30 June 2022

This month, I made a new Teddy - only my third this year because of all the work at my Teddy Bear Hopital.

Mimi is a young bear who loves opera. She was made to order as a birthday present and - fittingly - presented to her new owner at Glyndebourne!

26 June

As I mentioned more that once before, Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital gets a fair share of patients who are not precisely Teddy Bears.

So this month, in quick succession, I treated Raggedy Cat, who (as cats do) had suffered an injury to his nose; a nice Rabbit, who had lost a lot of stuffing; and Garfield, who had lost most of his face in a scrap with a dog (no, not Odie).

All three patients came out of surgery full of life and ready for more adventures.

22 June

At the beginning of the year, Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital was contacted by a nice lady in South Africa, who asked if we admitted patients from abroad. When reassured that we did not discriminate against them, she sent 72-year-old Ted on his way. 

Ted actually started life in the UK, and only relocated to South Africa with his family in 1970. It was on that journey that he sustained a lot of damage and nearly drowned. Even though he was resuscitated and went on to live abroad for over 50 years, he was badly in need of proper treatment for his injuries.  

It was with some trepidation that other patients and my helpers at the hospital watched as Ted emerged from his box on arrival. He did indeed look rather in a bad way, missing an eye and part of his head and paw.

However, Ted showed that he had the inner strength and was determined to get better soon - and so it proved! Surgery took a long time, but he is now fully recovered and ready for a long journey back to his family.

20 June

In late May and June, Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital dealt with a couple of cases of severed limbs. 

I am happy to report that both Teddy and Ginger showed exemplary courage, which no doubt helped them achieve a full recovery. 

Meanwhile Fred arrived in a stable condition. However, he required major surgery on his nose, as well as some extra stuffing, and a good clean and brushing. He too went back home happy and invigorated.

This beautiful and much-loved Pedigree Teddy Bear in his early 60s has just been reunited with his owner in Worcestershire after being discharged from Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital.

He had always been well looked after but needed some plumping up, having lost a fair bit of straw over the years. He also got a good clean, regained his voice (i.e. a new growler), and had his ear and neck tended to.
I am told that the ear problem arose because the owner, when he was a boy, carried him everywhere by this ear, and nothing could persuade him to adopt a different approach))

On the plus side, it meant that this Teddy never had to go bump, bump, bump on the back of his head when going downstairs, unlike one well-known Bear.

27 May

May has definitely been a Traditional Teddy month at Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital. 

I had a patient who needed to have his eyesight restored, one with a severed head and paw, and another who had become rather anaemic and had trouble sitting upright. All three are now feeling a lot better.

21 May

This Teddy was discharged from my Hospital this week after successful treatment to his paws and having his eyesight and his smile restored. His name is Growl, and he can:) Growl's owner has had him since he was a little boy. When the boy grew up and was getting married, his mother made Growl an elegant bow tie so he could go to the wedding. Growl has been wearing it ever since. He never takes it off when he goes to bed, so naturally I let him keep it on the operating table too.

15 May

The most recent patients treated at Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital included two traditional Teddies - one from the late 1920s, the other from the early 1950s; one very unusual Teddy made of sheepskin (whom I managed to restore to the original colour that gave him his name, Sandy); and a very nice ginger-haired girl called Jemima, who was badly in need of a good long bath and a new pair of shoes.

30 April

A lovely big Teddy has just been discharged from Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital, having had his hearing fully restored (he had lost both ears at an early age) and both hind paws reattached. He is back with his family now.

While treating him, I unexpectedly discovered an interesting clue to his provenance. A large disc in one of his leg joints had an inscription on it, which read: "Carol was here - 1066 - By appointment". So the Teddy must surely have come to these shores with William the Conqueror))) Unusually for the period, the inscription appears to have been made with a biro.

23 April

A few more Teddies - some vintage, some just very much loved - were admitted as in-patients at Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital over the past month. All responded well to treatment and have been passed fit to return to their families.

19 April

A rather unusual family group received treatment at Sasha’s Teddy Bear Hospital recently - three siblings and their cousin. Species-wise, however, they were as diverse as they come: one Bear, one Panda, one Koala, and... Sooty! I am happy to say all four have made a good recovery.

1 April

Last week, I had to make some changes at my  Teddy Bear Hospital to accommodate its biggest ever patient. The new arrival, whose real name I am not at liberty to divulge, was entered in our records as Teddy Long Legs - I have no idea why))) He was to be a surprise birthday present for a little girl. Unfortunately, it turned out that he could not fit into the nursery. So, with a heavy heart, Teddy opted for a radical solution - and asked for his hind paws to be shortened by about 30 inches. I am happy to report that the operation was a complete success.