Cardiff's First Beach Outing of 2010

The beaches of Malibu are one of my favorite places in southern California (or anywhere in the US). California beaches hold a special meaning for both my dad and I, as we never had such accessibility to the ocean until we moved to Los Angeles in March 2006. I previously wrote of my Christmas outing to Malibu, as it was my first opportunity to exercise in my latest Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) occurrence. The better I feel, the more active I can be at the beach. Although, unlike most sporty dogs, wading into the cold, Pacific ocean does not amuse me. Getting my feet wet is fine, but my interests are better served by running along the waters’ edge and barking at the waves. Along our beach walks, I often encounter other dogs and people that either live at or frequent the beaches in Malibu. Today, I met a dog adorned with an Elizabethan collar (lampshade) reminiscent of the one I had to wear when I suffered from skin issues during my last IMHA recurrence. We got to walk for a short time on the beach before he sauntered back up to his beachside deck. What a luxury to be able to walk out of his house and down onto the beach! I hope that I get to live like him someday; having the house on the beach (not having to wear a lampshade). I also encountered a senior Labrador Retriever who was enthusiastically playing with a stick. He and I briefly played tug of war; I let him win and he bounded way with his stick. His mom told my dad that acupuncture was used as part of his health maintenance plan. He and I have something in common to, as my dad combats my over exuberant immune system with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). I got great news today! My ability to pursue more vigorous activity is resulting from my increased red blood cell (RBC) level. My current RBC level is now even higher than after I had my blood transfusion. I am officially on the way to as full of a recovery as one can expect for a dog in my situation. Soon, I will be sprinting on the beach, playing tug of war with my dog friends, and doing my normal Cardiff activities.