This Christmas has been harder than most for me. My beloved Thumbelina herniated a disk in her back and had to have an emergency surgery with a specialist neurologist just before christmas and is in recovery now. She lost the use of her back legs but they are coming back now and she is walking around. Nothing happened to her to cause the injury, she didn’t have an accident or impact as far as we know.

Thumbelina is my first dog. She was born in a litter of puppies from my parents dogs, so I have known her her whole life. I chose her as a puppy because she was so calm and gentle. She would sit on her own in the back of the puppy basket. She has been the most loyal and loving companion I could have dreamt of. Working for myself, she spends almost everyday, all day with me. She is a happy, affectionate and clever dog. Always wanting to please and sit on my lap. I missed her most painfully while she was at the vet and have worried myself sick about her, but having her back now and focusing on her recovering is the best way to use my energy. We do physio three or four times a day together and she is on medication still. I originally wrote a much more emotional post here while it was all going on, but in the end I didn’t publish it.

I decided to share my experience now (even though it’s not my style normally to get emotional) because I know that the holidays can be hard for everyone sometimes and I wanted to send anyone who is suffering a message of camaraderie and solidarity. If you have struggled, if you’re only just coping, I am thinking of you.  I am with you.  Life isn’t ever perfect, but I think it is cyclical and it will be ok in the end. In the meantime, you have a sympathetic friend in me. My inbox is always open, even if I cant help, I can listen.