Mr Custard on becoming a legend and avoiding the paparazzi

No Mr Custard's (aka as Maverick) head hasn't really turned into a carrot after eating too many!

I love this picture. It was taken a few weeks ago as I feel this sums up Maverick's attitude towards his illness. 

No-one passing us on the beach that day would ever know how seriously ill he is. This is a traffic cone that was washed up on the beach and one of his favourite ever long standing 'toys', he can spend hours flicking it on his head and then running about with it appearing headless.  He truly is a beach dog and although we live in middle England we try to get to the beach every now and then so Maverick can enjoy himself to his hearts delight.  Up until his cancer took hold and affected the strength in his leg, he used to run through the waves out to sea, pick a suitable incoming wave and body surf back to the beach and then start the whole process again.  

He seems to understand his own limitations now and will only paddle - we also have him on a long lead just in case.
The fun we had that day also made me reflect on my own attitude and outlook for Maverick. I realised that we can all be guilty of spending too much time focusing on the negatives(the worry of the cancer and the 'what-if's' that inevitably accompany it).  Precious time is wasted on these negative thoughts.  

I spent five months worrying endlessly whether each day would be his last and what I would find each morning on rising instead of celebrating and enjoying every day that he survived past his life expectancy.  Its not easy to do this but I try really hard now to take each as it comes just as Maverick undoubtedly does.  I don't imagine that he wonders how he will be tomorrow or that day after that, he just enjoys the day for what it is, nice bit of food, two walks, meet and greet his friends and cuddles in the evening.  Maybe that's a lesson for us all - enjoy the here and now. 

I feel so grateful for the extra time that the CV247 has given Maverick.
I was very hesitant about starting the blog as I felt a sense of responsibility towards providing a happy ending and worried that if Maverick only had his treatment for a couple of months and then passed away we would somehow of 'failed'.  His journey has made me realise there will never be a happy ending as he will inevitably pass away at some stage whether it's from the cancer or old age and the blog is really about his and our trials and tribulations if anything.  

Someone once told us on our local walk that Maverick was a 'legend' (I'm not sure this was particularly complimentary at that stage) however even if one person reading this tried CV247 and had some extra quality time with their dog then he would have truly succeeded in becoming a legend.
Kathryn

Read Mr Custard's first blog by clicking here.