Pokers

They were the only things that were red hot today. Surprise, surprise, summer has disappeared once again.

14C and low cloud almost all day. Pah. No wonder my tomatoes aren't ripening...

The extra shows how gloomy it was over Oamaru Harbour and out into the Pacific earlier in the day. (Note the big floating rafts of seaweed, which an excited tourist thought was a pod of basking whales. I just couldn't bear to tell him...)

Thank you so much for all the good wishes yesterday for the Bean-dog. We had a very positive consultation with Emily Vet this morning. I love that she sat on the floor next to Bean as we chatted ...and so of course did I.

I had a list of things I wanted to know about, and she patiently listened to my concerns and addressed each one in detail. In most respects it was reassuring, in a few it was confronting. But I know what's what now and feel much more informed and less concerned.

Bean is now on medication which will give her heart some extra oomph to support the muscle and pump blood more effectively. Her enlarged heart won't reduce, but her life will be extended, both in length and in quality. 

It is a two week trial after which we return for an update on progress - and another weigh-in.

Today she weighed 0.4kg more than seven days ago. I am very happy that she is heading in the right direction. The drugs should help her gradually get back to her normal weight (another 3kg).

It is quite confronting to know that my beautiful girl has a life-threatening, chronic problem. She is only 8 1/2 which feels much too young to be diagnosed with something like heart disease. 

My aim is for her to be joyful, safe and secure for as many years as she has in my company. And I shall love her and enjoy her company all the more.

Late addition: To clarify ... Emily has suggested that with luck Bean should be with us another two or three years now she's on the drugs.