The Reese Report

Most of his adult life Reese has lived with this strange skin condition that keeps returning - its never been properly diagnosed just treat so its under control. When it flares up - as it did last week - and there's a spot he can reach he'll chew or scratch it until it bleeds and of course spreads. He really did a number on his right flank in the past two days - so this morning off to Dr Benvenuti we went. I carried Mr Reese the 8 blocks to the vet's with a stop along the way to be petted by two older women - that's Reese they petted not me. A few shots, three pills - that now makes 5 pills he's taking each day, I tell you it is like looking after an old relative - and an Elizabethan collar things should get better.



The shots he tolerates and since the pills are served in a piece of poached chicken they are fine but the collar.... what the hell is that about? The look he gave poor Walter, the vet's assistant, as he put it on him was enough to damn the poor man for eternity. He is now walking around the house bumping into things and most upset that he can't burrow into his blankets the way he normally does. I, of course, feel like the absolute worst dog owner in the world and picking up on this he is doing everything he can to make me feel worse. No kisses for me tonight!


21 novembre - Presentazione di B. V.

The Reese Report

Well tonight is Dr. Benvenuti's assessment of the situation with Reese: from our point of view he is certainly better than when we took him to the Clinic or brought him home for that matter. He is walking a bit - though if he stands in one spot for more than a minute his back end slowly sinks to the ground. When he sits the one back leg is often in an unnatural position. He is eating - though only chicken, hamburger or slightly cooked vegetables. He is still drinking copious amounts of water which are then recycle - occasionally on the kitchen hallway floor or carpet. He spends a good deal of his time sleeping. He has definitely lost that puppy look and just looks like an old boy now. And he resolutely refuses to give me a kiss!

Went for a caffeine fix yesterday morning with my friend John, another dip-spouse, and I'm not sure if it was the two cappuccini, the chocolate corneti or both but we chattered away for almost 2 hours. When the subject turned to Reese, John compared the situation to looking after an elderly relative - and he's right. He's old, he's in failing health and he's part of our family - so we look after him as long and as well as we can.

Having said that I am going to be a bad person tomorrow - please tater forgive me. If I can get the TrenItalia website to accept my credit card - its rejected three perfectly valid ones already - I'm heading up to Parma early tomorrow morning and returning late Sunday morning. Laurent - being the sort of person he is - insists that I should go and that he can get some quality time in with Reese that way. Though it could be he just wants to get rid of me for a day or so.

Of course this is all subject to change depending on tonight's assessment.

26 ottobre - San Evanisto