Thanks, Lisa!

When I was in the hospital earlier this month, my daughter, Lisa, knew I would be missing my daily horse fix. So, she went out to check on Abby for me when I could not.

And, she sent me a little "online" horse therapy to help in my healing:

A photo of Abby!

She was photobombed by Diablo, Sultanna, and Snickerdoodle, but that's okay by me. The more horses, the merrier!

Millie Comes Home!

(I'll get back to more horsey posts soon!)

Lisa was able to bring Millie home today. As soon as she walked into the waiting room and saw Lisa, Millie could not stop grinning.

 She had not smiled at all at us on either of the previous visits, and had only given a few feeble tail wags and a couple of licks. This time, she clearly was feeling better and happy to see us!

While Lisa settled the bill, I held Millie. She stretched as far as the leash would go and kept an eagle eye on Lisa.

Is this a happy dog or what??

Millie cannot jump up, and so Lisa built her some stairs next to the bed using tubs. She has a doggy bed, but prefers to sleep with Lisa.

She is sooooooo happy to be home, and we are delighted to have her back.

Millie is Recovering

Craig and I went with Lisa to visit Millie this morning, and we were delighted to see that she was better! When they brought her into the room to see us, she weakly wagged her tail a couple of times and even licked my wrist twice.

Lisa brought Millie's favorite blanket for her to use in her hospital crate, and Craig had saved her a piece of bacon from his breakfast. She was VERY interested in that - good news as she has not been very interested in food.

"Ahhhh! I love a good neck scratch!"

Yesterday's medical "tee shirt" was gone, but Millie still has a belly band, her drains, and an IV in her front leg.

The surgeon, Dr. Brian Martin, came in and spoke with us as we visited and he is hopeful that Millie will be able to come home tomorrow.

We are beyond the moon!

Another Summer Challenge

And the challenges of the summer continue! This time it is Millie.

Millie is our daughter's dog, and they lived with us for two years after Lisa finished college and got her teaching job. Lisa owns her own home now, but we see them often, and Craig "babysits" Millie several times a week during the school year when Lisa has meetings after school, someone to tutor, etc. (He and Millie often have breakfast together - he loves to scramble an egg for her. Needless to say, she usually heads to the kitchen and sits by the stove when she arrives.)

Tuesday, Millie began vomiting a bright yellow bile. After a rough night with more vomiting, Lisa took her to the vet Wednesday morning. The news was not good - tests showed her gallbladder had ruptured.

One thing led to another - more tests, another ultrasound, and a flying emergency run down to Indianapolis to MedVet, an emergency clinic.

Their tests confirmed that Millie's gallbladder had ruptured and, after discussing the quality of life Millie might have post-surgery and then considering the financial implications, Lisa decided to go forward with the operation.

It was a long day of tears for us all, but finding out that there was a good chance of full recovery and good quality of life was heartening. Lisa was so emotionally and physically wiped when we got home that she opted to stay with us overnight.

Millie came through the surgery well and we are hoping she will continue to have a good recovery. Lisa is going down daily to check on her, especially since we do not want her to feel she is back in a shelter and has been abandoned. (Lisa rescued her in 2013. Millie had been found wandering in southern Indiana, taken to a kill shelter, rescued from that and brought to Lafayette, and then spent eight months in a no-kill shelter before being adopted by Lisa.)

 She now has two drains in her back and a large incision in her belly.

Poor sweetie! I can only hope we get you home as soon as possible so you are among your family and the things that are familiar to you. We love and miss you!!

Summer Afternoon Barn Visit

My barn routine this summer has been a little different than usual since I am recovering from surgery. But it has become very comfortable and pleasurable, and I am grateful that I am cleared to drive and can go see Abby without worrying about inconveniencing Craig. (Not that he ever complained - I married a good one, for sure!)

The old and the new barns are both accessed by gravel lanes. Tim recently rotated the pastures again and now the horses are in the southeast paddock by the new barn for a few days.

Isn't it a pretty drive? 

The white door on the left opens to Tim's shop where he restores sleighs, wagons, and carriages. The small middle door opens to the lounge. The tack room and Tim's office are to the right of the lounge, and behind it is the large indoor arena with box stalls lining both sides. The sliding doors on the right open to some of the box stalls and the barn aisle where Tim trims hooves, tacks up, etc.

Abby knows my car, and today she was on her way up to the gate before I could even whistle for her.

It's fly season, and so I wipe her face in between giving her treats. I HATE flies.

The whole herd came up to say their hellos. That's Abby, Diablo, Snickerdoodle, Sultana, Hokey (the brown grazing head), and Trouble. (Abby, that's not the most flattering picture of you!)

Tim doesn't live on the property, but there are two homes on it. There's the old farmhouse by the old barn that an elderly couple lives in....

... and this one. Tim's daughter, Melanie, and son-in-law, Brandon, live here, and keep an eye on the horses. Brandon also helps with feeding the horses, putting up hay, mowing, etc.

It's a beautiful place to board Abby. 

And as I drive down the lane to go home every day, I count myself lucky that Tim was willing to add her in to his own herd.

Red Clover, Red Clover...

Red clover, red clover, makes DROOL come all over!

 "Drooly? Me?!?"

 Yes, Abby. YOU.

I love my horse soooo much. And I give her kisses often.

But during red clover season, I have to be careful about kisses on the nose - I get slimed if I am not careful! (Hey, I gave birth to and raised six kids; after that, what's a little horse drool, right?)

Four years ago when I adopted Abby, I was more than a bit alarmed at the amount of liquid that came out of her mouth this time of year. I soon learned that it is a normal, albeit large, reaction to red clover and nothing to worry about.

 I no longer fret if her saliva drips onto pasture weeds.

 Even if it seems like there is a lot of it.

As long as she's in good flesh and spirits, and not acting oddly, then nothing is amiss.

 If you're not used to it, it can seem a little icky.

So, even though Craig helped me raise those six kids, he still gets a little squeamish when Abby slimes him.

He wipes his hands on the fence, the grass, or any other available surface, not wanting to wait to rinse in the water trough or use the wipes I keep in my car just for this purpose.

Abby always licks my hands when I visit her; sometimes she licks the bars of the gates, too, and during red clover season, they get a bit slimed as well.

Nickelodeon, you ain't got nothin' on Abby!

A Little Lower, Please!

Saturday afternoon when Craig drove me out to see my girl, I discovered that Tim had rotated pastures again. The horses were knee deep in grass and clover and busily munching away.

Nonetheless, Abby left off grazing to come up and get her apples. She even hung around a bit, so I gave her a good scritching.


That's Snickerdoodle (the palomino) who's hoping for a little attention, and Hokey also comes over. (Abby pins her ears at him.)

There isn't much that is funnier to me than a horse enjoying a good scratch!

Reunited!

I came home Monday from the hospital after having my spine partially fused, and was anxious to do two things as soon as possible: go see my mother, and get out to the barn. I visited Mom at University Place Wednesday, but just did not have the energy afterward to head to the barn and so Craig took me home.

Yesterday was a different story. We went to University Place so I could check on Mom, and then Craig drove me to the barn. I am under restrictions for bending, lifting, pulling and pushing for four weeks, so Craig had to slide the door to the old barn open for me.

As that door creaked open so I could step through it, I heard a nicker in greeting - my girl was happy to see me.


I love how the barn swallows are flitting around and scolding me a bit!

Abby is not only the "lickingest" horse I have ever known, she is also the drooliest. It's red clover season, and that means there is a gusher whenever she opens her mouth. I played it safe by kissing her on the cheek instead of on her muzzle as I normally do.

Because I was very tired and feeling sore, I did not stay very long. But a "little bit of horse" goes a long way, and I came home and went back to bed for a long nap feeling happy and content.

(And big kudos to Craig for adding barn duty to all the things he is doing for me as I go through recovery!)

Horseyreader

Horseyreader is the online name for my granddaughter, Trinity. That name describes two of her favorite things.

Horses - here she is with Abby.

 And with Ryder, one of the Standardbreds out at The Farm at Prophetstown.

She also loves to read and can always be found with a book to hand.

 She's a lot like her Grammy and Aunt Lisa in that respect!

As one of the oldest of twelve cousins, she can often be found playing with the littlest members of the family.

 Trinity with Mila, Julie, and Ian.

In fact, one of her other nicknames is "Baby Whisperer."

Horseyreader is also an accomplished musician.

She plays the harp...

... the viola...

... and the piano.

She also plays volleyball (she's the girl on the right) and is very active in her church youth group.

 But horses play a large role in Horseyreader's plans for life.

Diablo, Abby, and Trinity.

She's aiming for vet school at Colorado State University. 

I couldn't be prouder of this girl! (But then, you can probably tell that already.)

I May Ride Again!

I am three days post-op from my spinal fusion and doing really well. I have regained a lot of the function in my right leg, a surprising amount. (It was very weak; I limped when I walked, and I had to use my hands to lift it when getting into the car. Stairs were taken slowly and with both feet on each stair, sort of like how a two year old ascends and descends.)

Me, one day post-op.

I have a long way to go to full recovery, but got the good news from my surgeon that I could go home  from the hospital this afternoon.

And, the best news is that I may be able to ride again! When I brought it up to Dr. Jackson, he said I could, but not until next year at the earliest to allow for full healing.

"Wait, what?? But I LIKE being a pasture ornament!!"

The good news for Abby is that I may have to start on someone quiet and gentle.

 Like Hokey, who is an experienced older gelding who falls asleep after just a few good scritches.

I haven't been able to ride for years - this is certainly a goal to work toward!

Rough Summer

It has been a rough summer. My mother-in-love went into hospice and passed away from pancreatic cancer on June 26, and our kids (there are six of them plus spouses and children) came home Memorial Day weekend for final visits as well as the 4th of July weekend for the funeral. A houseful of family is fun and cheers me up, but it also throws me off my routine and things do not get done.

My mother was hospitalized for a week with pneumonia and has been unable to return to her assisted living apartment, instead going into the skilled nursing wing at University Place. She has needed me for emotional support and so I have been going to visit her daily for an hour or more.

Lisa has been ill all summer, having had nine doctors' visits. At the last one, she was told she may need surgery on her ear. Then, last night she became ill again, passed out in the bathroom, and hit her head as she fell, leaving a large goose egg on her forehead. Poor girl!

Finally,  I am having a spinal fusion this week.  I have two collapsed discs which has allowed the vertebrae to press on the nerve running down the front of my right leg. That's caused the leg to be numb and very weak, and I have lost much of its strength and function. It has gotten weaker and weaker at an alarming rate, and I do not want to end up in a wheel chair.

I hope to be more regular again in my blogging post-op, but I won't be able to drive out to visit Abby for a few weeks. I am going to miss her so much!

So, if you are wondering why I am not writing, now you have the explanation.

The Summer of '16 has been the worst summer I have ever experienced.