Park chat and Bertie update

As I was being photo-bombed by some park pals on a cloudy Sunday morning, their owners were chatting to Gail. 

They complimented Gail on how fit I looked and what a handsome dog etc. (They don't know about my 'peeing issues'.)

You'd think Gail would be pleased by such comments but I noticed a look of distress flicker across her face before she put on her customary smile and said thank you.

PS from Gail: After a long discussion on Friday with Mar, Bertie's caring and thoughtful vet, she concluded "it might be time to let him go".  It's an agonising choice I have to make, as Bertie still can appear quite well, but so clearly isn't. We continue to take things a day at a time. 

Comfortable for now, but...

Gail here: 

I know that some of Bertie's friends will be wondering how he is really doing, given his late September diagnosis of cancer of the bladder.

Well the recent blog posts do not lie. The dear little fellow has been relishing his autumnal walks, lively as ever, and at home he is calm and content as in the picture above. His appetite is good, the 'accidents' in the house have, for the moment, ceased and he is not obviously straining to pee. The anti-inflammatory tablets, 'Previcox', appear to be doing their job of easing his symptoms.  

And yet.... sadly that is not the whole story. Yesterday, for the first time, I clearly observed blood in Bertie's urine, something I had been warned to look out for, and a sure sign that the cancer has progressed. 

So we continue to live in the moment. In a week when in the wider world, to quote Heaney via Biden, "hope and history rhyme", I'm made aware again of the dark cloud on the local horizon (though thankfully Bertie is not) and I try to savour each day that my beloved pup remains comfortable, with his zest for life undimmed.

Bertie back at full bounce

Gosh I 'm delighted to report that, after various tummy and paw problems in May and June, this month sees me restored to my bouncing best.

Wheee! 

But I really am super busy over the next few days, what with a trip to Nottingham for Human Granny's birthday (I might, cross paws, even be allowed to her birthday lunch) and all the Pawlympic goings on.

Just time for a reminder then, to stop by the blog on Tuesday, 16th August, for my Munro Bagging event.

It's going to be awesome!

Thank You and some Good News

This is Bertie here.

It has come to my notice that Gail hijacked my blog on Sunday and spilled the beans about some health issues I've been having lately.

Really, that was very naughty of her as I don't like to keep boring all my readers with my medical problems.

But it seems that several of you are, like Gail, concerned I might have Lyme disease, and I must say a big Thank You for your kind comments and advice. Well it's clear Lyme disease is rather tricky to diagnose, so Gail and I did some further research, and one thing we learned is that it is far more prevalent in certain parts of the USA than here in the UK. So the jury is still out.

Most definitely I have an interdigital cyst on my front left paw (see below), and I don't like Gail touching it at all, but she will insist on bathing it in antibacterial cleansing stuff.

I do though have some super duper Good News too!

Yesterday, Monday, we went for our usual early walk round the park and afterwards something quite remarkable happened. Gail did not leave to go to work! She stayed at home with me! All day! I was delighted but also puzzled until she reminded me that as of 1st July she is working fewer hours and will no longer be going to the office on Mondays. "Never ever again?" I asked, but received a noncommittal reply.

Well who knows what will happen in the future, but for now I'm quite a Happy Chappie!