'supporting each other through really tough times'

[Deleted User]

My youngest DD had two goldfish when she was first at uni Bob and Frank, all was well for 3 years and Bob died. A new friend was purchased for Frank, the tiniest fish imaginable who was Hercules!!! When she graduated Hercules and Frank came home to live with us and 6 months later Frank died. We had a little pond in the garden, just for frogs and bugs etc. and one day He Who Knows suggested Hercules might be happier as an outdoor fish. A week later he decided Herc might be lonely so we got 6 more goldfish and had to dig a bigger pond. Two summers later we rehomed at least 40 baby fishes. We still have Herc and most of the bigger fish and heaven knows how many babies we will have to rehome next summer!!! Hercules is now some 10" long and we might have to dig another bigger pond!!!! Be very careful if you decide to have a goldfish - there might just be a lot more work involved that is at first apparent!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

kidcat

Evening toughies - katie am jealous of your snow

We have had awful news tonight, my uncles results are back and its much worse than we thought, they say he only has months and that it is way too advanced to operate or offer treatment. McMillan are already making plans to find him a care place near by as he usually lives in a flat as part of his job not on mainland Britain.
He wont be well enough to go back and sort everything himself so we need to arrange to do that for him

I knew it was going to be bad but not this, are doctors still doing that thing where they say months in order to ease families into the idea that its a short time, but in fact they mean weeks. I know thats what they used to do a few years back at least here anyway,

[Deleted User]

KIDCAT I'm so sorry that it is such sad news, thinking of you all and sending you as much strength as I can in the hope it will help you all cope. Love Lyn xxx.

Pooky

We went down the gold fish route when DDs were small, the tanks got upgraded as the fish population expanded (and declined) and more species of fish were added. We are now down to a little fish (called little dude) and a weather loach (called loachy....what a surprise). Both of these are now at least 6 years old and show no signs of departing. I've refused any more, once these two are gone the tank goes.

And yes, it's me that feeds them, cleans them and talks to them. DDs lost interest years ago.

Possession - how about going for something like triops, they can be hard to hatch but are fascinating to watch.

ETA - Kidkat - sorry to hear your news x

Possession

Kidcat I'm so sorry about your uncle. (((hugs))) Macmillan nurses are wonderful, so I hope at least his last few months can be as comfortable as possible.

I'm going to let DS read all the things you've said - this will be his 11th birthday, so he's old enough to research it and come to his own conclusions. He has said he wants to take responsibility for it (but I probably said that about the terrapins and I have a lot of memories of my dad cleaning out the tank!). We could probably only stretch to a starter tank both financially and through lack of space, so a step up from a bowl but still very small.
Byatt I think he probably would settle for minnows - at the moment he'd settle for anything he can get!

katieowl_2

Kidkat...oh dear I'm so sorry about your uncle hope they can sort something out for him nearby.

Kate

katieowl_2

Possession wrote: »

Byatt I think he probably would settle for minnows - at the moment he'd settle for anything he can get!

Just don't let him get anything that breeds. DS's guppies did, and we watched the vicious nasty angel fish predating the babies :eek: It was awful. I had to go and get a holding tank, and possibly the only good thing was that the pet shop bought the survivors back.

Kate

Popperwell

I feel for you and yours Kidcat, I fear what you suggest is so and yes I can see simularities to what happened to Mum...I really can.:embarasse

Softstuff

Kidcat, I'm so sorry to hear about your uncle *hugs*. I think the problem with the "months" estimate is that it depends very much on the person and there's no real way to tell. My boss' sister is nearing the end, but they didn't think she'd get through Christmas, yet she's still going, others I've known have gone more quickly than estimated.

Hi Purell Queen! Good to see you delurked. And the idea of no tea for some kidney patients :eek: Jeez, I can cope with my restrictive diet, the no coffee, alcohol, chocolate and myriad of other things, I just hope it never comes as far as no tea.... :eek:

Katieowl, I have no doubt it's possible to get through that in electric. I used to live in a flat in a converted victorian house in England. In winter I closed off the bedrooms in the top since they were uninsulated next to the roof (and with no space to insulate) and slept on a futon in the front room. And the duvet stayed in the front room for during the day too. This was despite not skimping on the central heating.

Good luck with the interview MrsVP, the same goes for your husband.

Possession, the only thing I know about goldfish is don't overfeed them. But that applies with every pet I suppose.

I woke up at 4.30am because of the first rain we've had in a while here. Well, more accurately I woke up thinking "oh crud, the laundry!". I then tossed and turned for a few hours with my leg hurting, though I should have known things would get worse before they get better.

wondercollie

Purell Queen: You have my admiration. I qualified as a Dialysis Nurse years back and it never failed to amaze me how many of the patients were non-compliant. I remember one longterm patient eating bacon and eggs as he dialyzed! I left because of the horrible attitude of the patients towards staff in the hospital I worked in. 9 out 10 were diabetic, then there were the visual problems.

Now, I just stress to my diabetics to take care of themselves because vision and kidney problems are no picnic. I think in the last decade, I've only met one dialysis patient who wasn't diabetic.

Oh, and I hear you on the fluid restrictions.