Flying solo

*Robin*

Good morning Diary and MSE friends, :hello:

Thank you again, to everyone who has been thinking of my dear Clever Dog and sending positive vibes; am certain all the love and care flowing towards her is helping.. :T

CD's temperature did go back up yesterday after I'd posted; think the anti.bs aren't effective for quite long enough before the next dose is due. But Vet's surgery had already closed for the weekend so I decided to note the emergency number just in case, replace CD's cool-coat, and meanwhile trust that GP would boost Vet's drugs effectively (small doses every couple of hours)..

It worked.

Almost too well in fact - CD's temperature dropped until she was shivering with cold rather than fever during the afternoon, so we had to whip off the damp coat in a hurry and move her from sitting outside back into camper-van.
DS4 managed to get CD to eat a little of Vet's food [£3 a tin!] off his fingers, but not much - looks like CD has lost at least a couple of kilos in weight thus far. One knock-on of her refusal to eat has been positive though - without anything to disguise the GP, CD will now drink a little water to wash down every dose; it doesn't taste great.

chevalier wrote: »

Is there some one who k ow. other you and O who you tell your concerns to bout the dog? Or else report her to the RSPCA. I would call the way the dog was neglect so....

Hi Chev - the RSPCA won't be interested, alas; if an animal has food and shelter, and there isn't a TV crew in attendance, they're hopeless these days. Much more interested in bullying people to leave 'em money in their Wills (got to find the cash to pay bloated directors' bonuses from somewhere.. ).

Have alerted the mutual friend who recommended O in the first place, but that lass won't be coming back from Spain until August, and anyway said their friendship is based over there; she hasn't got O's UK details.

chevalier wrote: »

On another note could you give me an idea how to use tumeric to help me iwth joint pain? I have it in powder form...

Ah, this is one area where Face[STRIKE]ache[/STRIKE]book excels - if you're not a member, it's worth joining to get access to the wealth of information on the Turmeric Users Group page (it's a closed group but requests to join are dealt with almost instantly; because it's world-wide there's always a qualified advisor on duty to deal with urgent pleas for help).
The group was started by an Aussie vet, so there are lots of posts about animal successes, as well as sad ones from folk who didn't discover TUG in time.. But the group has grown to include doctors and advice for people who want to try it too - look at the top of the page where there's a pinned post leading to "Beginner's files" (get a cuppa and arrange yourself an hour free of interruptions before starting to read ).

The one tip I have for brewing up GP is is to cook it slowly; a low heat and constant stirring for a good ten minutes. As well as maximising the potency, you'll avoid splashed yellow stains all over the place (some folk keep tea-towels on their surfaces by the cooker to prevent this, but I've found just being careful works fine).

GP is one of the things I really wish I'd come across before DH got sick.. Of course I've always used turmeric in curries and stews, but this GP preparation is something special; all kinds of inflammatory conditions appear to respond very well to it, including life-changing or -ending ones such as cancer and epilepsy..
Here's a prediction: It won't be too long before all allopathic medical specialists include GP in their treatment regimens - however many legs their patients possess (:rotfl:)!

ETA: Come back to this to emphasise that am not recommending everyone start taking GP willy-nilly; always go on the advice of your medical professional (even if you have to ask them to investigate it themselves first!). There are some conditions where GP is contra-indicated [gallstones, for example], or the dose of allopathic meds will need adjusting [ie. blood-thinners]. Some chemo drugs will also be rendered less effective by GP's antioxidant qualities too, so Consultant likely to recommend not taking GP at the same time.

Back to mundanities; we are parked outside homehome, but our plans for today have been scuppered by the weather - it's pouring with rain. DS4 is willing, but FN's wife and I are in agreement - nobody is mending rooves today!
Another prediction: We'll end up in the village pub..

Spends:
German supermarket - £25

Sun_Addict

You will laugh at this Robin - every time you mention Turmeric it reminds me of when I made onion bhajis, I reached in the cupboard for the Turmeric, it fell, the top came off and it went all over my white top. Despite washing it several times it remained a "lovely" shade of yellow! Glad CD sounds as if she's perking up Also glad I can now visualise her as a snow dog, I always saw her as a German Shepherd, I don't know why. Funny that my JRT barks like crazy whenever a local snow dog owner passes with his two dogs. She seems to know when they're passing and dashes to the window - the owner always smiles when he passes our house and hears her barking. She doesn't do this for any other dogs. If we pass them in the street she cowers and whimpers but they have never bothered her. Weird!

*Robin*

Good afternoon Diary and MSEers, :hello:

Today CD looks like a dog again (as opposed to a discarded rag). She's walking more confidently and no longer starts swaying when she's standing still. Watching CD checking scents on the grass this morning, I said to Divo Four:
"Think she's ready to try a short proper walk - let's go out and visit DH; CD loves the Woodland Burial Grounds." CD was listening. Her response was to jump back into camper-van and immediately curl up in her preferred travelling position, between the front seats.
So physically and mentally CD is perking up, to my enormous relief - with any luck the crisis is over - I will not have to bid farewell to my best four-legged friend just yet.
Called Vet to let her know; she was surprised, said she didn't think CD would survive the night on Friday (and had been feeling guilty about the size of her bill because she thought it wouldn't end well..). Told Vet she still has this new client - I couldn't have got CD through such a massive acute infection without Vet's advice (and IV antibiotics ).

Have been invited to attend a doctors' meeting re the Patient I visited last week. Bit flummoxed by that as I've been out of his life for the past couple of years, but can appreciate his family are struggling. In many ways Patient reminds me of Roger; couldn't help wondering aloud whether there's been a mis-diagnosis this time too?
..Almost a year in hospital with no progress [quite the reverse in fact] - maybe Patient needs a bluddy-minded outspoken advocate to back up his parents and persuade the NHS to investigate further?

Tbh I've already got enough on m' plate to deal with this summer; roofers, window-installers, plumbers for T2. Decorating and selling DH's flat, then finding another property for Divo Four to live in for the next few years (he plans to stay in academia until he's got his MA and PhD). DS4 already has a couple of lodgers lined up to share with him, replacing [hopefully, bettering] the income I'll lose from T1.
:think: Hmm.

SunA - ha, yes turmeric is a fantastic dye; all one can do with a previously white shirt would be dunk it again to even out the colour, then enjoy impersonating sunshine while wearing it (:rotfl:)!
We had the same hysterical reaction as your JRT many times from little dogs - especially before the other three crossed Rainbow Bridge; reckon it's genetically implanted - beware of the wolves!
Needless to say, none of our dogs ever threatened a little one, but I absolutely understand your snow-dog-owning neighbour's wry smile..

Spends:
Fuel - £30
Half-price top brand oil - £6

Dansmam

Well done CD, so happy for you all, megahugs all round and thank goodness for for the fabulous vet x

mcculloch29

So pleased to read this about CD! Go Turmeric!
I'm on that worldwide FB Turmeric group too. I must get myself back on to Golden Paste, it worked fantastically for a while last summer and autumn, then didn't, but after a longish break I feel ready to return to it.
TG the vet knew.. and yes, the stories of owners who have discovered GP too late are so sad, some beautiful animals lost recently, but in other cases, GP has given a lot of extra time.
I am now speculating which pan I can spare to be permanently yellow. I used up a lot of elbow power last year removing turmeric stains from my worktops, as well, before I figured out less messy ways of handling the GP.

Brightspark87

Happy happy news well done CD i am so happy you are perking up x

missrlr

Oh goodness, doing a bit of a mamouth catch up and read all the horrible news of CD and her acquired nasty. Thankfully last post from you showe improvement and CD is very much still here.
GP is lovely, but my goodness you need to be careful with it staining everything it remotely comes into contact with.. Beautiful as the colour is it doesn't always suit as an addition!

Right sorry must dash, Physio and other medical issues here to attend! Hope all,house activities go well and Cd continues to improve

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Everyone who has been sending healing vibes to CD, :hello:

Great news: This evening CD demanded to be taken for a proper walk - it felt like a miracle to hear her voice again (hadn't realised she'd not 'spoken' at all since falling ill)!
CD chose a nearby path I'd only taken her along once before; to my amazement she remembered the bends, and the location of a wooden bridge she'd been nervous of crossing last time, then obviously following the scents of other dogs she carried on beyond where we'd turned back before.
Found ourselves in the beautiful grounds of a NT property; there were people all over the place enjoying the sunshine, and dozens of dogs for CD to greet before moving on (one strange thing; every single dog we met was pure-bred - what must be the odds against that?).
Took us quite a long time to cross the parkland because so many people wanted to pet CD; not just kids and other dog-owners, but joggers, picnickers, even a group of blokes playing football stopped their game to pay court.. By the time we reached woodland on the far side of the estate, CD's grin was obvious to everyone; she behaved with perfect princess courtesy throughout! :rotfl:


Aaargh - lappy battery is about to expire - the rest of this update will have to wait until tomorrow..

lindens

its lovely to see CD back to herself - WHAT a relief!

Brightspark87

Cd a proper walk! You must be back to feeling more yourself. I am glad everyone was impressed with you on your walk. I hope that now its really hot (although you are more used to it than us in UK all the time!) you are taking care not to get too hot and make sure Robin looks after herself too x