Sugar&#8217;s health may finally be failing
<p>This is an update for friends of Sugar only; you know who you are.</p>
<p>Sugar may not have much time left.  She&#8217;s been losing weight rapidly the last couple weeks, her appetite is intermittent, and she&#8217;s been having nausea episodes. She seems remarkably cheerful under the circumstances and still likes human company as much as ever, but &#8230; she really does seem old and frail now, which wasn&#8217;t so as recently as her 21st birthday in early February.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re bracing ourselves.  If the rate she&#8217;s fading doesn&#8217;t change I think we&#8217;re going to have to euthanize her within six weeks or so.  Possibly sooner.  Possibly a lot sooner.</p>
<p>Sugar&#8217;s had a good long run.  We&#8217;ll miss her a lot, but Cathy and I are both clear that it is our duty not to see her suffering prolonged unnecessarily.  </p>
<p>If you&#8217;re a friend of Sugar and have any option to visit here to say your farewells, best do it <em>immediately</em>.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve somehow read this far without having met Sugar: I don&#8217;t normally blog about strictly personal things, but Sugar is a bit of an institution.  She&#8217;s been a friend to the many hackers who have guested in our storied basement; I&#8217;ve seen her innocent joyfulness light up a lot of faces. We&#8217;re not the only people who will be affected by losing her.  </p>
