07-13-2018, 03:37 PM | #41671 | |
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Long story short, we treated her for it (the fast-growing type). She lived for another two years, which, let's face it, in cat-time, is a pretty good result. She was cancer-free for a goodly chunk of that. But it was selfish of me. At the time we discovered it, she was healthy and happy. Yes, cancer, but everything else was pretty good. I should have allowed her to decline, and then put her out of her misery, once the disease affected her quality of life. But I was too selfish to let her go, so she suffered through chemo and all that, twice a month for 6 months. I put her down as soon as it recurred; I'd grown by then and realized I'd been wrong to do what I'd done. When our next (rescue) kitty, Clancy, developed an illness that made him sick to his stomach and in pain, I had him put down as soon as I knew he was in pain. I didn't try to make him go through chemo, etc. I really DO understand how hard it is to do this for a furry member of the family, but it's the right thing to do, hard or not. It's part of our responsibility, and that vet was shameful, in what he did, extending that poor dog's time of suffering like that (and her owners'!). Totally unforgivable, in my opinion. I'm glad, Rumple, that you don't have to worry about it, though. I would not have wanted to be in your shoes, with a very, very sick dog, and the possibility of you having to make that call, while they were out of town, not one iota. I can't think of very many worse scenarios (aside from human tragedies and the like, of course). So..I'm sorry for Luca, and her mum/dad, but I'm relieved for you, and for her, too. Hitch |
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07-13-2018, 04:54 PM | #41672 | |
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But yes, I'm also relieved that I don't have the responsibility of a very sick dog. And I do feel guilty about that. |
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07-13-2018, 05:31 PM | #41673 | |
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Think of it this way--forget the housesitting, completely. Take yourself out of the picture, entirely. As their friend, and Luca's friend, what was the best-possible thing that could happen, right now, barring imaginary miracles where the dog is suddenly 2 years old and healthy? She needed to be euthanized, right, so that she'd stop suffering. Right? So then...no guilt. Your part in this, the housesitting, is tertiary. You are RIGHTLY relieved for the dog's sake. It's no crime to be relieved for your own sake as well. Hitch |
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07-13-2018, 05:47 PM | #41674 |
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Ditto. But she said it better.
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07-14-2018, 03:05 AM | #41675 | |
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It's also been an emotionally exhausting week. First of all the worrying about Luca, then the monthly hormones (which always seem to be worse when it's very warm) and finally the Family Thing. The deadline for the negotiations is next Wednesday and it might work out or not. So lots of emotions going on and I just don't know what I'm feeling right now. |
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07-16-2018, 01:57 PM | #41676 |
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One of my favourite stand up comedians, Sarah Millican, is coming to Amsterdam next March. Tickets go on sale of Friday, though I might be able to order a day early since I'm on her mailinglist. If it wasn't so hot I would be doing a happy dance.
Next week there's a chance of an official heat wave, there's even a tiny chance temperatures will rise to 40C+ degrees. I'm glad I'm going house sitting; my friends' house cools down a lot quicker in the evening than ours. |
07-18-2018, 08:03 PM | #41677 |
Now what?
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So, I'm finishing my after dinner walk tonight and look up to see my house - which is on a corner with a fire hydrant at the curb. I see what I assume is a large dog off the leash sniffing at the hydrant - a well used doggie mail box in the neighborhood. I then marvel that it is a LARGE dog ... with a long neck ...
and then get close enough to see that it is a doe grazing on the clover that grows by the hydrant every summer. She sees me and decides to retreat through my back yard into the line of trees that run behind all the houses in my block. I wonder how many deer are living in that tiny woods ... |
07-19-2018, 02:16 PM | #41678 |
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We have 4 spotted baby deer and two moms in our front yard early morning and evening right now.
I am currently waiting to pick my furbaby up from the vet (yearly checkup and teeth cleaning). |
07-19-2018, 02:57 PM | #41679 | |
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Hitch |
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07-20-2018, 02:22 PM | #41680 |
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I treated myself to an early birthday present: a couple of nights in a capsule hotel in Rotterdam just after my birthday next month. I've been watching videos on YouTube about capsule hotels, mostly in Asia. I discovered there are a couple of the Netherlands, in Amsterdam there are several and one in Rotterdam. I'll be going to Rotterdam because I go to Amsterdam regularly and I've not seen much of Rotterdam except for the city center.
I'll be staying at the CityHub, it's near the city center, around the corner from two museums and with easy access to public transport. Now the big question is: will I go for a top "hub" or a bottom "hub". |
07-20-2018, 03:48 PM | #41681 | |
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(I don't know what top hub or bottom means, but, go for whichever is the most luxurious!) Hitch |
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07-20-2018, 04:20 PM | #41682 | |
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This is a photo of two pods. The section behind the door got shelves for your things, and serve as a stairs (I think) for the hub on top. Behind the window is the bed. So for the top hub you have to climb for the bottom hub you have to duck down. I like the idea of a top hub, but I almost always have to use the toilet during the night and I'm not sure having to navigate shelf-stairs is a good idea in the middle of the night. I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully by that time there's a decision in the Family Thing (despite the deadline on Wednesday we're still negotiating, so no news yet). If there is a solution by then I'm going to celebrate it like the true introvert I am: a long visit to the big bookstore. By then my sister is working for a company near Rotterdam part of the week, if she works there on Monday we might meet up for dinner. |
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07-20-2018, 07:59 PM | #41683 | |
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Honestly...for ages, I thought that these were some kind of post-apocalyptic nightmare vision of a hotel room. Silly me. I don't mean to sound like some old fogey, but, jeeeze. I'm glad for you, tho, Rumple, if this will be fun for you!!! Hitch |
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07-20-2018, 10:41 PM | #41684 | |
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Mind you, if I get a top pod I will probably get a couple fighting. Which is what I had during my second year. Our rooms were about eight by twelve feet, it had a sink, wardrobe, single bed, big desk, desk chair, coffee table, low chair and a trash can. There was barely enough room for one person. But a couple decided to save money and share a room (which wasn't even allowed). Which resulted in many and loud fights. It's something I want to have done at least once. Looking at it I would say this hub is only slightly smaller than the cabin I had on the boat to Newcastly-upon-Tyne, though I did have my own teeny, tiny bathroom. I do hope the sound insulation is better than on the boat, though. |
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07-20-2018, 11:01 PM | #41685 | |
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She's trying to fall asleep, but an extremely amorous couple are fornicating coming up the stairs, and then in the hall, and then in the room next door, and are the noisy "Oh, God, yes!" types. Cue a brief rest and a quick shower, and they're noisily at it again, and then again. She was considering trying to yell at them in her best less then fluent French. I suggested she should have done so in Russian, in which she was more fluent. She thought that was a lovely idea she wished she'd thought of,. as it would likely get the point across and be a big satisfying public row that seems dear to Russian hearts. She's all in favor of enthusiastic sex, but not next door when she's trying to sleep... ______ Dennis |
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