Week 20: 'Hair of the dog'
- Jan 18, 2022
- 5 min read
Poor Bear's current post-surgery haircut, normal looking dog from the right view...a new look and bare bum from the left...
Our stops this week:
-Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club site
-Wyatts Covert Caravan and Motorhome Club site
-Home!
Quite a few bits to share and sum up this week!
So, working in reverse order! Thank you to those who have texted and wished Bear good luck for his surgery and asked how he is getting on. Ultimately, we came home so Bear could have his op, which he did on Monday-which is also why there was no blog update yesterday. The surgery went well. Bear is a bit limpy and a bit dopey but doing loads better than after his previous surgery. This op was to have the metal pin taken out of his knee, as the surgeon felt this was why he still had lameness, at times, in the leg. This can evidentially be a problem but is rare...but of course it would be the case for Bear...I'm sure often standing on his two back legs like a Meerkat doesn't help. In February 2021, he had knee surgery for a dislocating knee. This can be a common problem in small dogs. We didn't know quite what to expect but the aftercare needed for this was a shock to our systems...and thank goodness Steve was working from home to co-ordinate and complete Bear's regime of 3 times a day physio, visits to the vets and physio, hydrotherapy, alternated with either a hottie or ice pack at specified times...plus a medication regime!!! This time it was minor surgery with far less post care instructions and no physio.
I suppose the other key piece of information, that has a big impact for us, is that the French have re-opened their borders for UK citizens...yippee!! We were reading a lot about this most likely happening the week before it did, so booked our crossing to ensure we could choose, incase it became really busy and we had limited options. This still feels unreal though and we have been putting plans in place but I don't think we will believe it is real until we actually cross. We are not being pessimistic, it feels more likely to happen now than the other times..but I think this is now the 4th crossing we have booked. The original booking that has been cancelled, refunded and rebooked multiple times was from July 2020! Eurotunnel's flexibility, refunds and support has been brilliant though.
So things that need to be in place for this to happen and have a 'knock on effect' on each other if they don't! Bear's surgery to go ahead on the set date, Bear to be signed off by the surgeon and stitches taken out on the set date, Bear's health certificate to be completed (this has replaced the Pet Passport that existed when we were in the EU) by our vet on the set date- as this has to be completed no more than 10 days before departure (and is twice the cost of a Pet Passport and is only valid for one trip!!!), Steve and I to have negative anti-gen tests 24 hours before crossing and secure a certificate for this... fingers crossed it keeps going to plan.
In the meantime, mainly Steve, is also working on other things to be in place, so we are ready to go: ordering enough dog food for the trip, ensuring we have enough of our medication (not sure if others have the same issue but trying to gain more than a month's medication from our doctors, is not easy. I don't know why they think that medication I have been on for 30 years I am going to suddenly try and sell on the black market!! Let's be honest...I wouldn't even know where to start? ), getting travel insurance, getting Bear's normal flea and worm tablets for more than a month (a lot easier than getting human medication), working out data roaming charges and 'work arounds' for this for when we are away...I'm sorry but I didn't fully listen to the explanation but it involves getting a lot of different SIM cards posted to my parents. (All our post is diverted here-my Aunt posted us a Christmas card not knowing this, the humour being that she lives close to my parents and had seen my mum but my mum opens our post and reads it to us over the phone!).
The other bit to therefore add to this, is that I have started an on-line MA. Which is part of the reason Steve is picking up the other bits (well that an I have no interest in SIM cards!). Around November time, I started to think I was ready to 'enter back' into a bit of normality...but not too much and that my brain was ready to focus a little more. The MA had been part of the original plan but it took until November to feel ready for this. I applied and a university accepted me-which was the first step. So far...its going fairly well. Lots of big new words to look up and my gut feeling to the first piece of reading was 'this man is sooo boring, I would never want to have to sit next to him at dinner' but I think I am 'ticking along'.
The other bits to mention are the campsites! Chertsey was really interesting and I'd like to go back when it is a bit warmer and drier-sorry I know this has been said a lot since November. It is not too far from Chessington...but the rides wouldn't be for Bear!
It is in quite a busy area (not far from the m25) but then also backs straight onto the river Thames and Chertsey weir, with really pretty views and walks. There is also a really nice looking pub over looking the water but again, with Omicron still increasing at this point of the trip, we were avoiding inside places.
Wyatt's Covert was similar in that is was not far from the motorway and had access to a nature reserve and woods just behind the campsite. It also had an airport and flight training centre across the road, walking Bear is extra difficult when he just wants to watch the helicopters take off and land! We tried to cycle to Colne Valley Park but the canal path was too muddy and the roads were really busy, with HS2 building works also taking over a lot of the area.
Nature reserve behind the campsite-we had good weather
So that's us for the moment-focusing on Bear's recovery and meeting his every need! But hopefully we'll be en route to Spain soon...
(Bear will need to be careful with that bum in Spain-could be an awful tan line!)
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