Turner Bear's Treatment - Part Two

Hello Everyone - Cy Bear being allowed to take over the story of Turner Bear's return to full, smart health.  In the interim, since Isobel took you up to and including his wash and dry-out, we've been joined by two Barn Owl Cuddlies.  One being a replacement for Ben Barn Owl  (who will be re-listed later) and the other being an order placed by a Family Friend from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - who will be on his way early this week.  Doubtless, their production process will form part of a future post - but in the meantime, let's get back to Turner Bear.

Once Isobel had collected all his pieces together from the clothes airer, it was a question of tacking them on to the new coat pieces.  When that part of the treatment was finished, they looked like this:

Each time we have a Bear in for treatment, Isobel seems to find a better way to put them back together again.  This time, she decided, once she had tacked all his old pieces on to the new ones, she would stuff the limbs from the bottom, as opposed to the top.  She also put in the joint discs too.  It worked out much easier this time around, and adding the new beige paw pads was easier this time around as well.  The next stage was to put in Turner's new eyes (his old ones had been buttons, rather than the more modern plastic safety backed ones now on the market).

Once these were in place, the old eyes were put into a plastic bag together with all the old cotter pin joints, and original ears (which were slightly smaller than his new ones and would have looked out of place if they had been attached to this new heard).  We keep all the old pieces to give back to our Patients' Forever Friends - in case they want to keep them.  In Turner's case, MrsJS decided to take them home with her, but didn't think she'd be keeping them for too long: probably, just so she could show them to her family.  

There's just one more picture to be included:  it's one of Turner's original paw pads.  In close-up, you can see just how small the seam was.  As Isobel said in our previous post, it's something of a miracle that he lasted as long as he did - and a tribute to the strength of the original mohair fabric with which he was made.  This paw pad was in some sort of felt material, which was much thicker than the felt now available.

Once the eyes were in, Isobel then proceeded to stuff each limb and once it was sewn up they were placed on his body.  The head went on first - and was quite a struggle to fit because the new material's pile did seem to be thicker than the neck joint's pillar length.  Eventually, Isobel succeeded and then it was relatively plain sailing until Turner looked like this.

As you can see - this is the first picture we've been able to take outside this year.  Isobel took advantage of some Spring sunshine, and took this and a few more just to celebrate - both the completion of Turner's treatment, and also the fact that the awfully long winter seems finally to be retreating and summer may not now be too long in its arrival.  

And just one more - one of our farewell photographs in which I like to be present.  Turner and I got to know each other quite well while he was with us - as he did seem to be unhappy with only one ear.  So, I tried to comfort him by having him sit next to me on Isobel's bed each day.

As Turner used to look without his ear

As he looked when he went home with his Forever Friend, MrsJS  last week.  It's been great knowing him, and I hope he'll enjoy life getting to know his Family.

Good night and good bye for the time being.  Cy Bear.