Thurs 31st March: Missing a few days

Frankie the pug

Since my last post unexpected events overtook any plans I might have had for the week, and it started on Tuesday when I had a packed day ahead of me.  I had to leave home early to get Safari and Fido to Acorn for surgery, as at that point we still had no driver for the new van, and rental van drivers don't provide anything but transport services (no lifting or carrying).  I had Safari on a leash because at forty kilos he is too big and heavy for anything else, and Fido in a crate, so I had to be with the dogs to get them delivered safely to the clinic.

Having dropped them off and waited for a very nervous Fido to be sedated before leaving, my next stop was the hospital in Causeway Bay where I had been treated for my brain "thing" in January and where I had been having subsequent regular blood tests to monitor another condition that had been discovered by chance during my earlier stay.

From there I went to our mailing address office to pick up the post, and then on to AFCD to sort out some licensing paperwork.  Of course I had to have a look at the new intake, and reminiscent of a very similar case of an old pug and bulldog that had been surrendered as a pair (and happily also adopted together) there was a pug and a cocker spaniel in the same kennel, both of them clearly past their prime.  The pug had no microchip and very bad skin as well as being horrifically skinny, so it was hard to assess an age, but he was very sweet, happy to be taken out and quite perky.  I had to give him a date of birth for his license so registered him as eight, but he could be anything around that age and up. The cocker spaniel had a microchip so I knew he was thirteen, but also blind and deaf.  I was in a dilemma because I had taken a taxi to the AFCD Centre and couldn't manage both the pug and the cocker, so ended up taking the pug with the promise to his friend that I would be back.

Frankie, the pug's new name, was very happy to trot along with me to Cyberport Road where I could flag down a taxi, and was no trouble at all once we were inside on our way.  In fact he's a dear little thing with the sweetest face, but his skin condition is chronic and will take some time to heal.

Safari and Fido had woken up from their surgery and were ready to leave, but now Frankie had to wait to see a vet.  Just at that moment I got a call from the hospital to say that my blood test results indicated that I had to be admitted immediately, and could I go now?  I said no, not unless I could bring my dogs with me, and anyway I felt fine and there was really no urgency.  I said I would go on Friday, and left it at that.  Then I got another call, this time from the doctor urging me to go back sooner as I needed to be on IV fluids, so I agreed I would admit myself after I had taken the dogs back to Lamma.  However that didn't account for Frankie the pug, who was still waiting to be seen by a vet. As luck would have it, at that moment Iris, the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre Manager, appeared carrying her own little pom, and I was able to pass Frankie over to her while asking the Acorn staff to call a van so I could get my two dogs back home.

Poor Safari and Fido's post-surgery care went as far as returning them to Lamma, where I hurriedly stuffed some things into a bag for my hospital stay, having absolutely no idea how long it would be for.  So that is why I was unable to post any blogs until now, when I have one day at home before going back for surgery on Saturday.  I knew an operation to remove a rogue gland in my neck was inevitable, and as part of my agreement to return to hospital I had bartered an earlier-than-planned surgery date so I could get it over with and return to a life without doctors and hospitals.

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I anticipate being released on Sunday but doubt it will be in time for Whiskers N Paws, although maybe I will be able to join the puppies for their return trip to Lamma.  I won't be posting another blog until I'm back home again, but you can keep up to date with what's happening via our Facebook page and now also on Instagram.  The new website will also soon be up and running which will be the final missing link to be restored.  Our new van also took to the roads today, along with a new driver.

The new van is on the road at last

I hope that there will be lots of adoptions for me to smile about after the weekend, and thanks to all the well-wishers who have sent messages of support.