1 October 2012
Today, I received from one of our regular readers, who nursed her husband through MND, an excellent article written by an MND patient which describes some of the horrors of living with the disease, many of which would not immediately strike someone who has a friend or loved one who has had the misfortune of being struck down by this horrible disease. Click this link through to that article. It’s not too long and is well worthwhile reading.
Another reader has suggested that some carers may volunteer to be put into the same constraints on which their patient suffers. Complete constriction of limbs etc. See the Comment and my reply on today’s blog entry.
‘ My lovely’ missed our short quality time together this afternoon. Every morning she can be seen near the bird table at the back door, like Francis of Assisi dispensing food to all and sundry. The peacock strutting around with his chest puffed out as if he owned the place followed by anything up to 9 wives, then the birds graduated down from the larger to the small, doves and pigeons tits, sparrows our faithful robin and many more. Making quick dashes between the birds are our squirrels. There has also been the occasional muntjac, in fact it would not be incorrect to say that she has great compassion for all living things. This generosity of spirit also prompted her to put out milk and other food for the odd stray cat (and our hedgehogs).
One of our neighbours moved house, a few months ago, leaving behind two beautiful jet black cats, the smaller of which was very shy and reacted, when in contact with humans, as if it had had a bad experience with them. For some weeks after they left Alice faithfully continued to leave out food for them. Then a few weeks ago they disappeared or, at least, failed to turn up so we assumed they had found homes nearby and were comfortably settled. That was until yesterday when Alice looked out at the bird table and saw an emaciated small black cat with only a stump for a tail.
She thought that it was probably the smaller of our two black cats and decided to take it to the vet for a thorough going over. She caught it, without too much trouble, and then with the company of Jane’ the sheep’ took her to our local vet. Unfortunately it escaped from the cat carrier and dashed out into the vet’s garden. Alice pursued it and found it in deep under some brambles. Despite not being dressed for the task he spent an hour or so trying to entice it out with some milk but without success.
Determined not to give up she plans to return tomorrow suitably attired and kitted out to hack her way through this jungle of brambles and attempt to capture the cat, and hand it over to the vet when its convalescence can begin.
I have only gone into such detail about at an ordinary everyday domestic occurrence to remind the reader what a compassionate person my number one carer is. Donkeys are high on her list of charitable donations. Then come horses, dogs and other four-legged friends who have been abused or neglected to a point of abject misery.
I cannot recall whether I mentioned that my breathing has become very laboured and after a chat with my consultant at Papworth have agreed to go in for a checkup later this week. Dr Michael Davies has very kindly squeezed us in as my own good Dr Michael, from Australia, will be with us for a few days and will accompany me to Papworth.