We can safely call this house a senior’s residence. Human, beast and fowl – we are all up there in age, and I am steeling myself for what is coming; the inevitable.
Mommy, my oldest beast, is already 11. She is deaf, starting cataracts, and has a bit of dementia. Her back end gives out often enough too. She no longer can jump up to share the bed at night and refuses to use the stairs installed for that purpose. Many nights she will come into my room and whine, louder and louder until I rise and stroke her and talk with her for a bit. I believe it is more because she feels lost and needs reassurance because then she’ll go to her comfy crate and fall to sleep. She actually sleeps most of the time.
12 years is the life expectancy for their breed of dog, and both Sam and Elie will turn 9 this summer. Sam had surgery for cancer when he was younger, and there was also the operation for intestinal blockage. Sam and I will be heading to the vet this morning. He has been vomiting and choking too often in the past weeks, drinking much more than usual, and is somewhat lethargic too. I’m worried.
Ellie however is still rock and roll! She has always been a high energy pup, and it hasn’t seemed to diminish with age. She too had surgery for blockage, and suffers from an abnormal esophagus so can occasionally show slight stomach pain after meals. It is nothing serious yet though, thankfully!
The mouthy parrot, Pistache, and I were at the avian vet two weeks ago. They were sad to tell me that she is older than we thought (she was also a rescue and we never did get her exact age) and her heart has started giving out. She has been much quieter and cuddlier lately, so I knew something was not right. Where before she would grab a treat (she loves dried papaya), I now need to break it into little pieces that will fit her beak, then hand feed them to her one by one, or she will not take it.
And the humans? There is a mix of gout, arthritis, COPD, cataracts, reduction of strength and energy and reaction – all a part of the aging process. I am happy to add there is an increase in patience, wisdom, humor, appreciation, love and ‘mellowing out’. The feathered and fur bearing part of the family can attest to that, as can the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and the many friends.
And, of course, there is always the huge, warm SMILES. Some of those are on their way to y’all now.
LUV FROM THE BUSH IN QUEBEC
Tales from the Bush in Quebec 