Baymule’s Farm

[baymule]

I got a call from the surgeon's office yesterday. I have an appointment next week on Thursday for a consultation and to schedule surgery. Bring it on and let's get this done!

 

[digitS']

Hernia

Spinal? Because of past health issues, they didn't want to do it for me and nerve damage could not be repaired.

Abdominal? Simple and almost not "invasive." I had some trouble standing up that afternoon and the next day but that was all beyond a real need not to do the damage again. A patch up ...

Wishing You the Best, Bay'.

Steve

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Good luck on your up coming surgery. Hope you have a good recovery and lots of rest and eat well your body needs extra calories to heal … at least that’s what my surgeons told me .. stay strong … and take time to heal…

 

[baymule]

Abdominal, in the groin. Son does not allow me to do anything. He is a crane operator and works out of town, out of state and stays gone for months at a time. If he gets a call to go to work, he has to go. I talked to a neighbor and he agreed to care for the sheep if son has to go. Once I get the surgery, I'll build my stamina back, probably walking, increasing it a little each day.

 

[ducks4you]

for a full and safe recovery!!

 

[Finnie]

Oh, Bay! I’m so sorry about Sheba!

 

[Phaedra]

I went to the PA, maybe I'm starting to like him a little bit. My groin has been painful and I finally figured out why, went to the PA for confirmation of my suspicions. Yup, in addition to tearing up my back, I also gave myself a hernia. He has referred me to a surgeon. I called the office wanting an appointment like YESTERDAY, but she said it takes up to 10 days to process and they will call me for an appointment. Oh joy. Can we not do this NOW or ASAP? Let's get this show on the road, so I can recover and tear myself up again! I've got things to do!

And more bad news. My female Anatolian Sheba, died on Wednesday night. I fed dogs at 4:00, they were fine. Left for church at 5:40, it starts at 6. Just as church was starting, my son came rushing in telling me that Sheba was sick and in the truck. I rushed out, took one look at her and call the vet. Of course, after hours, got an answering machine, left a message. He had found her laying in a puddle of diarrhea out in the field, unresponsive, Told son that I was gonna go sit in the parking lot until I got a call back or somebody showed up. I didn't get far and son called, he found an emergency clinic an hour away, I turned around, picked him up and he drove. He was hitting 85 MPH, got us there as fast as he could. I kept a hand on Sheba, talking to her, she sat up and spewed diarrhea, mostly blood.

At the clinic, a tech ran out to take a look at her, went back for a gurney. He and son got her on the gurney and rushed her into the exam room. The receptionist took my information including a $600 up front charge. The tech came out and asked if I wanted them to do CPR to "bring her back" it would cost $400. I got up and went to the exam room with the receptionist vainly telling me that I couldn't go back there, Wanna BET?

Sheba was on oxygen, in convulsions, hardly any blood pressure. They had drawn blood, it wouldn't coagulate. I didn't know what happened to her, they couldn't figure it out, the vet started listing the possibilities and causes. Basically it was a I don't know. After 30 or 45 minutes, it was clear to me that she wasn't gonna make it and I told them to put her down. She had a faint heartbeat, not much else and was dying. I stood there, stroking her fur and talking to her as she left me.

I went back up front to give her my credit card again, $931 and we left with Sheba in a body bag. I have no idea what happened to her. It could have been a snake bite, impossible to find in her thick fur. The forest service has been doing controlled burns for weeks all around and nothing like a fire to put snakes on the run. Plus very warm weather for this time of year. Yesterday was sunny, but the smoke here was so thick that it blotted out the sun. But really, I'll never know what happened to my Sheba. I'm heartbroken.

We buried her in the field the next morning. Some neighbors came over, we hugged each other and cried. Son put Sheba in the tractor bucket and let Carson sniff her, then drove her in the field and let Buford have all the time he wanted. I sat on the edge of the bucket, talked to Buford, cried, petted him and cried some more. He sniffed her all over, left, came back, sniffed her again, did it several times, then walked off and laid down. Son laid her in the grave and covered her up. I'm shattered. Buford is lonely and sad.

Buford sired a litter, due March 11, registered Anatolians. I'll get a female puppy. So in a few months Buford will have a puppy to help train, just as Sheba and Sentry trained him. I'll have lots of training to do for the next 2 years. Possibility for 2 more puppies from a friend that has 2 females she wants to breed to Buford. I desperately need 4 dogs and I'm down to one. Buford is doing his best.

I have sheep on both sides of the driveway, Sheba guarded one side and Buford the other, at night. During the day I put them together to play. I have upwards of 70 sheep including lambs. I'm keeping ewe lambs, selling the ram lambs, plus selling 16 older ewes. I will get numbers down and consolidate the flock into one field so Buford can watch them all. It's gonna be rough for awhile without Sheba. We buried her next to old Ringo, a ram that had a hand in raising her. They were buddies and loved each other.

Bay, I’m so sorry to hear about Sheba. That must have been such a shock. She had you there with her in the end. That means a lot. Losing a good farm dog like that leaves a huge hole. From the way you wrote about her, it’s clear she had a good life and was very loved.

And dealing with the hernia on top of everything else… what a rough week. I hope the appointment process moves along smoothly and you’re able to get some relief soon.

Hopefully the upcoming puppies will bring a bit of joy back around the place, and Buford will have a new little helper to train soon.

Take care of yourself, and sending a hug from afar.