Tags
Animals, Blessings, Blind, Blindness, Disability, Diversity, Dog, Drama King, Equality, Guide Dog, Hidden Disability, Sight Loss, Visual Impairement, Working Dog
You may be mistaken in thinking that Munch is modelling a modern day poor quality ruff around his woeful pleading face, but to the trained fellow guardians of our furry friends,they will know it is the cone of shame. Since our partnership, this is his third bout of humiliation of wearing such an undignified device, but needs must. Tough love is sometimes the only true love.
Munch recently had an operation to remove one of his many fatty lumps that are dotted around his body. Luckily, it was a harmless (but huuuge) lipoma that needed no further action. The blubbery beast had appeared a couple of years ago, but had exploded in size over the last few months. As it was located on his chest not far from where his harness sat, it was decided to remove it and check out what it was. The cone of shame (to protect him from licking his wound) made him be in a constant state of reversing, colliding, and falling. Thankfully, his bumper car like behaviours only lasted a few days until his wound had healed.
Any animal undergoing surgery is a worry, with issues such as recovery times and care needs, considerations, important to the recovery process. With Guide Dogs, life is a little more complex. From operations having to be approved from the charity themselves to figuring out how to get around by yourself whilst they are on rest, life gets a little tricky. Knowing that I would still be expected to work even when Munch was off sick, brought about the dreaded dilemmas disabled people face when their ‘mobility aids’ are not available.
Just to reassure you all, Munch bounced back after his surgery quicker than anyone expected. When we picked him up after surgery, he dragged the poor veterinary nurse behind him as he ran up to give me a cwtch, and a noisy bark filled row for daring to leave him. Once the smoke coming from the nurses heels died down, and Munch had semi forgiven me, he was chauffeured home to a life of pampering where nothing but adoration waited for him. Get well soon cards, gifts, and a 24/7 personal pampering team greeted him. Since the operation, he has been far more energetic , resembling a pup more than his nearing retirement self.
As he sat at home being fanned down and fed possibly a little too many treats, I was in school repeating myself multiple times when questioned , where Munch was. Surprisingly, my white cane just doesn’t seem to have the same effect on people as Munch does. Getting around with a white cane is easier when I am with someone as navigating cluttered school corridors with pupils whooshing by is not an easy task at all. Being “the one with the dog” without the actual dog, is never an easy one to explain to others. Questions layered on top of questions fill the day. From “when will he be back in school” to “can you get white canes that you can control like robots????”, no question is forbidden from the sighted souls that filled my blurry world.
Having this snippet into what life will be like when Munch retires is not the easiest feeling to welcome, but will be a reality far sooner than I want it to be. Life pre Munch was tougher than I ever wanted to admit. A blessing I have, though, is knowing that even when he retires within the next 2 years, I have a personal pampering team within my family that will look after Lord Munch to the highest of standards.
Now that he is back in harness sashaying with sass, it may be possible that he is just a little bit more demanding and commanding than before. The operation has allowed him to bounce back better than before and allow his true colours to infect all those he comes in contact with.