On The Island

Ellie seemed to pace a lot and kept going for a drink and then at 4 am she was obviously wanting to go downstairs (we have a stair gate to stop her falling) but I didn’t get up in time and she was sick (black) at the top of the stairs. This time it was me awake for the rest of the night whilst Mal went back to bed.

We made an appointment with the vet for the afternoon, so I headed for Westwood Cross. I had been in one shop and Mal phoned to say they could fit us in at 11.30, so to come home!

We saw the vet who we call “the cat lady” , Eleanora , not our favourite but it is who you end up seeing at short notice. She listened to Ellie’s heart and took her temperature, all good and then said she would have to speak to Claire, They have now taken her off the Metacam and the antibiotics and replaced it with something else to protect her stomach. She continues with Paracetamol and then we still go and see Claire on Wednesday. I know it takes humans a while to recover from anaesthetic and she is an old dog.

Mal and Ellie were downstairs all night and Ellie seemed to settle.

For lunch I met up with the Kent Lavender Ladies and we went to The Vintage Empire Tea rooms in Herne Bay. It is a really nice place, recommended by Jack. We do have a lot of laughs when we get together. Just 6 of us today, with two people sick and others that couldn’t make it.

Of course we watched Traitors in the evening and Ellie stood at the bottom of the stairs, so Mal carried her up at bedtime.

 

Ellie did want to go outside in the early hours of the morning but Mal said she then went straight back to sleep. I slept well! Too much stress in one day the previous day.

Mal was at the allotment in the morning and then I went to my exercise class in the afternoon. Ellie slept a lot of the day, recovering. She didn’t finish all her food, unusual for her but the anaesthetic has messed her stomach a little.

I noticed the Liquid Diamond Prosecco we like in Sainsburys has been reduced to £9 a bottle with Nectar but if you buy 6 bottles, you get another 25% off, which makes it half the original price!!  So I did an online order and used the voucher we received when we had the bad delivery in the IOW.

A stressful morning taking Ellie to the vets. Of course she had to be walked first but the Gabapentin makes her so wobbly on her legs. No food either which she wasn’t happy about.  As soon as we saw the nurse we told her about the Gabapentin and she wrote it on Ellie’s notes. She explained everything they would do, which Meg had already explained but the drug had made Ellie just lie on the floor so Mal had to help her in.

Of course Mal and I were stressed because she is fourteen and a half and had to go under anaesthetic but they assured us her heart and lungs were good.

So we left her there and went off to Deal to have breakfast, to keep us occupied! I was in one of the shops when my phone rang. I presumed it was the vet. No, it wasn’t! It was my doctor who was supposed to call me next Friday. She told me she has all the results back and yes I have haemochromatosis . She must have persuaded them to do the proper tests (it’s an expensive test, she told me before!) She then went on to say she has put it through as urgent to the hospital, so I should hear within the next two weeks. Well at least she was good enough to keep chasing it up for me and called me as promised.

Then about 2pm Clare, the vet called saying she was amazed how Ellie was coping with all of this. Teeth have been cleaned and X rayed and also she had an infection and an ulcer and I think a broken tooth.  She wants to see her again in a week to see the progress after antibiotics and then will advise about any teeth need removing. But she agreed no more Gabapentin, Paracetomol instead.

At 3pm Meg (her nurse) phoned to say Ellie was up and about and to collect her at 4pm. Meg told us all about the drugs she is having and to stop the gabapentin and instead use Paracetomol. She also has antibiotics.

We collected her at 4pm, still very sleepy. Meg told us she hadn’t emptied her bladder even though she had taken her outside and we must get her to do that as she had a lot of fluids while she was having the dental procedure. So we stopped at the picnic field on the way home where she wee’ed and also pooed but her back legs gave way, a good thing I had the forethought to put a huge towel in the car and then cleaned her up when we were home.

We managed to get all the tablets down and a little of her food and then Mal decided to sleep downstairs with her in case she needed to go outside as she had some diarrhea from the anaesthetic.

A work day and I have to say “they” have come up with the most ridiculous instructions for culling the stock but as Jack said, we just do as we are told. To be honest I am considering more than that. As a volunteer I have nothing to lose. I’ll think about it.

We took Ellie to the Eastry Picnic site where she can walk as little or as far as she likes.

She headed towards the second field and then thought better of it  and turned around!

I watched Strictly in the evening. It certainly isn’t what it used to be!  I found catching up with “Sam and Ade go birding” much better!

I went Tesco shopping to ensure that I could get my 8p per litre off fuel voucher!  We had used nearly a tank being away, so well worth it!

It is Margate Restaurant Week the 2nd -6th November, when you are able to book for a 3 course meal for £20.26. We have booked two. The Buoy and Oyster and Quince.   

A short walk for Ellie, these tablets are horrible, making her legs wobbly. We will be very pleased after her dental procedure on Tuesday and she can start healing. So, a quiet day. Mal went to the allotment and returned with French beans and a lot of apples. I have to say when I was in Tesco I struggled to find English apples and I refuse to buy them from New Zealand when orchards are full in the UK.  Sad to say I don’t think the average person even looks to see where “fresh” food comes from.

We watched the Spurs game (v Man U and had a few texts with Oscar as he supports them) 1-1 was the result and I have to say Spurs played better apart from the disgraceful red card.

I cooked prawn and tomato linguine using some of the mass of tomatoes from the garden and garlic from the allotment.