Caring for Skylar

I am currently staying with one ordained human - Ani Alyce Louise - and her three animal friends - Skylar (Lhasa Apso), Zoe (Golden Retriever mix) and Norbu - Le Chat (Heniz 55 squared) - all rescues in some way, shape or form. Skylar is the 'top dog' and is 15 years old - and Zoe and Norbu are 7 years old. Skylar was recently diagnosed with cancer so it's off to the vet we go in this blog-post for Skylar's first day of active treatment for cancer. Skylar's Vet is a Nun (Ani) from our community, Dr. Pema Mallu, who along with her colleague Dr Kitty Raichura and there support crew of Julie, Angela, John and Ben, run a wonderful holistic service called Holistic Veterinary Healing in a place called Germantown near an Amish supermarket that has great food!

This veterinary service is remarkable on a number of fronts - the main one being the holistic compassionate care model they operate within which includes 'the whole animal — body, mind, spirit, and emotions — in the quest for optimal health and wellness'. One dimension of this model is the atmosphere. For instance the environment/interior design of the open waiting area felt relaxing and calming including an aquarium. There's also a whiteboard if you have the need for personal expression.  Another dimension of this model of care that I experienced was being present during Skylar's transfusion procedure. In most traditional vets Alyce Louise and I would be in the waiting room. I found it very uplifting to see how Alyce-Louise could be there calming and reassuring Skylar during his procedure - while I was there to support Alyce-Louise when I wasn't taking pictures!

Here are some photos from our visit to Dr Pema for Skylar's first day of active treatment for cancer which includes pictures of Janelle,  Dr Pema's beloved furry crew-member, sporting Fairy Gucci fashion for Valentine's Day.

"I don't want to go to the Vet" look by Skylar.

En-route!

Arriving

Angela - vet assistant - with Skylar - Alyce Louise and Dr Pema.

"Glad that bit's over", says Skylar!

Ben - receptionist/technician - calming presence.

An back home. Phewwwww. I shouldn't leave this blog post without pictures of Zoe and Norbu - Skylar's support crew - although Skylar would argue the toss about whether he would consider Norbu support crew.

Rest in furry peace. Noses are, I believe pointing east - towards the kitchen and food!

Rosa Parks on the Bus

I have been travelling in a fair few of buses while I'm here. The transport system is okay - not as great as Melbourne but better in some degrees. Nevertheless I am extremely grateful that it exists! And more appreciative of the Australian transport system for what it offers. Here it's mainly buses and trains: buses in the burbs' and trains to the city (not taking into account the many generous car rides I've had from my own community here (and it's car rides not lifts here - otherwise they think they have to physically lift you up - which no one has tried to do - thankfully!)

On one of my first buses I was intrigued to find a plaque dedicated to Rosa Parks  'a quiet person of principle' who took a seat on a bus in 1955  and refused to give her seat to a white man. It's the 60th anniversary of this historic act and her plaques are in many of the buses I ride in Montgomery County, Maryland. Rosa's simple, profound and courageous act created a enormous ripple effect started the boycott of Montgomery city buses in Alabama by African Americans eventually leading to the end of segregation on buses and in other public domains in the USA. In short Rosa Parks was a central player in the American civil rights movement. I visited a home recently of a black family and her photo adorns their living room. Lest we forget. Here is a picture of the plaque - some local buses and a metro station and the longest escalator I've ever seen!