06/06/2026
Veterinary medicine is full of ups and downs. This week has been especially extreme.
At the start of the week I lost a dear friend and mentor, Neil Frame. The next day, I was excitedly welcoming 2 new puppies, rejoycing with their owners and excited for their future. Then I had a home visit to say goodbye to Mr H, who has been our patient since day 1 of opening. We also had several emergencies, which are always exciting and satisfying but at the same time require extra focus and attention - with added pressure, risk and time coordination. We also had some poorly staff pets, one of whom we helped cross the rainbow bridge. I'm so proud of the dedication and empathy our team show to clients every day, it's really tough to see them go through the same heartbreak with one of their own pets.
Grief is a tricky thing. Neil and his wife Rona are affectionately called my "other parents" by my own mum and dad. They've been an incredible support professionally and personally for 20 years. Neil helped shape the vet I am today. I think about him and mention him frequently to colleagues, students and clients, and of course will continue to do so. They are also the parents of one of my closest friends. Losing Neil so suddenly has brought a rapid mix of emotions - intense sadness, admiration at his incredible life and legacy, and guilt that I am feeling so affected when my friend has lost her dad, with a niggling feeling that somehow grief "belongs" to some more than others. This is, of course, not true - but logic doesn't rule emotion here.
Mr H deserves a special mention too. He was such a happy dog with great zest for life, and remained fit and active and SO happy to visit the practice until his final days. He was a prime example of everything we set out to achieve with TWC - the value of a multidisciplinary team, treating the whole dog, and placing value on improving the quality of their golden years. He died surrounded by love, with a belly full of fish & chips. I enjoyed hearing about his naughty days as a youngster, with recall depending solely on a crinkled Greggs bag!
Here is to many more roller-coaster weeks in our future. Thanks for sharing the journey with us!
