Pigs!

After losing some pigs again this year (Kibou, Miles and Phoenix all passed away suddenly from a mystery illness which I still can't work out what it was) I adopted some new young guinea pigs as company for Tenzou, who is going to be 3 this year. I love adopting guinea pigs and I love watching as their little characters start to show, I have never met 2 pigs with the same personality and they are such loving, wonderful creatures.  I love my guinea pigs. They don't make my asthma bad and they give me the unconditional love I need sometimes. It sounds silly but at some of my lowest ebbs, my pigs have really helped me with a snuggle, a few "piggie-kisses" and a nuzzle. It makes you want to keep fighting every day and makes you want to win.

Bumble

To introduce the first new pig, Bumble. Bumble is the most laid back little creature I have ever met, when I went to get them, I was holding him for some time before he nuzzled right up to me and started to lick me. I knew then that he had to become one of the family and has since done it again, and laid happily in my arms. Bumble is funny because he hides in the box and lets us pick him up with it. Unfortunately, hes a mini-pig now but the thing with pigs is that they do grow to about 4x the size of the babies right now! Right now, hes content though in following Tenzou around.

Tigger

The second new pig, Tigger really reminds me of Daj (rest his soul) in the way that hes a bossy boy at times and seems to be the one who wants to squeak the most. Holding him, he likes to nuzzle necks and hide in any flap of fabric! Hes a friendly boy and likes to explore things so I am probably going to have to "guinea proof" again! He is a cuddler and earlier while the cages were being done, he sat there in my lap, being cuddled and fussed, but hes a fast runner and sometimes doesn't like to be picked up. Out of all of them, hes the only one who has sniffed at my tubing and even considered biting it!

Scruff

 Then last but not least is little Scruff. When I first laid eyes on Scruff, he reminded me so much of Zell, who was a shorter haired version. Hes a nutty little thing and he likes running around and sitting on Tenzou (so it kind of looks like Tenzou has this white toupee!) but doesn't like being brushed, which as he is a longer haired pig, he will need to be brushed daily. Like all Abyssians I have known, Scruff is a vocal guinea pig and true to form, he will squeak loudly at anything.  I will probably have to watch this little one as he grows up!

I had one of the days where I wanted to push myself a bit and clear up my mess in the living room (mainly medication boxes) and even though it wore me down and I was having to neb afterwards to get my lungs to co-operate, I felt great because I was able to keep going and I saw something through from start to finish. I've not been able to do that in so long because of my breathlessness. Heck there were times where I would start doing something and then get distracted and you could follow the trail of things I had been trying to do! I am still adapting to my new way of life. I think the hard bit has been remembering that where I go, my bag needs to come too, I tried to walk off without it a few times! That must have been funny to watch!

I like to think that I am an optimistic person. I've been through so many things and overcome them, heck I have had people throwing nasty comments and accusations my way (who hasn't?) but I have kept going because I held on to the simple truth. I know what is what. I know my conditions and I know the effect they have on me. No one has the right to judge me or say anything because they haven't walked a mile in my shoes. Only a number of people know what brittle asthma is like and that number is nearly nothing compared to the people who don't. I always say to people that unless you can say you have experienced what I have, then you can't look down your nose at me. There are self-righteous people out there who will only ever see the world their way (despite what anyone else says) and there are people out there who will make nasty comments because they feel it's their right to do so. I don't let them get to me. They have no bearing on what my life is or how I live it. 

Loves
Wendy xx