“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers
The featured image here has been used by the Charity group Degenerative Myelopathy, which was indeed an honour. The image has been turned into a card with a blank verse for most diversity, but although brimming with pride, the idea that one of my images will bring awareness and raise funds for such a misunderstood disease elates my heart.
We rescue our dogs, so as Forest Gump once said “you never know what you are going to get” When we first welcomed Patrick into our lives, he was walking with a slight limp. Initially, we were told it was because of abuse from his previous owners.
Sadly Patrick went onto develop the neurological and progressive disease Degenerative Myelopathy. Dogs are amazingly adaptable to disablement, and if you are willing to adapt with them, you can continue to share your love for a long time from diagnosis.
Within minutes of putting Patrick in his trolley, he was adapting and smiling again. Of course, it can be frustrating and you need dedication. Stephen Hawkins went for many years without people giving up on him, and he never gave up on us.
From protective boots to tending double incontinence can be a challenge, this page is dedicated to all those sacrificing their own quality of life to return that unconditional love.
These images are a testament to the care and love my wife devoted to Patrick through his journey. Photography keeps those memories crisp in our minds, so take plenty of shots of your beautiful animals, you never know how long you have with them.
The pain of ending your pets life when they still continue to smile at you is indescribable. That is the horror of this disease. I still do not fully understand this pain, but facebook groups like Degenerative Myelopathy offer comfort and support.
This image was taken with my Fuji X100S. Taken in Raw and using the macro feature, processed to mono. The image now is framed to A4 size and sits proudly at the top of our stairs. Always use the full resolution image for printing. This image has little or no noise at that size. We think of Patrick every time we walk past. We occasionally light a candle for him and remember him fondly.
For information and to help raise awareness and funds, please go to
http://www.facebook.com/groups/UKDMFUNDRAISERS/
Email: cure4dm.uk@gmail.com
Robert Bannister Photography 