Good to see you Verano!
My positives for today.

1) Seeing that Flick and Mariet (well done you two) have reached target. Also Caronl for getting into a healthy BMI range. Has spurred me to continue trying.
2) It is a beautiful sunny day here.
3) I have just realised I am craving a SALAD…what a good craving to have.

Love to all
Nonna Mary

Caronl, you have done so well!!! Getting back on your bicycle is a grand positive, indeed. New
trousers, here she comes 🙂

Thank you, V. I just feel better knowing that you continue to read this thread…I confess that it
is one of favorites, too!

Sunny, it’s strangely comforting to know that you’ve gone through a similar experience with
your sister, though I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I can overwhelming relate to the personality
traits you describe, too! The final “freak show” of full narcissistic rage took place while my
beloved husband was fighting for his life in hospital, adding a level of disbelief to the entire
situation. Thank you for sharing your experience 🙂 The psychiatric journals are full of these
case studies!

It’s quite possible, with the distraction of dealing with family issues, that I might never have
found my way to these forums. The fact that I have, is the biggest positive change I’ve made
in my life, and it very “centering” to begin my day exchanging posts with all of you. Sometimes
we are serious, other times we succumb to laughter, but it IS friendship at it’s very best!

Carry On!

Allie

Allie and Sunny, so pleased you both managed to ditch the unhealthy relationships, honestly life is far too short to be bogged down with narcissistic friends/family who care nothing for you – there are too many lovely people around who DO care.

Today I am struggling to stay positive as we heard this morning that our best and final offer on our dream downsizing house has finally been rejected. We could have gone higher, but had already increased our offer twice and refused to enter into a continued bidding war which the other offers on the table seemed happy to do so, sadly we are out of the running (the latest offer is WAY over the asking price, and there are still bidders trying to trump it). But now, nothing else will do………………..

So, my positives today (and I really need to try to stay positive)
1. I do still really love my existing home of 40 years and we will now just stay put and stop searching for a downsizer and at least that means, whilst bitterly disappointed, at least we don’t have to go through all the stress of moving.
2. O/H has PROMISED that he will de-clutter anyway (I’ll believe that when I see it, but today I need to believe, because clutter brings me down, I just HATE it, and I am feeling low enough already.
3. We have really close friends coming for supper tonight, and I don’t even need to cook. We were supposed to be going to their home, and they had prepared all the food already, but have run out of heating oil and the supplier cannot deliver for at least a week, so their house is freezing. So they are bringing supper with them and all I have to do is prepare a large salad. And my house is warm!!

Can I add a 4th? After the horrendous storms of last week, when so much damage was done here, and parts of the road to our little local beach and pub was washed away, and what was left being blocked by fallen trees and totally covered in sand and rocks washed up from the beach, as was the pub terrace, the local community all turned up over the weekend, in the pouring rain, armed with shovels and saws, and shovelled all the sand and rocks back onto the beach, and cut up and removed the felled trees. People also took to the water to try to find / recover boats that had broken their moorings and had disappeared and, on the whole, succeeded as only 3 now remain missing. We also did a mass shop and walked supplies in to the residents who no longer have vehicular access – goodness knows when the road will be made good. We then repaired to the pub for a well earned communal beer, provided free by the pub as a thank you! Community spirit at it’s best.😄

It is so good to read that everyone survived the “beast from the east” with good spirits and some amazing stories! I am glad to hear that horses, pubs, beaches, pipes and people all were ok — and you’ve got some clear sparkling blue sky weather to reward you!
I was in Norway last week, cross-country skiing, so I fully understand how extreme that was! In the mornings, we had ice sheets that formed on the inside of our cabin windows — the temperatures were so cold our skis stuck to the snow and we were using polar wax — I didn’t even know polar wax exists!
I think now winter might be finished and spring coming on! Easter is so soon, the sun can’t be far behind!
My positives;
1.) we got home safely and had a great holiday, and it was so fun to come home, have my own coffee pot and start eating big salads again!
2.) my 95 year old Dad is surviving his chemotherapy amazingly well and he wants to meet me for lunch on Wednesday
3.)I had a huge win at work that just was reported yesterday, am walking on air for the great outcome

Verano, happy Far East travels; Theodora, your community rescue of pub and beach reminds me how good people can be; KazzUK, yay a new gardening magazine! I am happiest in the garden — we have a little sign on our front porch that says “I’m in the garden” (yup) and SunnyB, that Margaret Mead quote is probably my favorite quote of all time — I had it as a bumper sticker on my old Volvo 240 all during my children’s childhood and it never failed to register when I read it. It is so so true.

Californiagirl, the mention of the sign you have in your porch made me smile. We have one in our porch too but ours says…….

https://s14.postimg.org/gy1azx0zl/20180306_150549.jpg

hopefully that doesn’t say too much about our differing lifestyle!!! 🙄 Our other sign is at least a little more healthy, it says “Gone Sailing”😊

Really pleased to hear your dad is doing so well. Enjoy your lunch.

Allie, how awful for you to have such a desperate situation thoughtlessly compounded by your sister. The demise of my relationship with mine was much less dramatic and you’re so right Theo, relationships like that are really not worth expending energy on. There are so many more mutually beneficial relationships to nurture – not least the one we have here.

It is sad that you have not won your dream downsize house, but I am convinced these things happen for the best of reasons, it’s just that sometimes in the moment, it’s hard to recognised what the reasons might be. It’s a good job you don’t live with me – both OH and I are clutter people! Sometimes it gets me down a bit, but in all honesty, I confess most of the time I don’t see it. Loved your 4th positive – how wonderful to be part of something so community spirited. Be sure to enjoy your no-cook supper with friends this evening – I’m sure you will.

Positives for today … mmm … feels like I’m scraping the barrel a bit today, as I’ve been getting a bit stressed about sorting out cards and gifts for Mother’s Day and upcoming birthdays, including those while we’re away – total of 7 birthdays, a wedding anniversary and a ‘house warming’! Anyway, I can offer the following as positives:
1) This morning I bought all the cards I need for the events mentioned above (except the house warming).
2) Think I now have a reasonably good handle on gifts I need to purchase – just worried about the bank balance!
3) Roasted some cauliflower at lunchtime – simple, but so tasty.

Theodora, apart from the size of your house, why would you want to leave such lovely people? Your community sounds wonderful and exactly what we expect from people in the UK. There were so many feel good stories that came out of the bad weather. We are also looking to downsize and at the moment can’t find anything we like. Also, my lovely Jovis is the worst hoarder ever and I am frogmarching him to cupboards etc, to make him chuck stuff out. He has pay slips from when he started work at the age of 16 and he is 66 this year!

What are they like eh?

Hope you feel stronger soon,
Love Nonna Mary
xxx

Oh, Theo, I’ve been keeping a sharp eye out for you, knowing that Monday would bring the verdict
re your dream space to a conclusion. Reading your post has left me feeling a little rocklike thud in my
stomach for you! If anyone can rise above the disappoinment though, I know it will be you. Try and
take comfort in the fact that you’ve created a beautiful, happy home that is bursting with memories.
Enjoy your evening in the company of cherished friends. Not having to prepare the meal is indeed
a positive bonus too.
Sending you a smile and an enormous hug,

Allie

Thanks Sunny, Mary and Allie.

Mary, it is a wonderful community but we wouldn’t have been leaving. The downsize house of my dreams is only a couple of hundred yards away from my current one. I have been waiting for it to come onto the market for years. It finally has, and the vendors would have preferred us to have it but they are moving to London so need every last penny to purchase there, so I cannot blame them for holding out for the highest offer. We just weren’t prepared to get into a bidding war, particularly as we were funding it out of savings as we wanted to get a few alterations done before moving in, so hadn’t intended putting this one on the market for several months, so no guarantee of what it would fetch. The offers are still escalating – top offer atm is £55,000 above asking price and more bids expected😨

Now have another far more important thing to worry about though – gorgeous granddaughter #2 has been taken into hospital with suspected appendicitis, difficult to find a positive in that, just waiting for news. Not a very good day for us😢 sorry to be so down on our positivity thread😭

How frightening, Theo! I’m waiting here with you for further news…At least it’s not the weekend, so
there should be adequate staffing to see to her needs if surgery becomes the recommendation..
Hang in there, my friend, as you always do!

xoxo

Theo, keep us posted on your granddaughter. I am sure she is in safe hands. Positive vibes coming your way, from up north.

Nonna Mary
xxx

Theo sorry on both counts. Hopefully your granddaughter will be fit and well soon. I’m sure she will be.
The house is just not ‘meant’ to be yours. I also always think that things happen for a ‘reason’ even when the ’reason’ is not immediately clear. The house that is ‘meant’ for you, if indeed you are ‘meant’ to move, will present itself when the time is right.
There have been two recent events in my life which were, and were not, meant to be. The one that wasn’t meant was a trip early last year to Australia and New Zealand, which had taken me literally months to plan. Less than a week before we were due to go I took ill, was hospitalised, and had to cancel. Back then I was devastated. In October, six weeks after my having me new hip, I realised that the trip would have been one huge very expensive mistake. There was no way I was fit enough to undertake such a trip a that time.
The one that is ‘meant’, I think, is that we have sold our holiday home and it wasn’t even on the market! We were approached by an estate agent we spoke to over two years ago when we had thoughts on selling but only ‘thoughts’. He has a client that only wants to buy in our small complex and even though we had no thoughts of selling we felt that it is indeed, ‘meant’ to be, so are going ahead with the sale. Time will tell.
Theo when the time is right it will all fall into place and you’ll be delighted that this purchase has not come to pass.
Keep positive…..

Just wanted to say that I too hope your grand daughter will soon be fit and well again. Fingers crossed the problem is nothing as serious as appendicitis and she’ll be back up and about PDQ. Positive thoughts and vibes winging your way, Theo.

Hope to hear from you soon, Theo…Thinking about your granddaughter, of course.

I’m scrabbling around this evening, trying to make sure all 10 of o/h’s medications are in the house,
as well as a few of my own. Tomorrow a “Nor’easter” promising to drop 12-16 inches of snow on
us beginning at 7am seems to have escaped my notice 🙂 If I suddenly go silent, you’ll know
we’re without power. Send good wishes our way, PLEASE. Hoping for the best, but preparing
for contingencies just the same. Off to locate the snow shovel and extra batteries, as well as
bake some chicken and extra vegetables, just in case. These March blizzards can be tough
because the snow is usually heavier than usual and often brings the power lines down. Time
for “pioneer woman” to get it in gear 🙂

Theodora – I hope your granddaughter is OK. Sorry to hear about the house.
Allie – I hope you stay safe in the coming bad weather.
Take care both. xx

Allie, really hope your weather isn’t as bad as predicted but, if it turns out to be, please stay safe and warm – am loving your pioneering spirit.

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts about my granddaughter. My positives today are all concerning her.

1. They have now ruled out appendicitis. 2. They have scanned her ovaries and bowel too and nothing nasty has shown up, other than fluid, which is as yet unexplained.
3. I have just spoken to her and she’s feeling brighter this morning, though dosed up on iv painkillers (morphine I think ) and will be undergoing a few more tests today. She’s a little star, was joking with me on the phone and telling me not to worry, bless her.

My first positive is that I treated myself to a dress shop visit trip yesterday. Instead of window shopping, and then heading past to shops selling my uniform of loose tea shirts and jumpers I went into the shops selling dresses, and sequin covered tops. I didn’t buy any because I am determined that I will get down another couple of dress sizes before I have my emerging butterfly moment – but did feel closer to that day to enter into the shops rather than just pressing my nose to the window and then passing by. – (There was a biker style jacket with embroidery over it, that is calling to me.)

My second positive I had one of those days on Sunday where everything that can go wrong does….. The thaw came so I had water in the taps, but I was so excited to be able to fill buckets from a tap to take water to the animals rather than having to using a 1 pint measuring jug in a hand wash basin to transfer water from a working tap to the bucket, that I made taking water to the animals the first job. – Should have looked for burst pipes first. 🙁 By the time I realised a pipe connection in the downstairs toilet had failed the loo, utility room, kitchen and dining room floors were all under water. – When I waded in with mop and bucket I discovered I must have trod on a large thorn when beating my way to the stop cock through the brambles and had sprung a leak in one of my wellies. – The day just carried on going down hill from there. —— I really wanted once the day had come to an end to curl up in a rocking chair under a big blanket with something tasty, not yet another plate of stir fried veg and tofu. The positive is I have got through it without raiding the old jar of PB that has been in the shed for the last couple of years from when I used it to bait mouse traps. – It was the only sweet thing on the property.

Third and Fourth positive – I spent part of the time I was frozen in doing lots of research into reviews of different vehicles because my current car isn’t going to make it through its MOT without costly work. I spent yesterday visiting a few dealers with a range of vehicles which may fit the bill and have narrowed it down to one make and model. So the hunt narrows down. – One positive was that even the smallest bucket seats in some of the vehicles were still comfortable. The other is I am looking forward to having a vehicle with a working CD player and radio and driving along singing to myself at the top of my voice.

I’m very relieved to hear your news today, Theo 🙂 I had a similar episode to your beautiful grand
daughter, at the age of 17. In my case, it turned out to be my first colitis attack, and was precipitated
by consuming 3 donuts with a girlfriend (no “moderation then, either!) Some unpleasant diagnostic
tests were to follow, but my parents were understandably relieved. Is this lovely young lady the
songbird or the dancer? Keep us posted, Theo. Thinking of you!

xoxo

Thank you Allie. It’s the little dancer.

Did the blizzard arrive? Are you snowed in? Thinking of you too, my friend – please stay safe. X

Goodness JGwen, poor you, but fantastic that you didn’t resort to the out of date PB. Well done.

Hello everyone,
I’ve dropped in here to offer comment a couple of times but tonight have the feeling I’d like to contribute 3 nice things that happened to/for me today.
1. Spent an enjoyable couple of hours this afternoon talking to Butterlover, over a cuppa, sitting on the balcony of a cafe at our local marina. Beautiful, sunny, autumn day and no strong breeze to drive us indoors.
2. Called into a dress shop on the way to the supermarket, bought a navy cotton-knit 3/4 sleeve top just right for cooler evenings, at end of summer sale price. The fun bit? It was (Aust} size S. Okay, it is a generous size S, but still a thrill:)
3. Was able to help #2 son out of a predicament. They’re always your children, aren’t they?

Best wishes for your granddaughter’s good health, Theo. And, Allie, please stay safe, dry and warm. JGwen, rotten day, glad you stayed away from the PB. Nice to have moved your window shopping to the inside of the windows:)

Thank you, Marie, Theo, and Marsie for your warm thoughts. The “white” is underway, but no white out
conditions yet. Accumulation totals have been down graded to 8-12″, so we’ll just have to wait and see
what the rest of the day has in store. My positive for today has to be that the college is closed for
spring break, so o/h doesn’t have to venture forth and navigate all the hills that are undoubtedly slippery
already. May the “power gods” be good to Connecticut today!
That’s my idea of a wonderful afternoon, Marsie! BSD friends are absolutely the best 🙂 Getting into the
first size S garment leaves one breathless, doesn’t it? I still partially hold my breath when I take one of
these out of my closet, irrationally thinking it might have gotten smaller since its last outing 🙂

Quick pop in to say I’m pleased things are looking good for our grand daughter, Theo. Fingers crossed the snow and it’s impact is not really dreadful Allie – stay warm and safe.

Bit rushed at the moment and my internet keeps dropping out, but will hopefully post some positives later.

Hi all, I am still around but not participating much and not following any challenges.
My positives are:-
Reached my last challenge goal of losing 10lbs although I am one week late I managed the last 3lbs in one week after taking the pressure off myself.
Did my one stone photo and can really see a difference. (I havent only lost 1st but that was when I took the last photo)
Soon to be visiting daughter in her new house which we havent seen yet.

Okay, looks like the internet thing is sorted – router needed a reboot and that seems to have settled it down.
Good to see you posting sunshine_girl and congrats on getting rid of that stone and it’s lovely that you can see a real difference in the new photo.
My day has had a couple of unexpected elements, both of which are related to family members’ ill health, but both of which I can – rather selfishly – draw a personal positive from:
1) Oldest grandson was poorly today, so not in school, which meant I got to have him here with me today. Don’t get to see him very often these days, so a bonus to have him here. He was feeling much better when he left and talking about what’s for dinner, so think he’s over the nausea from earlier.
2) Oldest son called to say he was suffering badly from sciatica and asked if he came over, would I give him a Reiki session. So I got to see him too and do a full Reiki session for someone, which is an all too rare event at the moment.
3) Managed to check a couple more things of the list of gifts I need to sort out before the holiday – yay!

I really was not going to post today BUT …. Theo so pleased the news with your granddaughter is looking brighter. Allie hope your snow is still manageable. Sunshine-girl great going . Sometimes you just have to reassess and do what’s right for you. Lovely ‘positives’ , although a bit sad with illness, SunnyB.
My only positive is that we are all packed and ready to go….. see you all soon!

We will all miss your special brand of support, V., but safe journey! I’ll be more than ready to hear about
your travels and adventures, and new dietary discoveries when you return 🙂 How about those chicken feet
and eyeballs?

xoxo
Allie

Hey Allie, I hope your storm isn’t too big and you are just on the cusp of spring! Theo, very good to hear your granddaughter is doing better; Sunshine girl nice job on continued loss! Have fun on your trip Verano.

Oh and glad that your grand son is feeling better SunnyB!

JULIA !!! (californiagirl 🙂 ) It seems that I missed your post from earlier this week…. It’s wonderful to
hear your voice! Congratulations on winning your case, and also finding some time to set aside for
Norwegian recreation. I hope that your grown family had an opportunity to share the adventure with
you? I’m too timid to try downhill these days, but cross country sounds great. Chemo at age 95 is quite
a shock to your dad’s body, so I hope he continues to do well. Enjoy the intimate lunch 🙂 This is a fun
thread that Sunny has restarted, so I hope to see more of you here when professional obligations allow it.

Today’s “March madness blizzard” seems to have been highly overrated, and from a New Englander’s
prospective, “much ado about nothing”. (anything under 6″ is nothing!) Really looking forward to
Spring, though.

Wishing you all a great evening…

Allie

Thanks Californiagirl, think it was a 24hr bug and he’ll be back in school tomorrow. So pleased your “blizzard” whimped out and was “much ado about nothing”, Allie – roll on full blown spring!

Good morning, well, only just as it’s about to hit noon. I’ve lurked around this thread and have loved reading people’s ability to find positives, no matter what. I enjoyed writing my own thoughts yesterday so here I am again today.
1. Physiotherapy appointment this morning and am pleased he agrees that I am successfully managing to avoid having a second shoulder repair. Targeted programme with the exercise physiologist at the gym to build up support around the tear seem to be doing the trick😊
2. A conversation with my 90yo aunt who lives in Sydney, other side of the country, and she’s doing well😊
3. Looking forward to dinner tonight with #1 son in a new Square in the city, constructed when the railway was moved underground😊

Have a good day all x

Thanks for the warm welcome-back Allie. Good to hear your voice too! I’ve missed everyone — I love waking up in the morning and catching up on the world of BSD’rs and everything they are doing and thinking and struggling with and succeeding at!

Marsie, dinner with #1 son sounds fun — so good to hear they moved the railway underground — it makes so much sense to use the sunny parts for humans and put all the machinery underground. I despair in California these days — we are still absolutely dependent on cars and we have practically NO public transportation and our freeways get bigger and bigger and we are at a standstill. I cannot even get to San Francisco by public transportation — it’s a car or nothing — and here is this gorgeous land, all covered with angry folk in cars sitting in traffic jams.

My positives today are that my will-power to eat properly seems to have returned with the fading of my jet-lag. I have such a hard time with that and when I am jet lagged all I want to do is eat carbs. There must be some biological reason that carbs are so attractive to tired people. Maybe the instant energy they give for a few minutes? But then they leave me like a carb-zombie just wanting more… more..more… aaagh! The good news is they seem to have faded today and black coffee is again my friend.

Wow, carbs can STILL get me after almost two years of BSD. That is sobering.

‘Morning, everyone!

It seems that I was a bit smug in my dismissal of the Nor’easter yesterday 🙂 It appears
to have gotten off to a slow start….but really picked up late afternoon into the wee hrs.
of the morning to white out conditions! Waking up to 160,000+ customers without
power, many secondary roads blocked by fallen trees, and 13-19″ of heavy, wet snow
covering the ground. We have a great swath of woods behind us, and trees that normally
have a very upright growth pattern are now straining to the ground, creating the most
marvelous “secret” spaces. The birds are providing the positives for today, for they
are still singing joyfully, hidden away in their bowers! I’ll try to emulate them today!

I just heard this storied report on the spirit of New Englanders. At some point last
evening a major parkway (highway) was completely blocked by a fallen tree, and traffic
had come to a total standstill. One man had a chainsaw in his truck, so he simply
set about cutting up the tree, and with the aid of fellow travelers, removed it. Everyone
then continued in a homeward direction, hopefully not at the speed limit of 65 mph!

New-England’ers are the stuff of legend Allie! Sorry about the snow fall — those storms can sneak up on us! Hope it melts soon!

I do too, Julia! I wonder how Esnecca is fairing today?? This is her first winter in over
20 years living back in CT 🙂 Are you out there, E.?

1) I stuck with my plan to walk with my ex-dog – despite the cold and rain. I’m sure the exercise was good for me!
2) Now halfway through the first painting project. Not sure I would have balanced at the top of the ladder in my obese state last October, so I count this as another BSD win!
3) Went to a lovely free chamber concert this afternoon – and discovered a new composer (Verhulst) . It was a beautiful informal performance by a string quartet. Delightful.

Positive thoughts:-
1/ blood results in and everything is down – HbA1c – triglycerides and cholesterol – although HDL cholesterol also down a smidge, must deal with that.
2/ bought new slim fit jeans 29€ on label 17€ at the till
3/ sunshine and 18 degrees today, Spring is nearly here

Sunshine-girl, that is indeed great news that your bloodwork is showing such positive
changes. I hope that one day you may be free of insulin, too! Until then, we hope that
you will continue to educate us all on the management of T2D. Enjoy those “skinny”
jeans 🙂

Allie

I am here and bearing positives:

1) The snowfall wasn’t too terrible here in the south of the state, although my parents got hit quite hard.
2) They have a generator, so are doing great despite the power outage.
3) I have discovered a new almost-freebie food, jackfruit. It’s high in fiber and shreds like chicken or pulled pork. I made a taco bowl out of it, konjac rice and a ton of spices and it kept me deliciously warm through the storm.

I’m really sorry, I know this is meant to be a positives thread, and I probably shouldn’t be posting this here, but I am really struggling this week. It started with us losing out on the house of our dreams, which paled into insignificance when our granddaughter was rushed into hospital. And now, to top it all, my lovely boy – my elder dog, who is totally the light of our lives – was involved in an RTA this evening. He went out for his evening wee, but didn’t come in as usual. I called and called, but nothing, so I went to look on foot. No sign of him, so o/h got the car out and found him, several hundred yards away, unconscious and bleeding profusely. It would seem that he has been hit by a car and dragged for several hundred yards. We rushed him to the vet, but after 3 hours they have sent us home saying they won’t know any more until morning. They are trying to stabilise him, have him on fluids for shock, morphine for the pain, and they are flushing his wounds and pumping IV antibiotics into him to hopefully avoid infection, but won’t do any xrays or scans until they are certain he can withstand them, certainly not before morning. Please pray for him, it’s going to be a long night……..

Sorry, I know this is not BSD related, but you all feel like family these days, so who else would I turn to in the middle of the night?

Oh Theodora, no wonder you’re feeling terrible, quite impossible not to be. Sending hugs and a raft of hopeful thoughts your way, that his condition will have improved by morning.

And if there is a positive here it is that you do have this family to express yourself to. I’ve often wondered how I can feel such love for people I’ve never physically looked upon or touched, but I do, so am sending as much love as possible “over the net” to you and your OH. Take care of yourself, won’t you💕💕Marilyn

Theo, sweetheart, I feel like your sister, and I’m feeling the roller coaster effect of all
the emotions that you’ve experienced this week. We adore our pets as if they are
children that never grow up. I will pray for your boy, tonight. I know that it will be a
long one, but my heart is with you every minute. Please try to lie down, even if you
don’t sleep. My instincts would be to turn to friends here, also. We are connected in
all the ways that matter, so NEVER apologize for sharing things that deeply affect you.
I hope that with the sunrise there is hope. Post when you can. We are all here for you.

xoxoxo

Thank you, Marilyn and Allie, your support is infinitely appreciated and, frankly, I don’t know who else to turn to at this hour of the night / morning, but you are all family, so I’m sorry, but you get the job of listening! Just putting it down here is helping by keeping me occupied. O/H has gone to bed, he knows he won’t sleep, but reckons we may need our strength in the morning so should get some rest while we can.

I have just spoken to the vet again, she is still working on my boy. She assures me he is totally “out of it” dosed to the eyeballs, and has no pain, and doesn’t know what is going on. I have to take her word for that, anything else would bring madness.

Her latest guess – and she assures me it IS still guesswork – is that he has suffered severe multiple fractures in 3 limbs, and all 4 of his feet. He also has multiple open wounds which are full of grit and dirt, from being dragged, which they are attempting to flush out. When we took him in he was so totally covered in blood, we couldn’t actually see where it was coming from, but she said it was all from his face and legs, although she cannot as yet rule out internal injuries – that will be something to address in the morning when, hopefully, he is a little stronger. At the moment, they are worried about shock.

On the plus side, his colour and breathing are ok so far, so I’m hanging on to that, but she warned me that, even if he has not sustained internal injuries, his leg / feet injuries alone mean we have a very long road ahead of us.

Why or why did I just let him out in the garden for his late night wee, instead of taking him out on lead????? Why oh why did I believe that, just because he has never wandered in the past, he would never wander in the future? Why did I trust that, just because he had never chased a badger or fox (of which we have many) in the past, he would never be tempted to do so? I just cannot get the sight of his bloodied face and body, and the pain in his gentle, trusting eyes, out of my mind. Sorry, I know I am sounding desperate, but that is how I feel – I just wish they had let me stay with him.

Thank you for being there.

Oh Theo, I hope you have found enough peace to at least be lying down and won’t see this until morning, but i’m sending you my warmest, heartfelt hugs. What a terrible and frigtening experience for you all. He is very, very lucky to have to you and yours as his family. Not only for the wonderful care you have provided him in all these extraordinarily happy years he has had, but to be there now, caring for him through this horrible, horrible experience. Do not doubt that for one minute! All my love, flick

What a horrific experience for you and the sweet pup. Having one of my (exclusively indoor) cats escape and meet just such a fate is one of my greatest fears. It sounds like he’s in the best hands he could possibly be in, Theo, and I have no doubt your vet is right that it’s better for you to be home so she can focus on treating his injuries and getting him to a stable place.

I hope there is some rest to be found for you. After all the disappointment, dislocation and terror you’ve had to go through this week, you need some sleep to help keep you sane. We’re sending all our love and psychic reinforcement to you and your big boy. As difficult as the recovery may be, I know I will see him once again posing like a model in a dog calendar on a beautiful clifftop meadow overlooking the sea.

Theodora, I’m so so sorry to hear the story of your dog.. Hoping to hear good news this morning…with love and in sympathy x

Oh, Theodora, I’m so sorry to wake up and read this news this morning. I’ll be thinking of you, your beautiful boy and your family today. xx

Theodora, I am crying with you. Your lovely boy! If it is possible to send love through the ether I am doing so. My love to you and your family.

Nonna Mary
xxxx

Theodora
Crap day, can only hope things are starting to show hope, we are on Cocker Spaniels No6 & 7 so feel for your pain, they are not pets (sometimes pests) they are true family members. Naughty mischievous and complete pains in the bottom but would not part with them for the world, I know that the dogs come before me with the OH, I think pecking order is dogs, grandchildren, children then me, first 2 are interchangeable.
How is your granddaughter?

I am really sorry to hear your news Theo.

I have been thinking of you and your news on your house and was going to send you a message about that today, but will defer that to focus on the more important crisis at present. – I am really sorry to hear about your dog. Will send you and him all the positive wishes I can, and please do turn to the forum if for support through this.