You’ve got to have heart

 
 
Yesterday we had a bit of a scare. First Dog Daisy awoke to strangling cough and rapid breathing. Having worked in my youth for a great veterinarian for nine years and having spent two years in a pre-vet program, I diagnosed it as a heart problem. Also in 2008 I had two heart attacks and stents installed so I knew how she felt.

We headed over to Cullman, AL where Dr. Bruce Lee, a member of our yacht club, has a hospital. He has a fantastic bedside manner and confirmed my diagnosis. She had fluid on the lungs and an elevated heartbeat which is typical of congestive heart failure. The good news is that we caught it quickly and it can be medicated. So now she is spending a lot of time in her bedroom resting and seems to be getting better already. A close call. The bad news is she is taking lasix which is a diuretic and has to go to the shore more often as she rids herself of the fluids. 

Daisy was most afraid she was going to be left behind and miss seeing an alligator. Trust me we would cancel the trip before we would leave her at her advanced age.

Today the boat waxers came to put a nice shine on Cbay for our trip. She shines like a new penny now. I cannot wait to see her out in the sunshine as we are in a covered slip right now. Just as they were finishing up they moved the boat in the slip and forgot a pressurized waterline was connected to the boat. Bang! It broke the fitting at the boat and water was shooting out. So typical of any project we do. I was able to take what was left of the fitting off and plug the line so now we are operating off the onboard water tank until a part can be shipped in by UPS. The head waxer, Mr. David Rowan, not only agreed to pay for the part but also offered to pay me for my labor. Now that is customer service making it right. I jokingly told him he could not afford my hourly rates. I enjoy such projects as they always teach me more about the boat but this sure came at a poor time. Good thing it is only a couple of hours work.