Grim weather and a grim prognosis

The news is not good for my sweet old boy and photography friend.

The weather around here has been grim for five days. It's cooled down from summer and rained dismally for so long that it seems like forever.

The worst part is, my old photography pal Marvin, who's accompanied me on most mornings on my nature photography journeys, had a terminal diagnosis early in this stretch of bad weather.

Terrible news makes bad weather worse.

Marvin is 13, an advanced age for a lemon beagle. He has the disposition of a saint when we're indoors and the disposition of a devil when he sees a rabbit or squirrel outside. He goes crazy while I'm photographing and one of those devious little creatures shows up, making it just about impossible to get the shot.

I don't mind much, and try to take it with good humor. He's got his needs and I have mind.

Marvin has an enlarged heart. Most likely it's from a faulty valve, which makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood. Working harder, the heart enlarges and presses against the trachea and allows the lungs to fill with fluid, since the heart beat isn't powerful enough to push the fluid along.

The veterinarian says he has six months to a year to live.

He coughs, sometimes endlessly. The coughing can be terrible. It keeps both of us awake some nights, which adds to the utter misery of the situation.

The weather reflects this misery and enlarges it.

I'm feeding Marvin better food, real food like chicken and chicken livers and kale cooked in chicken broth, along with bone broth. He loves it and the coughing has improved, become less severe. He seems happy and remains the sweetest dog on earth.

Six months to a year.

Who knows when the weather will break?