H&C

9
Aug
2010

6 Comments

A personal tragedy, but the show goes on

Howard has taken comfort in his dogs during a terrible week

“I'm writing this blog from a hospital canteen on a Friday evening. I’m reflecting on one of the toughest weeks of my life to date after my beautiful 17-year-old son had a dreadful quad bike accident on Monday afternoon; he sustained a serious head injury that could change his whole life. Unfortunately, I am not the only parent in the world that is, has or will have endure the terror that you feel the first time you see your child in an intensive care unit. As horrific as this is, it will still not toughen or steel you for the sickening despair that creeps into you as the medical staff discuss the potential problems that might develop.

A blog to distract me

Why am I telling you this stuff? Right now I’m in two minds as to whether it is appropriate or self indulgent. Whether it’s right or wrong to discuss my personal life in public, I’m not entirely sure but it does momentarily distract me and I do get to write about my favourite subject: Gundogs!

Stating the obvious my dogs have no idea about what’s going on in my life, thank goodness, their excitement, energy, enthusiasm and the very fact that they need and have to be fed, exercised, worked and looked after is proving to be a superb distraction. Sitting at Charlie’s bedside leaves me cold and every minute that I sit there seems to lower my stiff upper lip. Fortunately one of my great friends and fellow gundog trainers is one of the senior neuro surgeons here at the hospital and she had the courage to invite me into her office for a chat, so we discussed spaniels, labradors and this years rapidly approaching shooting season. She also said that if I felt it appropriate I should not worry about what other people might think and not feel guilty about going to work and not being at the bedside all of the time. I know that some people will be disgusted that I have chosen to work a short day and visit Charlie during the afternoon and evening but it’s what I’m doing and for the short term, I think it’s the right thing under the circumstances.

Just what the doctor ordered

I have had the privilege of working with some amazing people and their dogs this week, one training group had a red setter in it. They are a breed that you don’t see an awful lot of these days but this fella was something special - power, grace, sensitivity and a retrieve that would compete with the best of the specialist retrievers. His lady handler is a credit to the world of gundog trainers and I will watch his development with excitement.

Tomorrow morning we go to the Wiltshire Game Fair at Bowood, it’s a local one for us which has worked out brilliantly as I will need to be able to get to see Charlie. The weather forecast for the weekend is great - cloudy, not too hot, so perfect for the dogs. Two days of total absorption in gundogs and the people that are crazy about them. Perfect, exactly what the doctor ordered!”