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Been absent for the most part for the last few days. On Monday felt the onset of a massive gout/arthritis episode. By Tuesday was affected in both wrists/hands, both ankles and one knee, coupled with lower back tension/tightness/pain. Worst part of having non working wrists and hands is after doing #2... nuff said there... Was using alternating bags of ice & water and jacuzzi heat/massage to little effect on any area. I've been dieting and trying to eat less/right, I've dropped between 20-25 pounds (still another 100 or so to go), and have eaten nothing that is a gout no-no. No idea what brought this on.
On Wednesday it was difficult to move after finally getting to a standing position out of bed. I managed to milk out Dot Tuesday night and Wednesday morning by sheer willpower. Did just the basic with no intention of saving the milk but only to relieve her udder. Had plenty available in the fridge to meet CC feeding requirements. Wednesday at 10 am, took my last available painkiller and some Excedrin and headed to the ER at the VA hospital in Shreveport. Got back late afternoon and hobbled down to give CC her afternoon feeding a little late. After night milking, I crawled into bed and tried not to move too much.
Hardest part of driving with bad ankles is braking... No accidents and drove very cautiously. Transit van from parking to ER door arrived right as I finished parking, so hobbled 10 feet to catch a lift from parking to the hospital. ER visit was very good, timely service and no frills or issues. Took 2 steroid shots, one in each cheek, and got a scrip for a 5 day steroid pack. They would not refill my painkillers
Said I had to get that from my primary care and I don't see him till later this month. I will be asking for an emergency supply. Waited for the transit van and caught a lift from the hospital right to my truck door. By the time I got back home I was able to walk with minimal pain and wrists were semi-working... still no grip or power in my hands. I gotta say, this is one of the primary if not main reason I considered getting a $650.00 automatic milking machine, even for one goat... Unbelievably difficult to milk when you have zero grip and little to no hand control.
Started the 5 day pack Thursday morning and by evening milking, my wrists were working and I was walking almost normally. Got progressively better as the day went on but did virtually nothing none the less... just R & R...
Today has been wonderful. I still have a little pain/swelling in my right hand/wrist but both hands and wrists are virtually 100% operational. The knee swelling is virtually gone, no pain in the ankles at all and getting out of bed and walking this morning was no chore. The past few days I have been very self centered, reflective and really looking deep as to whether this lifestyle is really what I want and if I'm really even going to be capable of doing it all by myself. Being immobilized sucks, to have to do a hospital stay would be devastating on many fronts.
Anyway... Today was a good day All the kids got their CD&T shots... 2nd booster for CB & CM, 1st round for CC, so she's due another in 4-5 weeks. I had borrowed the kid disbudding box and iron from @Devonviolet about 2-3 weeks ago to do CC and held on to it a little extra time because I just had a feeling I might still need it... So over the past few days I had noticed that CB was starting to develop a growing little black nub at the very edge of where she was burned, and CM was starting to grow much more prominent nubs on both sides where he had been burned. Eyeball evaluation told me they would both still fit in the disbudding box... just barely... if I got this done pronto.
Today was that day. I have to say it was a VERY tight fit, especially for CM... he was not in the least thrilled and screamed his head off at the injustice of it all. But he has now been re-burned and the nubs removed. Hopefully that should be it and there will be no further development or scurs. I think I got all of both this time. He's in for another big shock if I get to TSC in the next several days as he's about to become an "IT"... He's too strong for me to try and restrain and cut all by myself so I've decided I'm going to do banding on him. I saw the tool at TSC the other day but couldn't find the bands. I'll look more closely probably tomorrow. He's had enough excitement for one day today. CB was no big issue as it was not much that needed to be done and it was over relatively quickly.
After that was done I gassed up the lawn tractor and mowed a path to the hay and feed station so my feet and pant legs don't get soaked by dew every morning. Mowed all around the house and yard including the long driveway and the roadside ditch/swale area. I'm gonna need to do the pastures again, worst being the 1/2 of the rear pasture that didn't get done after I did the first 1/2, 2 weeks ago. Like Others in this area... we've had some rain... just a bit, & this stuff grows like weeds... maybe because mostly it IS weeds
So I texted @Devonviolet and will meet her and her DH tomorrow and I'll buy them lunch and return the disbudding kit with great thanks for the loan of it. When I get home I'll feed CC her afternoon bottle then it will be back to mowing. As soon as I have the wilderness under control I have the best intentions to get back to fencing. It's been dry for a couple of days, not too hot and not too humid and most importantly, not as much pain. For now, it's time to get off here and go visit my herd, give them there evening rations and collect my quart+ of fresh milk from Dot. BTW... had a bowl of froot loops with goat milk this morning for breakfast... it was TOO sweet Whodathunkit?
On Wednesday it was difficult to move after finally getting to a standing position out of bed. I managed to milk out Dot Tuesday night and Wednesday morning by sheer willpower. Did just the basic with no intention of saving the milk but only to relieve her udder. Had plenty available in the fridge to meet CC feeding requirements. Wednesday at 10 am, took my last available painkiller and some Excedrin and headed to the ER at the VA hospital in Shreveport. Got back late afternoon and hobbled down to give CC her afternoon feeding a little late. After night milking, I crawled into bed and tried not to move too much.
Hardest part of driving with bad ankles is braking... No accidents and drove very cautiously. Transit van from parking to ER door arrived right as I finished parking, so hobbled 10 feet to catch a lift from parking to the hospital. ER visit was very good, timely service and no frills or issues. Took 2 steroid shots, one in each cheek, and got a scrip for a 5 day steroid pack. They would not refill my painkillers
Said I had to get that from my primary care and I don't see him till later this month. I will be asking for an emergency supply. Waited for the transit van and caught a lift from the hospital right to my truck door. By the time I got back home I was able to walk with minimal pain and wrists were semi-working... still no grip or power in my hands. I gotta say, this is one of the primary if not main reason I considered getting a $650.00 automatic milking machine, even for one goat... Unbelievably difficult to milk when you have zero grip and little to no hand control.Started the 5 day pack Thursday morning and by evening milking, my wrists were working and I was walking almost normally. Got progressively better as the day went on but did virtually nothing none the less... just R & R...
Today has been wonderful. I still have a little pain/swelling in my right hand/wrist but both hands and wrists are virtually 100% operational. The knee swelling is virtually gone, no pain in the ankles at all and getting out of bed and walking this morning was no chore. The past few days I have been very self centered, reflective and really looking deep as to whether this lifestyle is really what I want and if I'm really even going to be capable of doing it all by myself. Being immobilized sucks, to have to do a hospital stay would be devastating on many fronts.
Anyway... Today was a good day
All the kids got their CD&T shots... 2nd booster for CB & CM, 1st round for CC, so she's due another in 4-5 weeks. I had borrowed the kid disbudding box and iron from @Devonviolet about 2-3 weeks ago to do CC and held on to it a little extra time because I just had a feeling I might still need it... So over the past few days I had noticed that CB was starting to develop a growing little black nub at the very edge of where she was burned, and CM was starting to grow much more prominent nubs on both sides where he had been burned. Eyeball evaluation told me they would both still fit in the disbudding box... just barely... if I got this done pronto.Today was that day. I have to say it was a VERY tight fit, especially for CM... he was not in the least thrilled and screamed his head off at the injustice of it all. But he has now been re-burned and the nubs removed. Hopefully that should be it and there will be no further development or scurs. I think I got all of both this time. He's in for another big shock if I get to TSC in the next several days as he's about to become an "IT"... He's too strong for me to try and restrain and cut all by myself so I've decided I'm going to do banding on him. I saw the tool at TSC the other day but couldn't find the bands. I'll look more closely probably tomorrow. He's had enough excitement for one day today. CB was no big issue as it was not much that needed to be done and it was over relatively quickly.
After that was done I gassed up the lawn tractor and mowed a path to the hay and feed station so my feet and pant legs don't get soaked by dew every morning. Mowed all around the house and yard including the long driveway and the roadside ditch/swale area. I'm gonna need to do the pastures again, worst being the 1/2 of the rear pasture that didn't get done after I did the first 1/2, 2 weeks ago. Like Others in this area... we've had some rain... just a bit, & this stuff grows like weeds... maybe because mostly it IS weeds
So I texted @Devonviolet and will meet her and her DH tomorrow and I'll buy them lunch and return the disbudding kit with great thanks for the loan of it. When I get home I'll feed CC her afternoon bottle then it will be back to mowing. As soon as I have the wilderness under control I have the best intentions to get back to fencing. It's been dry for a couple of days, not too hot and not too humid and most importantly, not as much pain. For now, it's time to get off here and go visit my herd, give them there evening rations and collect my quart+ of fresh milk from Dot. BTW... had a bowl of froot loops with goat milk this morning for breakfast... it was TOO sweet
Whodathunkit?
I've got @nd drink t@rt cherry juice & it does help, but it c@n only do so much & I w@s well p@st th@t point... Losing the excess weight will help with this condition, p@rt of the re@son for doing so, @long with @ desire for gener@l he@lth improvement.
