What have I been doing lately? Lots of planning and not much else. I have a long list of projects I want to work on, but my beloved dog Bean Sidhe is making that difficult.
She's elderly (16) and has been deaf for a while. Her eyesight began to fade recently, and now she is nearly blind. She still gets around amazingly well, probably at least partially by memory.
As for me... I'm not getting around very well. In fact, it's rather difficult to move around the house at all because of the dog. She can't hear me, and now that she can barely see me, she has to be very close to me to know where I am. That means if I'm walking, she is right under my feet.
The inconvenience of this is exacerbated by the layout of my house, which has a long, narrow hall with three doors. Bean Sidhe stands in the middle of the doorway to ensure I don't slip past her when I leave the room. There's also a laundry closet with bifold doors, which she inevitably stands in front of. Of course, she can't see or hear the door opening toward her.
I now open all doors verrrry slowly, or sometimes even carry her through doorways so she doesn't hit herself on the door. I always look down when I am walking, and I never wear shoes in the house for fear of accidentally stepping on her.
Here's a little video showing a minute and 44 seconds of what my life is now like.
It's much easier to just be still. So for the last few weeks, Bean Sidhe and I have been spending a lot of time sitting on the sofa or surfing the web gathering project ideas.
You must be a very kind and patient person to take so much care of your dog! Although life for you two might not be easy right now, making her happy is worth it!
ReplyDeleteI admit, she drives me crazy sometimes. ;) But she means the world to me, and a little inconvenience is a small price to pay to make her golden years comfortable. She's such a good dog. :)
DeleteYour dog clearly needs you, she's probably scared of the situation of not seeing a thing and it's a good thing to see you still care for her. It's cruel to permanently lose patience for elderly animals, who are still attached to us, yet they are not as lively as they were before.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I hear Qntal's 'Flamma' in the background :D
My biggest concern with her failing sight is that she will be afraid. So far, she seems to feel pretty safe in the familiar environment of home, though she gets a little anxious when she can't find me. It is cruel indeed to give up on elderly pets, to abandon or dispose of them when they become inconvenient. I think people who do that sort of thing are of the lowest character.
DeleteYes... getting louder and softer as I went in and out of the bedroom. I didn't realize the camera was picking up the sound that well. :)
She appears to be a beautifully natured dog and a real character, who adores being around you, even though it necessaries for her. It's to great to see how loving and patient you are with her, even though it can be frustrating at times,
ReplyDeleteShe has 100 pounds of personality in a 10-pound body. ;) But she is extremely well behaved, really the best dog I could ask for. The situation is frustrating; sometimes all I can think is "Get out from under my feet!" :P But I recognize what things must be like for her. Her affection for me is unconditional; it would be wrong for me to impose conditions on my affection for her.
DeleteShe is so cute, poor little thing! I am glad she has had a long life, they do say the sidhe have long lives, ha ha. Looks like she never wants to let you out of her sight, I guess she finds it comforting to be near you, it must take you a long time to get anywhere with her walking in front!
ReplyDeleteI was going to ask what that lovely song was, but Ra already mentioned it. Looking it up.
It's just the two of us, so I'm all she has, and she wants to be near me whenever I'm home. I've become quite talented at stepping over and around her... though I definitely can't hurry anywhere. :P
DeleteQntal do an awesome combination electro/ethereal/medieval music. You should definitely check them out.
How sweet, yet how sad! You obviously adore each other, and I would probably be doing the same things you are doing for her. I've been sitting here trying to think of some great idea to help you both, but all I could think of is getting a "little red wagon" for her, with a cushion in it, and you pulling it from room to room with you so she didn't have to trot under your feet all the time... but that wouldn't be very practical or helpful, I'm afraid! Perhaps something like a guide dog's harness would work, then you'd be guiding her instead of the other way round. Oh well, not practical either, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI could put wheels on her kennel. ;) I keep thinking I should get one of those Snugli baby carrier things and just strap her to my chest.
DeleteToo bad you can't equip her with a collar with loooooong whisker filaments on the sides, so she could feel the doorways.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha! Indeed. :)
DeletePoor little darling! But how touching that she is so devoted to you (and you to her!). It's truly incredible, the bond we have with these little creatures.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the Snugli. Do it! And definitely film it. :)
She would probably like a Snugli; she loves wrapping up in blankets. Though I'm generally a proponent of treating little dogs like dogs and not like fashion accessories, I used to sometimes carry her in a backpack if the pavement was too hot or she got too tired on a long walk. She seemed to enjoy having her own personal transport service.
DeleteShe's so cute... please send her my love and send me the name of that song and the artist as well :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. The song is "Flamma" by Qntal.
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