Update on Nina the Rescue: One Year Later
It’s hard to believe a year has already passed since my husband found Nina, abandoned and collapsing in the heat near a petrol station. She was dehydrated, starving, and utterly alone. After baths that revealed her silky black-and-white coat and that unforgettable heart-shaped patch, we began the slow, messy work of mending her body and, I hoped, her spirit.
We gave her food, shelter, vet care and routines 😸 the basic promises we make to every creature we take in. And yet, the wounds that lived inside her were not only physical. Nina carried trauma in the tremble of her paws, the way she cried when left alone, and the sudden, terrified snarls that would leap out from a place we couldn’t see.
I used to think love meant feeding, grooming, and keeping her safe. Those things are vital. But they are only the beginning.
A quiet lesson from my grandmother......
On our recent road trip 😹 when life itself felt fragile and urgent 😺 my grandmother became a teacher without intending to be. She can’t see, and I only realised how much that mattered when I watched her move through the house. Her world is sound, scent and, most importantly, energy. She felt the heaviness and the hurry in rooms where others were tired and scared. In some moments she wanted to give up; in others she radiated stubborn acceptance. What struck me most was how she altered the room simply by being present 😻calm, steady, refusing to let panic take hold.
That was the epiphany. If a woman who has lost her sight can feel the atmosphere in a room and react to it, how much more do the creatures who read us not with eyes but with heart and nerve? Nina wasn’t responding to the bowl or the blanket; she was reading the invisible charge that passed between us. My grandmother felt it. Nina felt it. And for too long I had neglected the one thing that could shift everything: my own energy.
When I changed, she changed
On the drive back from Cape Town, Nina slept👀no barking, no constant whining. When we reached the house, she climbed onto the bed and I noticed something worrying: a swollen rib and labored breathing that told me she’s aging and fragile in ways I had ignored. In that moment I decided to stop doing what I’d always done and start being present in a different way.
I slowed down. I softened my voice. I stopped rushing from task to task and instead sat with her, palms open, offering quiet confidence rather than anxious solving. I stopped thinking that care alone was enough. I offered compassion 💖 not the busy, fix-it kind, but the steady, warm presence that says, I see you, you are not alone, I will stay.
The result wasn’t instantaneous miracle so much as a sigh of relief. The frantic energy softened. The barking and crying retreated. Aggressive outbursts became rarer. Nina learned to trust that when I moved through the house I carried safety, not agitation. Sometimes healing begins with a small change in us; sometimes the rest of the household follows.
Family pieces (of the heart)
We had to leave some of the pets with family for the trip💖Nina and Rollie with my mother-in-law, Tinkerbell and Ertjie with my daughter💕and those separations taught me how relationships can shift in absence. Rollie and Nina became playmates while they were away, and that companionship helped steady Nina as well.
Seeing my grandmother’s acceptance of my husband 💕 without even meeting him 💓 was humbling. Her wish was simple: permission to belong, to love, to be accepted. That same quiet acceptance is what I now try to offer Nina every day.
Chapter 15 👀 Where Am I? (an excerpt from 👉Blood in the Snow👈 by Fritz Swanepoel my son)
I don’t remember falling asleep. Only that my eyes burned and my head ached, and the next thing I knew, gray morning light pressed through the curtains.
For a moment, I thought last night had been another one of my episodes—my imagination running away with me, again. I reached for the diary to prove it wasn’t.
When I opened it, I froze.
Every page—front to back, even the cover itself—was filled. My handwriting, but not mine, scrawled so thick it bled through the paper. The words layered over each other like graffiti carved into flesh.
Who are we who was he who are we who was he who are we who was he
Over and over, blotting out every entry I had ever written. Even yesterday’s. My thoughts, my fears, swallowed whole.
............Tap Link Above And read Al Chapters
Two chapters remain 👀 exclusive to the ebook that will be launched soon. I’ll share the release date here as soon as I can.
Small health notes & life updates
I’ve started new fibromyalgia medication and gentle exercises, and I’m focusing on positive vibrations in every small choice. I’m also preparing a fundraiser for my grandmother’s medical costs; she’s been ill a long time and needs help. Finding a dentist in Louwville was a small victory in a week of large storms—we adapt, we breathe, we keep moving.
Practical 6 notes for fellow rescue parents
1. If you care for a traumatised animal, remember:
2. Food, shelter and vet care are essential ❤ but they’re only the foundation.
3. Your energy matters more than you realise. Slow down your movements, soften your voice, and show calm consistency.
4. Companionship (even with another animal like Rollie) can be healing.
5. Watch for physical signs❤age and pain change behaviour. Seek vet care when you can.
6. Small gestures of compassion ❤ a hand on a shoulder, sitting quietly together ❤ make a world of difference.
Amazon Finds (Affiliate Picks)
Helpful items that have supported our household and may support yours:
Benable Link - View on link
Natural Dog Anxiety Relief Chews with Hemp & Chamomile
No-Pull Harness for Rescue Dogs
Interactive Dog Toys for Mental Stimulation
Portable Pet Water Bottle for Travel and Walks
👇View Guide On Bee Happy Waveful Fan page 👇
👉Wavefull Bee Happy Fanpage Link👈
How do I go live on Waveful?
You need to:
1. Be the admin of an Island
2. Be 18+
3. Reach a minimum number of invites (contact support for this)
How do I share my Island?
Head to your Island’s Settings and tap the three dots in the top right to get the share link.
How to scroll back up quickly on an Island?
Tap the Island name at the top left when viewing posts.
What are Island tags?
They’re topic keywords that describe what your Island is about.
Now you’re ready to explore and create with confidence on Waveful! 🎉
Use my invite link and join Waveful today👉 View on Link 👈 any Questions Join My Waveful Bee Happy Fanpage on Facebook where I share How's and Don'ts 👉Waveful Bee Happy Facebook fanpage View on Link 👈
Thank you for being here on this journey. Caring for rescued souls teaches me more about tenderness than any gallery ever could. Nina is not “fixed” — she is learning, breathing, and teaching me to be softer. If you have a rescue who reads your energy, tell me about them — I learn from every story.
Every click, share, and purchase from my Benable Recommendation List helps me rescue animals and create art that heals.
🐾 Spotlight: Chocolate’s Angels Animal Rescue ❤ saving abandoned and injured animals.
💔 They need help with vet bills — Donate now on YouTube.
❤❤❤
Apps & Tools That Made This Blog Possible
ChatGPT – brainstorming
Grammarly – polishing
Google Blogger – hosting
Waveful – building community
Canva – creating visuals
✨ Message of the Day: Bee Happy! Like, follow, and share your favorite rescue pet stories. We can’t all adopt, but we can all speak up.
🐾 Bee Happy Paws, Claws & More 💓 Caring Deeply, Choosing Wisely
Comments
Post a Comment