to have him put to sleep but she said he's not ready to go yet! She's recommended hydrotherapy to strengthen the muscles in his back half for five minutes a day this week and ten minutes a day next week. We'll be going back in two weeks for a check-up and i think if he's still with us then then he's a good chance of growing old with us. But i'm not going to get my hopes up, every morning when i come downstairs i fear the worst :o(
I picked up some baby porridge and complan and he has 1 tsp of each mixed with some water and half a teaspoon of lactol which makes about 3 tsp of ratslop and he's managing to eat all of it most of the time. I'm feeding him every two hours during the day and up to about midnight when i go to bed but not through the night because i am selfish and need to sleep! He doesn't seem to be making any effort to move around the cage and so i bought some vetbed for him to lie on so that he's not just lying in wee which will end up giving him ulcers but i am concerned that he's not getting enough to drink because he won't go over to the water bottle, but he won't drink it out of a saucer either so i'm not sure what more i can do other than offer him his bottle every time i am passing!

I'm pretty sure the rat rescue business isn't for me, i am already so attached to the little guy and he's only been here ten days!
How can you not find this little face cute!