Nor'West News: February 28, 2017

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4 Tuesday February 28 2017 Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi NOR’WEST NEWS McMaster & Heap Veterinary practice Miracles do happen…. Misty is a 14 year old Rough Coated Collie ( lassie dog) lovingly owned by my parents. She’s never been a hugely energetic dog but has the gentlest, sweetest nature. She has had the odd health issue and is currently taking ongoing medication for arthritis of multiple joints. She’s not a complainer though and will still slowly walk around my parents farm, her favourite pastime being flushing out rabbits and doing cattle work with my dad. Shes always enjoyed a visit from Lola. Very sadly late last year, Misty was accidentally run over. My devastated parents flew to the clinic where Steve and our nurses immediately took charge. Luckily they live very close. She was remarkably alive and seemed in minimal shock, not like my poor mum and dad. Our nurses were fabulous – it was like triage in a hospital ER room. Whilst she was checked over for shock, bleeding and fractures, the nurses were placing an IV line in her, were pulling bloods to check her internal organs and organizing shock and pain medications. I had to consult as it was a usual busy Saturday clinic. I can tell you its very hard to carry on as normal, when a dog you know and love is at risk of dying and I couldn’t be there to support my mum and dad. I’m very thankful to my husband Steve for arriving when he did and taking full control of the situation. Within 30 minutes of arriving Misty actually looked improved. She wasn’t wanting to stand, but her vital organs were all confirmed fine from her blood tests and her heart and lungs sounded fine. She was on IV fluids and we wanted to give her a little time on fluids before we had to sedate and xray her abdomen, chest and bones. She was an incredible little patient, never whimpering nor complaining once. Miraculously Misty had broken no bones – I was worried her pelvis or worse her lower lumbar spine could have fractured. Misty was discharged later that night into my parents care on a variety of medications to ensure she was pain Open 7 days Cnr Hoon Hay & Coppell place phone 338 2534, Fax 339 8624 e. mcmasterandheap@yahoo.co.nz www.mcmasterheap.co.nz free and comfortable. She certainly wasn’t out of the woods but was better than any of us could have believed. She could walk, just, and was eating and had urinated. Misty continued to improve slowly over the coming days becoming stronger and more mobile but my dad had noticed what looked like crusty scabs under her dense coat. We discovered many of these blackened areas and after shaving her back end it became obvious that a large area of her skin was “dying”, due to vascular ( blood vessel) damage suffered at the time of the accident. Over the next 4 months a massive effort was undertaken by my mum and dad and Misty herself, to help heal these very extensive skin wounds, comparable to what you would see in burns victims. The area of skin that sloughed off initially was about 30cm by 20cm. The wound has had to be cleaned, kept moist and protected by bandaging for the past 4 months. She was monitored 24/7 and kept inside a lot to protect the bandages from slipping. Keeping flies away was also a difficult task. She has been so brave allowing us all to clean and dress it for her but finally the healing is nearly complete. There were times when my mum wasn’t sure we were getting anywhere and whether we were doing the right thing by her. She is an elderly dog and her ongoing care required by my parents was huge. But that aside, I could see Misty wanted to push through and keep going – she wasn’t ready to depart this world. Plus she was so dearly loved by my parents. It also helped that my mum was a registered nurse so could easily cope with large wounds and their care. Give an animal time, have patience and faith and show lots of love and miracles can happen. Every day I thank the higher powers that I am the one chosen to care for all the animals. -Dr Michele McMaster McMaster & Heap Your Local Views Petrol tax for road repairs and the benefits of diversity City councillor Phil Clearwater has his say on the use of petrol tax to help fix the city’s roads and the importance of diversity in the community Many streets and roads in Christchurch still require a lot more work to bring them up to standard. I have always had the view that central Government should be returning some of the tax-take on petrol to help fix Christchurch’s streets. I have never said or supported any proposal to have any additional tax on petrol to help pay for Christchurch’s earthquake recovery. Christchurch people have enough burdens already and I would not support this. I have said that the city has a special case for further Government funding from some of the petrol tax Government already collects. STREETSTOCK STATE OF ORIGIN + WINGLESS mODIFIED ChAmpS & DEmOLITION DERBY! SATURDAY mARCh 4 Th 7pm START Fixing our streets and infrastructure will take more time than people envisaged, but we need to complete this as soon as it is feasible, and some of the present petrol tax could be used to help achieve this. On Waitangi Day at Tuahiwi Marae, our mayor led a citizenship ceremony welcoming new citizens from 17 countries. Recently, the city council signed off our multi-cultural strategy, which aims for Christchurch to be inclusive of our new migrants. Every New Zealand citizen must feel they can call our country their home and feel they belong here. Particularly to help with the rebuild, we have had Beautiful Teeth Meet the Owner Ryan Carlton Natural Smile a large increase in the number of migrants and a significant number live in the suburbs of south Christchurch. The world is divided as to how we treat new migrants, but I believe we must find practical ways to make them feel welcome, as Christchurch needs their skills and they are an important part of our communities. Also, we have to remember that, at some stage in our history, all of our forebears immigrated to New Zealand from overseas. Six years after the earthquakes, Christchurch is really coming alive again and people from many nations will help our city thrive. Here’s to everyone having a great year in Christchurch. Free Consultation, No Obligation • Full Dentures • Dentures Repaired • Implant Assisted Dentures • Injection Moulded Flexible Partials • Relines • Mouthguards • Additions/Repairs • Purchase cleaning and care products from our website. 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NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi Tuesday February 28 2017 5 News Young musician already a master • By Bridget Rutherford ALEXANDRA Watson doesn’t have a favourite instrument to play. She plays five – and she also sings. But the violin will be her instrument of choice at the National Schools’ Symphony Orchestra of Great Britain in July. The 15-year-old St Margaret’s College student will be the only young musician to perform from outside the United Kingdom. “It’s definitely a talking point,” she said. It will be the sixth year she has taken part in the week-long camp of rehearsals and performances for young musicians aged between nine and 19. She auditioned to join at the age of 10 while living in Eastbourne, West Sussex, and has been invited back every year since. She has moved her way up to the senior orchestra, which is for musicians grade eight or above. The orchestra will be conducted by Richard Dickins, director of music at London’s Imperial College – where Alexandra hopes to study one day. “When I leave school I want to study physics and music.” Alexandra started singing and playing the violin when she was two. Since then, she has also taken up the piano, flute, chello and harp – all of which she has reached or is about to reach grade eight in. “I just kept picking them up.” She is also part of a number of choirs and, in her school breaks, studies song writing and theory at Canterbury University. Alexandra has also been selected for a place in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Mentoring Programme with associate concertmaster Donald Armstrong. Music is not her only passion. She also wants to work at NASA. She has attended two space camps in Huntsville, Alabama, and loved them. TALENTED: Alexandra Watson is off to the UK in July to take part in the National Schools’ Symphony Orchestra of Great Britain. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER Alexandra and her parents will head to the UK in July for the orchestra camp at Malvern College and will visit her grandmother during their stay. She said every time she had attended, she had learnt a lot. “It’s the experience of being in such a high-quality orchestra, even though it’s secondary students, everyone is of a high level of playing.” Playground compromise found •From page 1 Friends of Abberley Park group members Maggie Andrews and Patricia Wallace both said the loss of green space didn’t take the versatility of the whole park into consideration. Mrs Wallace said the new proposal is not ideal but she thinks it is as good as they’re going to get. There are some things the group would like more clarification on such as whether the playground will extend past the central park bench. She said it has become hard to get explanations around the finer points of the proposal. Project manager Steven Gray said the new proposal will be put towards the community board before it is finalised. At this stage construction is still set to begin in March. Leaflets were delivered to 1300 residents before city council staff planned the first proposal but Miss Andrews said it was not made clear that this was not a simple upgrade of existing playground equipment but a $150,000 upgrade and extension. Love Singing - Need Tuition? Coaching available for • Singing Tuition • Theory of Music Beginners – Experienced Tuition fees from $35 Be inspired by a Qualified Tutor with over 15 years Tutoring experience Marion Hounsome BA Hons/FVCM Hons 360 2843 or 022 694 6617 HELPING US, HELPS THE COMMUNITY Drop off or buy 2 family stores in your community 30 Main North Rd, Ph 352 4581 520 Cranford St, Ph 352 0515 4 PIECE BEDROOM SUITE ‘PORTLAND’ Includes Queen bed frame, 2x bedside cabinets, 5 drawer tallboy Excludes mattress and linen $ 1899 NZ made furniture Range of colours to choose from Headboard options Other sizes and pieces available Pieces can be sold individually NZ MADE BEDS LOCALLY OWNED 7 OPEN DAYS Open 7 Days Mon - Fri 9 - 5.30pm Sat - Sun 10 - 4pm 242 Ferry Rd Along From Old Ami Stadium | Phone 377 8887 | www.bedworld.co.nz
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Nor'West News: February 28, 2017

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