Hapi's death was pre-scheduled. I was invited on a 4-day kayaking trip and I knew I couldn't take her with me or leave her with anyone else and I badly wanted to go. She was enormously slowed down, sleeping a lot and moving very slowly for short walks. But she did like her soaks in the Reservoir pond on good days. Her long fur and the pond water and her age made for a very stinky dog but I didn't care about that since I knew her days were numbered. So one day I scheduled euthanasia at the vet's, giving myself about 10 days to recover before going kayaking.
Best laid plans, eh?
I took her in on Friday afternoon, and the city went into lockdown. Covid case numbers continued to rise and people were foolish, so by Sunday the new premier was furious and locked down the entire province. Kayak trip cancelled, everything cancelled. On Monday we had the highest case count ever, but numbers are starting to drop now (still well above first wave numbers though). With many elders—especially those in long term care facilities—vaccinated, the pandemic is largely amonst younger folk. I got my first vaccination two weeks ago which gives me partial protection, but far from perfect.
I go back and forth between: I just killed my dog for nothing, and, don't second guess yourself it was going to happen soon anyway. I've been resorting to puppy porn to take my mind off it.
Yesterday I was invited to 'bubble' with good friends, a couple living in my town. Their dog died last fall and this weekend just before the province-wide lockdown they went down to the South Shore and got themselves a very cute collie-cross puppy. Yesterday I went over and sat in their back yard to meet their new pup, as yet unnamed. Extremely cute. Then my friend drove with me to another nearby town to drop off my car for brake work.
This morning I woke up sick. I was very tired yesterday but didn't think anything of it, but now I know it was the preliminary phase of something upper respiratory. I'm guessing just a cold but scheduled a Covid test for this afternoon. Called the garage to say I wouldn't be picking up my car until I knew I was in the clear, and told my friend to keep an eye out for symptoms. Cancelled tomorrow's dental appointment.
So many people are getting tested here now—highest testing rate in the country—that negative results are somewhat delayed, but I assume they get back to you ASAP if you're positive. The military have been called in to assist with testing. Today another friend called asking if I wanted to 'bubble' with them, but I am already in a bubble and my status at the moment is unknown. My friend said, "Oh well, see you in another life."
The lockdown is considered a circuit breaker so it could be over in less than two weeks, it just depends on the numbers. Nova Scotians can be as foolish as anyone else, but in a crunch we pull together. This is a crunch.
2 comments:
It was time Annie, and sooner is better than later. I share your grief and second-guessing. Ansa rallied on the day BEFORE, like a puppy, but I remembered the shitty awful times with her when I would cry trying to pick her up, she was so heavy, after she had splayed on the wooden floors and just holding her when her hip gave out and she was yelping in pain. It's so hard.
The Covidiots cause death and grief and rage. A friend in NS sent me a pic of a driveway near her with a party of at least 50 in full swing. Maskless. She called the cops.
Just takes the 1.
XO
WWW
People can be careless. But what really did us in was not the students celebrating the end of the school year but the Ontario people quietly moving into our hot little real estate market and not quarantining properly. They wanted to see friends and family before the quarantine period was over and we all paid the price for that little but serious lapse. There were students partying over the weekend in my area too, they always do that and this time the police came down hard on them. Many of them, both party animals and the majority quiet responsible types, are now in the position of having to move during lockdown, which is problematic and scary.
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