Gratitude (TACKiness in Swedish?)...

There are times when being away somewhere new and exciting cannot compete with the feeling of wanting to be at home with loved ones - including Miss Molly!  As I write this I am waiting for the best dog ever (imho), Molly, to start to recover from a bout of old-age vestibular disease.  I got a call yesterday from home telling me that she was in rough shape - throwing up and when she tried to walk she'd just collapse.  My heart was racing and I could think of nothing else but Molly and how much I wished I was no longer in Sweden and instead back home with her!  Added to this was that it has now been a year since we lost my dad so I already had been thinking a lot about him.  I really couldn't bear the thought of losing Molly too. 


A picture of dad and Molly on Mary's Peak, Oregon

Molly is in the loving hands of my family and they whisked her off to the vet and in the end they called me back with GOOD news - that rather than my worst fears instead it appears that this is very much curable and in a couple of weeks she should be back to normal.  Poor Daryl was at the vet's when they started talking about the vestibular disease and he was telling me how he was thinking 'this is exactly what they said dad had at first too - not good' - but luckily Molly's prognosis is much more positive - no progressive supranuclear palsy for her.  So now I am waiting to hear that she is improving, but at least I know that she will improve.  I can't begin to express what a relief it was to get the news that she'll be okay and still has lots of life left in her - I am so grateful :)  If only PSP and other diseases could have that positive outcome too...


Molly came to the field with me to collect samples to take to Sweden :)

I'm grateful to Maja here who were very supportive while I waited for the dreaded phone call that turned out to be a happy phone call - she did a good job of distracting me in the lab :)  I have discovered that the upside of boring repetitive tedious lab work is that it is mindless, and so leaves the opportunity for talking.  I've been having some really great conversations about life and loss of loved ones and appreciating what we have in life and I am very tack-full for my lab-mate friends I have here to talk with :)
It's hard to believe that my dad has been gone a year already.  Recently my mom commented that I was a lot like my dad - he was always wanting to travel the world and didn't want to just stay put in one place (I think my mom is also pretty adventurous so I get it from her too :).  So I think he would have been pleased that I am here in Umea on this journey.  I feel in a way like I am following in his footsteps as he finished up his medical school at University of Leiden, Holland.  Of course I am here for a much shorter time and my days of becoming a Dr. are still a couple years away and unlike him learning Dutch to do his schooling there  - I'm struggling to pick up any Swedish at all and glad that most people speak english to me here :)

Dad did see me become a Master if not a Dr...

Well time to sign off.  Wish I could give Molly a cookie and a belly rub and have her sleep on my bed with me tonight - I'm even missing all of her sheddiness - so clearly I'm missing her a lot :)  But rather than focus on who I'm missing I am focusing on all that I have to be thankful for - as I am very lucky in so many respects (including having the opportunity to be here in Sweden).  A huge thanks to my family for keeping a watchful eye on Molly as she continues to overcome this illness - thanks for always being there :)  And thanks to ALL of the wonderful people in my life for being yourselves and for all the love and support you give me!