Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Success .




Huge improvements . Only up twice in the night. At one and again at four. This morning Wilf joins me on the bakery run . The first time since Saturday. The routine at the cafe, complete with illicit croissant and hair tousling , enjoyed by dog, waitress, and the beer and absinthe crowd . Despite the driving rain he's keen to stop on our journey home and go for a slow mud spattered walk down by the river .

There is something episodic and repetitive about these bad days . We enjoy six or seven trouble free, fun filled weeks. Then eight or nine days where his routine subtly changes ( dog owners will understand the sub-plot in that statement ) and then two, this time three , nights where he simply can't settle. Manic drinking, hourly pit stops , panicked ' Where are you ? ' type barks when he gets lost on his confused midnight wanderings through the house . The cycles are so far apart that it's difficult to recognize them but this was the third, possibly fourth, of these ' moments ' . Rather than be triggered by stress or diet they seem to have some mechanical cause.

Normal service is now resumed and Wilf will be spending his day in the kitchen helping 'the font ' make Mince Pies and the Christmas Pudding . He's already taken up his spot in front of the range .
For dogs and for humans alike " Success is largely a matter of hanging on after others let go ".

29 comments:

  1. Mince pies! Oh we are so pleased that Wilf has rallied and is enjoying the wonders of kitchen time with 'the font'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's wonderful news! I was worried and braced myself for your next post. Enjoy the day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Collective hearts.........near and far away..........smiling! Thrilled to read the new post. Wilf knows that pies need baking, cakes need assembling, and (yet) another Christmas is just around the corner. With his beloved and
    adoring family. So - why stop fighting now! Sending love to Wilf, to Angus,
    and to the Font in the kitchen. Happy are we. Your friends in Vancouver, B.C.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We understand those day-by-day observations.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra, Bella & Roxy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Many many thanks for those good news ! The routine is back and we all, are happy for Wilfee and you, Angus and the Font.
    These moments are so stressfull.
    Très belle journée à vous trois.
    Bisouuuuuus my courageous beloved Wilfee.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i seem to have been holding my breath without realizing it. i can now breathe again! our beloved fellow. i honestly want to think and secretly believe that sheer love is what keeps this wee bear going. it's the strongest force in the world! and angus...
    only those of us (and i would imagine with this group that would be all!) know the energy needed, both physically and emotionally, to care for a beloved companion of a certain age.
    it is so worth it. but never underestimate the love and respect we have for you and the font to share your lives with him the way you do.
    oh my! time for thoughts of madame bay or farmer santa claus! i have to smile again!!!
    all my love, and a special hug for my wee bear.
    tammy j

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a grand face.
    They teach us so much, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is a grey day here in Boston, but the sun came out, at least in my mind, when I read your post!

    Thanks for the good news!

    Susan
    Boston, USA

    ReplyDelete
  9. The news of Wilf's return to routine makes me very happy. A very nice way to start my day. Hugs for Wilf.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle, Maggie Mae and Max

    ReplyDelete
  10. As someone who's read the blog for a while, it reminds me that long before the cancer diagnosis, Wilf's internal biology was always a little different. You said he'd go days and be fine, then suffer the effects of the poison he'd ingested long ago. Could these bouts be related to that, I wonder? It just seems that he's always had his own unique biorhythms. I do hope that he keeps having good days for a while now!

    ReplyDelete
  11. So happy to hear this. We know the ups and downs all too well....our Finney the Sussex Spaniel has been in a similar position twice but has managed to pull through so far. We are all pulling for Wilf here in the west of Ireland. Hi to Susan in Boston, my hometown!

    Love to Wilfie and hugs to you and the "font." Continuing to think of you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I felt a bit of apprehension as I scanned the blogs for yours (even though I know you keep it real). Whew! So glad Wilf is having some peace and hooray for resumption of normal service!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So happy about the news - I was afraid to read today's post --- and you are so right about success - keep on trying. Big hugs and tanti bacetti sul nasino - he is in Christmas heaven with all these perfumes in the kitchen - have a great day - Susanne, Daisy and Foxiie who is sharing my chair in this very moment - you never know whether a Pon from France has the capicity to come out of the computer ...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Answered prayers! Tears of joy, and relief, are falling as we offer thanks. God bless our Wilf.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I was thinking exactly the same thing as Houndstooth. But, of course, there is much more going on in his system now. In any case, I'm smiling at a vision of Wilf with his illicit croissant and then walking, mud-splattered, by the river. Equilibrium has returned, and we're all happy about it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hear the soft sound as we all let out our collective breath.

    Will the gannets be arriving soon to complete our PON's happiness?

    Joan

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hurray for Wilf!

    Arrrrroooo!
    Buzzy McDuff, the Pip and Camille

    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Angus. I am a new reader, having come to your blog after seeing a recommendation from Pamela Terry on her House of Edward blog. For the last couple of weeks, I began with your 2009 posts and read through all of 2010 and 2011. It was quite a journey to undertake, filled with hilarity, poignancy, drama, grief, sweetness and much more. I am amazed by your ability to write with such warmth and depth about your life in France with this wonderful boy. A kinship has definitely developed with you and "the font",as my husband and I have had dogs are whole married life (27 years), and the impact of these dear souls on our lives is profound. Having lost some dear, sweet dogs ourselves, I,like so many of your readers, have joined you on this journey and am deeply moved by your experiences. I am now caught up and current with your blog and am sending many good wishes to you. And, I have to say, Madame Bay is a hoot!! Love to Wilfie! Robin.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Rump rubs for Wilf. Glad to hear things are looking up again.

    ReplyDelete
  21. We will take the improvements!!! So glad to hear things are settling. And as long as there is a spot by the range for observing and perhaps sampling, let's bring on the holidays!! Keep on going Wilf!

    With love from your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

    ReplyDelete
  22. Glad to hear that Wilf is on the up-swing again! And right on time to enjoy the Christmas Holiday cooking in the kitchen :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. YESH Wilfee! These episodes, for me, are tough because there seems no real rhyme nor reason...they just happen...Up and at 'em, I say :).

    ReplyDelete
  24. I was kind of afraid to check the blog today. I read every day but don't always comment.

    Sooooooooo glad Wilf seems to be back to his "normal" self. Well, as normal as a sick dog can be.

    Love ya, Wilf!

    ReplyDelete
  25. We had our Molly dog almost 17 years to the day.
    Towards the end she would pace at night just like some elderly people do. Don't you wish we could clone our loving dogs? The grief later was terrible, we just couldn't get another dog.
    Now we are older and feel it wouldn't be fair to have another dog because we are not as active.

    ReplyDelete
  26. How many of you have known older people, who when asked how they are, will say "Oh, I have some good days and then a bad day or two." Common and expected. Maybe thats what Wilfee would say if he could!

    Cheers and hugs for the polar bear!

    Jo, Stella and that cat.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wilfie we hope you get some good sleep soon. Kisses for you buddy.

    Julie and Poppy Q
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Bless you-enjoy your treasures of life. Stay strong~

    ReplyDelete