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Here’s to friends in the now and the forever

July 2, 2017 / tinsch / 14 Comments

I am writing today with so many thoughts, impressions and inspirations in my mind that I find that I am having a hard time putting them all into words. If you have followed this blog you have seen Manni and me going from desperation to hope to thankfulness and you will know that we try our hardest to make every day count, to make every moment last, and to just enjoy as much time together as possible.

The Virginia Tripawds Party was a climax for me. Being able to meet all the warriors who fight alongside of me, who know that they most likely fight in vain in the long run – being able to be around people that have an understanding that nobody else does – was a sort of healing for myself for once. We weren’t complete in Virginia though. Some people were missing that I would have loved to meet in person and of course dogs and cats were missing that will not come back in physical form and that all died a warriors’ death.

Every person on this site is an inspiration. Every animal on this site is loved beyond words. Some are such an inspiration that they themselves and their stories will stay with us forever….

So, after this necessary (for me) foreword: any guesses as to what Manni and I were up to the last couple of days?? 🙂

No? Well, then guess who this is:

This is one person that was a huge inspiration to me and is even now. -More than ever.

Did you guess it?? Did you?? Manni and I got to meet up with Teresa and Eurydice!! Only three of us were there in person, but Eurydice’s present was felt everywhere. I made a secret out of this meet-up because I couldn’t really believe that anyone could really be as brave as this woman and to go and meet another tripawd so soon… you know what I mean.

Eurydice’s travels were such an inspiration to me that to this day I try and do the same for Manni -if on a slightly smaller scale. But then, as Auntie Teresa said: “Manni is TINY!” – so I guess it’s only fitting if our travels are smaller, too. 🙂

It’s all about scale – can you believe it?

Teresa is still taking Eurydice places and I am SO thankful I got to meet this woman on their way! We met up in central Germany, in a tiny village. (oh and for the record: no, Germany does not look like the Sound of Music everywhere. this is a stereotype of a village!! 🙂 )

Not that this will come as a surprise to anyone but we got along fabulously. and we didn’t only talk, laugh, cry, and eat, NOOOOOOO! Saturday came and we were on a mission of course!! What mission? Honestly?? Well, what do you think?? We had to go find us a copy of The Guardian, of course! So we went to the next bigger town, Solingen. It ended like this:

So apparently, a medium-sized town in Germany does not sell the Guardian but only the Solinger Tageblatt! Who’d have thought?? But did we give up?? Of course we didn’t! We did what we always do: we continued traveling. We went to Düsseldorf! That is a huge city so we figured we would definitely get it there…

This is Düsseldorf:

Yes! They found The Guardian! Um, no. Well yes, we did, but the wrong one, from the week before. They always get foreign newpapers a day later. -Apparently newspapers travel, too…

So for once we were unsuccessful, had to go empty-handed and had to resort to the online-version. Both of us vowed to not give up on the quest, though! Of course we did! We’re used to not giving up! 🙂

So we went back to our tiny village and wonderful apartment and that when the traitor deserted me. The What? did What?, are you asking? Well, let me show you…

That was the last I saw of my dog for the night. Sometimes, it seems, our animals have more understanding of things than we do. (I was told the next morning that he even politely asked a couple of times during the night if he could share the bed with Auntie Teresa. Well, at least he showed some manners there…)

Teresa and I parted the next morning. Both of us went back on the road again. But as with all of us here: this will not be a goodbye for ever. We will meet again. Too much binds us all together to lose sight of one another, as all of you know. I am in awe of the strong woman I got to meet and I am thankful for these past days. As I am thankful for all of you!I only wish I could have also met the famous Miss Cow in person and not only in spirit.

I will leave you tonight with an image of the traitor dog. As of tonight he is apparently trying to get a job at the circus…

Have three legs only, but will travel…

We’re famous!! (and very wolfy…)

June 25, 2017 / tinsch / 13 Comments

So the other day the poor dog had to get on the road with me again. We drove for a little more than an hour to the -believe it or not-

Dog Paralympixx! 🙂

We came to represent, of course.

Represent!

I kind of expected a very small gathering of people with handicapped dogs. Instead, there were 30 participants with varying disabilities and what felt like at least around 200 people! The participating dogs had to master an obstacle course (some of the obstacles were sausages…), there were booths with doggy stuff, food stuff, photography, rescue organizations, crafts, you name it, it was there. Quite a big thing, and they even had a TV camera team, two newspapers, and a radio station! Manni and I found our calling, of course.

Since he had been training for his special day for months, it was not a big challenge for us, of course! 🙂

An amazing number of wheelchair dogs were there, too, but we also, for once! got to meet other tripawds and some of them with osteo. It was a fun-filled day, even if some of us had to take breaks from all the excitement…

Manni and I never got behind the scoring system but we ended up in 11th place (out of 30) . Which I thought was great and maybe there were supposed to be 3 wheelchair doggies in the first places, but Manni was so mad he told me he’ll try again next year…

They also had a professional photographer who was rather smitten with Manni’s eyes 🙂 and who did a very good job

This dog is just a little too cute for his own good (and mine). And apparently one of the newspaper writers there thought so too and interviewed us. you can find the interview here:

https://www.rotenburger-rundschau.de/lokales/rotenburg-wuemme/bei-den-paralympixx-fuer-hunde-geht-es-um-spiel-und-spass-von-ann-christin-beims-119490.html

but I’m afraid you’ll have to google-translate it if your German doesn’t happen to be up to par 🙂

And now, while I would usually make this an extra blog post, I have to cram this next topic in here because I just may have to write another blog with a liiiittle suprise at the end of next week. No telling yet though 🙂

Anyway, the other biiig topic: our Embark DNA-test has finally come back!! I find that thing totally exciting. Not only is Manni basically 100% outbred (I didn’t even know that was a word but apparently it’s the opposite of ‘inbred’) and 100% European Village Dog (with a tiny fraction of German Shepherd DNA, Wyatt Ray, watch out 🙂 !), but he tested a 100% free of genetic diseases of any known kind!

Not that this helps any in a cancer situation but it’s still a good feeling, to be honest. If anyone’s bored, here’s our results:

https://embarkvet.com/dog/manni

Or, the reader’s digest version:

The Genetic Age came as a little shock to me, to be honest. I don’t see Manni as almost 80 somehow. Maybe I really should be a little more lenient with his regiment…or maybe not 🙂

So people, that was the news from this part of the world. Watch this space for possible excitement in the days to come…. 🙂

tina

Male-cation. Who needs moms anyway? What are you, a baby??

June 8, 2017 / tinsch / 8 Comments

So mom said I was allowed to take over the blog. Huh. I wonder what’s up with that. Not that I need her permission really. I mean, you know. She said that everything’s been said about her trip and she had nothing left to add. I don’t really know what she means by that but I mean really, who cares? I do believe she talks about her being away. and yes, I did notice. Oh yes I did. Nothing gets past me of course! Or what did you think, huh??

You know, one day, we’re having fun, going places, the next day: bam, she’s gone. But so what. It’s not like I need her. At all.

And there’s always dad. And you know what he said when mom up and left? He said: ok dude, how about a male-cation?? Hey, sure, I said, bring it on!! So off we went in that big version of the Royal Carriage. Dad calls it RV, which is really stupid because shouldn’t it be RC?? Oh well, hoomans. Or fridge-openers, whatever you prefer. Anyway, he spent half a day packing my stuff and off we went. Showing mom that nobody needs her to have fun!!

guys just want to have fun!

male-cation!

It was a really hot weekend and me dad decided that we should cool off and that meant we only went to places that had a lake. Not that I swim. I mean really, Royalty bathes, right??

See the guy in the background? what does he think he’s doing??

So we sent mom these pictures to wherever she was to show her that nobody needs her to have fun! Ha!

And guess what: she sent us these back:

I mean, really?? No idea where that is and who caaaaaares!! If she thinks being with other dogs is more important than being with me I say FINE! Have at it! phhhew.

As you can see, dad and I had tons of fun although I have to say it gets pretty exhausting this life on the road.

So we were gone a few days and then all of a sudden dad said: ok, you’re off to grandma’s!

Hello?? what in the world? I mean, grandma is cool and at least I get to have some peace and quiet there, she takes me to see the neighbors who have a cupboard with goodies in the kitchen and they never close the door so I can get in there better and get me some butter and other good stuff! Those are really nice people that know just how to behave! What grandma doesn’t quite understand yet is that there is no point in walking any other way than the direct route to the neighbors. But I’ve been teaching her by just simply refusing to go anywhere else and just sitting down until she gets it.

so after three nights at grandma’s house all of a sudden, I think, do I see something??

That’s me mom!!! Mom’s back!! Mom’s back!! I get reeeeaaaally excited for about ten seconds before I remember to pout. I can have fun without her and it really is just not ok to just up and leave. and meet other dogs without me. And tell my life-story to people without me holding court. I’ll show her. There you have it.

However, mom does seem a little more relaxed than before her disappearance. If you ask me she has a tendency to get a little high-strung. Or anxious. I mean, she could just take my cues, really, and act a bit more appropriate around me, as would be fitting for my court. So maybe that trip she went on was a tutorial? “How to behave around dog royalty”, or something like that? Hey, you know, if that’s the case: I’m all for it!

So right the next day she was set on showing me a good time. Not that I need to be shown, mind you, I know very well how to do that. But she went to get the Mannimobile (or little Royal Carriage) and we went to get ice cream! Yay!! If I always get ice cream when she was away, hey! Go! Do it!

and not a day later, they packed up all my stuff again and we took the RC and went to a party at my dad’s brother’s house on the other side of town. I am sure they threw this party for me (who else, really), and they were probably trying to be thoughtful when they also invited a Jack-Russell-Terrier lady for me to have company but they could have chosen someone with a little less energy. Boy, those youngsters get annoying. Seriously! My only way of escaping was getting onto the kids’ trampoline! Ha! That annoying little thing had no way to get on there with me guarding the entrance! So I finally found me a quiet spot. I am so clever sometimes, I amaze myself.

From the party we went off again to spend a night somewhere else yet. Apparently that’s what the RV (RC, tomatoes, tomahtoes…) is meant for, not that I agree. However, the folks finally pimped that one too, to let everyone know to make way for this Royal Highness:

Cool, huh?

We went to a lake again, I had the Mannimobile to relax some (and dry off) and it was pretty nice to be able to be outdoors all the time

It is kind of exhausting at the same time though. And when I get tired I sometimes forget that I’m all grown up, independent and basically cool as can be and then I really just want to have some physical contact with my mom. I have to be close to her and touch her. No cuddling, mind you! And don’t tell anyone of this little weakness of mine or else!!

So when we finally, finally went home again I am sure you can understand that I was reaaaaally tired and let the folks do all the unpacking. I mean, jesters are really for my amusement but they do come in handy in other situations,too.

I am right there!

And when everything was done and I had the first part of my beauty-sleep my mom said that other people also talked a lot about me on her trip. I looked at her and again I thought that sometimes she’s a little daft. I love her, I really do, but I mean: why wouldn’t they be talking about me, huh?? She also said those people were so kind that they got me presents! What? and she only takes those out now?? Are you kidding?? I immediately started playing with it, it was so cool! But I got tired again really quickly, which is to be excused as I am sure you know. Thank you so much, unknown people! That was very kind of you! I love it!

We are not medium!!

May 15, 2017 / tinsch / 10 Comments

This will be a short post for once.

We went to the clinic to get x-rays on Friday. We are now 16 months post amp and back then we were told that the median survival with amp and chemo would be 15-18 months. So, being me, I went in prepared for the worst.

I come prepared!

I expected mets, so I thought I’d inform myself of all recent advances and brought a lot of print-outs to be able to discuss this with the vet.

I am blogging today, though, to give hope to people who are just facing the diagnosis, or the surgery, or the aftermath. It came as a total surprise to me, but:

WE ARE METS-FREE!!!! STILL!!!!

There is hope, people. I would never say that we are cured. And if Manni lived another ten years it would still not be enough. But we have made it this far!!

This is our celebratory picture:

Ice cream celebration!

For everyone starting this journey, I made a little video of the first 12 or so months of Manni’s journey, really mainly to show how his motion got better, how much practice and balance it took to finally get to his 3/4 waltz tact. It’s a little long but it shows the difference from the first weeks to a year later pretty well.

As you can imagine, we’re pretty happy right now and are enjoying life.

Love and hugs from over here,

tina & Waltzing Mathilda

Where is Waldo? (Manni, I mean Manni)

April 24, 2017 / tinsch / 19 Comments

Lend me your ear, would ya?

Life has been busy and so have we. Creating memories that last a few lifetimes is starting to get stressful – if you ask the dog, that is.

As you can see we officially started Beach Season, albeit it being just a liiiittle too chilly for human-no-fur-me. Manni thought it was just right.

But the right kind of provisions make for a nice afternoon and the satisfied yawning at the end of the day is worth a couple of very cold hands and ears 🙂

where’s my pig ear??

tihihired

So the next day was preeeeeetty exciting, too. Because we went to Grandma’s house! and amidst all the big a-do there…. I lost Waldo.

I mean Manni. Really. I did mean to say Manni. But you know where I’m coming from when you see where I found WaManni. If you can find him too, that is… apparently he was reaaally tired (still) and found himself a place to sleep. He could have told me, at least. But nooooooo…

I don’t know no Waldo.

After that much excitement we took a little pit-stop at our favorite Manni-Court-Appointed rehab/physio place. Massages: booooooo, says Manni. Exercises: Yaaayy!!

I ain’t missin’ nuttin’!

And then, and then, we took excitement to new heights and got a Manni-Mobile to better be able to transport the Royal Carriage. And to go places far and wide. World, watch out. We’re officially on the road now!! (well, you know, on weekends, if work permits and it’s not too cold …)