Riki's Diary_Root Cause

It seems that people who keep hedgehogs are known in society as "hedgehog keepers." Among those hedgehog keepers, I am still very much an amateur. My hedgehog's name is Riki.

Riki has been receiving IV drips and antibiotics. We have been repeating this every week. My wife had an important dentist appointment last Friday, but she canceled it to take Riki to the clinic.

I couldn't go with her because of work, so my wife took Riki to the animal hospital by herself.

Actually, lately, neither the antibiotics nor the IV drips have been working, and he has become almost unable to eat or drink anything.

Even though it is about time for his life to end, it is pitiful that he is afflicted by this illness.

He has become truly quite weak. While wobbling, he somehow manages to come out of his nesting box from time to time. Although he tries to eat food or drink water, it seems he cannot quite get it into his mouth.

Riki has been trying to survive all this time, and through his silence, he is asking me, my wife, and perhaps our children what it means to live and what it means to be destined to die someday.

Hedgehogs are prone to illness. Things like cancer. Eye diseases. And a common one is pyorrhea.

According to the attending veterinarian's diagnosis, there is a tumor in his mouth originating from pyorrhea, and it seems this has turned into something like cancer.

Because Riki curls up immediately, we cannot properly grasp the root cause.

Even if we did properly grasp the root cause, it would be cruel to put a small, exhausted animal of his age under anesthesia for palpation or surgery. I feel an indescribable sense of inadequacy in myself, knowing that we have no choice but to watch over him with palliative care.

Riki is still trying to live. He is putting his spirit to fulfill his life on full display.

There is no way one could not be moved by this sight.

My wife says to me,

"Riki is doing his best, isn't he? But you know, Koji-kun, I am sacrificing everything to nurse him for your sake, too."

Even at a time like this...

What are you talking about?

As I turned around to tell my wife about all this, she pointed at her legs and said with a laugh.

Koji-kun, it's a three-legged race, isn't it? For Riki's sake. You're tired from driving and going to the hospital, right? So, obviously, it has to be a massage.

Yes.......

When I give her a massage, my wife is in a great mood.

When my wife is in a good mood, our home is peaceful. So. This is fine.

■It's hard for me to even walk now. Just moving around is a big job for Riki these days. I am encouraged by Riki, who keeps doing his best, right up to the very end.

Mr. Isogai is an artist. I have been saying that for a long time.

Artists probably need originality or individuality, but before that, I want them to have human kindness and humor.

In fact, I think that's what artistic quality is built upon.

In that sense, I think Mr. Isogai is a very kind and interesting person.

I'm watching the morning drama 'Anpan'. There are some parts that feel a bit off, but I'm finding it very interesting.

The protagonist, Taka, fails to get into an art school in Kyoto, but somehow manages to get into an art school in Tokyo that is much more competitive. Reading this article by Teruto-san, I can see that she had a similar experience.

I didn't study much, so I felt like I would fail any entrance exam I took. In the end, I saw rejection notices overwhelmingly often. I had no choice but to go to the only school I happened to get into.

That was a bit painful, but graduating was even harder.

When I read Teruto-san's articles, I feel a sense of connection or a catalyst for finding a path in life.

I wonder if such a connection will come to me now. Even at this late stage, I'm still indulging in such delusions. I have to laugh at myself.

Since I was just a stubborn, naughty kid, I always admired people who did art or music, or, in my immediate circle, people who read books.

In that sense, I am curious about what kind of place the Literature Flea Market is.

I have no intention of participating, but I would like to go once.

A lot has happened, and I don't have that much free time on my days off, but I think I would like to show my face at the Tokyo Literature Flea Market someday.

(Note 1) Sacchan refers to my wife. Since she is the de facto supreme authority in our house, she is also known as Her Majesty the Queen.