There are days

[Katiebairdie]

When you wish you didn’t have dogs. After a few days of remission last week when there was no mud when I went walking now back to sliding the through the mud again. It reminds me O. C. A few weeks or months or remission then back to the b****y treatment again.

[Rachael47]

This so-called Spring there have been many days when I have looked out of the window and given thanks for my dogless state!

[Katiebairdie in reply to Rachael47]

I still love having them but roll on summer.

[Lindaura]

Dear Katie,

The silver lining of my OC experience, has been the change in my adult daughter, who herself had been ill most of her life, so she stepped up and began to take over, with my sister's help, and is now able to walk the dog by herself every day, freeing my husband up for making dinners.

She also does all the laundry for our little holiday letting business, shops for us, as well as fixing me lunch and making sure I have loads of fresh filtered water by my bedside.

My illness has given my daughter confidence in her ability to do major tasks that she used to find daunting. So, thank you cancer! Now stay away!

I am on the road to recovery, so Soon I will join her on those dog walks, rain or shine.

Best wishes,

Laura

[Katiebairdie in reply to Lindaura]

Hello Laura

I love your great spirit and I’m envious of your daughter and a husband who can cook. Hope your full recovery is very speedy.

[January-2016-UK]

Fantastic photo! I don’t mind the walking in the rain and mud so much, it’s the time spent drying him, or, worse, cleaning the bathroom (again) if I decide he really is too muddy and needs to be popped into the bath.

Roll on the summer.

[Katiebairdie in reply to January-2016-UK]

Hello

I might seem unkind but I hoze them down in the garden. It still leaves the drying to be done. As you say roll on summer.

[Debonair1]

I long for some long walks with the dogs that are also enjoyable for me. To be honest my dogs just seem to love the mud, rolling in it, rubbing there bodies up and down the walls to dry themselves off. Oh my oh my the joys of having dogs. Lol

[Eriksendi]

I sadly lost both my dogs last year, what a nightmare year 2017 was. The house is 'dogless' at the moment, the first time in 30 years. I just don't feel up to getting another one at the moment even though I desperately miss them. I'm hoping I'll soon start to feel a bit stronger and then I'll get a rescue x x

[lynn6156 in reply to Eriksendi]

Just came across your post and I'm right there with you. Last year for me was a nightmare from beginning to end. Finally just before Christmas I lost my beloved dog (at 16yrs) and was beyond devastated. 4 months later and I've got this blasted disease! I'm a believer that stress is a big trigger!

Lynn

x

[Eriksendi in reply to lynn6156]

I believe that too. Both my husband and I were made redundant in Nov 16 due to a company liquidation, my mum went into hospital in jan 17, I lost my first dog in March 17, the stress of a new job for me as well. Diagnosed beginning of June 17, lost my mum aug 17 and then lost my 2nd dog nov 17. Plus trying to sell my mums flat ....... I am sure stress was the trigger for me!

[lynn6156 in reply to Eriksendi]

Definitely. Years ago when I worked as a nurse, we used to do 'proper' admissions of patients where you chatted to them and found out their jobs /lives etc - these days they don't seem to bother about that. Anyway, I worked on a unit with a lot of lung cancer patients and it quickly struck me that one after another would tell me they'd had a really bad year; losing businesses or partners or homes or whatever, and then finally they'd got cancer. I moved to work at the Christie hospital after that and the same thing cropped up with patients there.

There's definitely some biological mechanism involved somewhere.

Lynn

x

[Hidden]

We got our Sproodle a year ago as I went for major surgery, which wasn’t successful, but having our Arnie has given us so very much pleasure. In particular my husband, Arnie has bought an amazing dimension to our lives. AND yes the walking these wet mornings can be a ‘chore’ but keeps us in a ‘normal’ routine and encourages me to get out too, now and then 😍 BUT more so I love seeing my Husband just enjoying our Arnie 😉

[ecappiello]

They certainly can be a lot of work lol.

But ....

Oh! The love they give is worth every moment!