Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Latestarter]

Not a happy start to my new year. Saturday started coming down with flu. Honest to goodness flu, which I haven't dealt with in many decades. Spent the last 24-36 hours in bed. Thought about heading over to the VA ER, but didn't feel up to the drive and there's not much they can do for the flu once you've got it anyway. It has been accompanied by a bladder or UT infection. Life is fun. The kids left early, this morning, as there was no sense in them staying and maybe getting what I have. Was a good visit, but short.

So wishing everyone a very Happy new year, good health, prosperity, and happiness.

 

[Mike CHS]

Sorry their visit got cut short but Happy New Year Joe and hope you get well fast.

 

[farmerjan]

Sorry for your flu. Please keep it in Tx as I could not deal with that and having 5 nurse cows in the barn and hauling water....

Hope your visit was good but short and that you are getting over it soon. Hope the New Year will continue on the up side from here.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Sorry ya got such a "bug" there Joe, sad the visit wasn't longer, and wish ya the best in the coming days, too!!

 

[Hens and Roos]

hope you start feeling better soon!

 

[Bruce]

Sure hope it is a 3 day and not a 5 or 7 day! Bad enough to be sick, worse when you feel so crappy you can't even get up to eat.

 

[Latestarter]

Thanks all. Starting to feel a little better now but hadn't eaten anything real or substantial since Saturday evening. Spent basically 2 days in bed. Finally had a bowl of home made "poultry parts" soup with rice and noodles this evening. I believe it's gonna stay inside for a while and not pass right through. Was actually up and out of bed most of today. Have animals to tend to, so not much choice. Next 4 days are supposed to be highs in the 40s and one low 50s. That will be nice since my outside hose bib (spigot) is frozen solid so had to haul 5 gallon buckets of hot water down to the goat trough. Night temps will still be teens/20s though, so still quite chilly... Mel and the goats don't seem to mind it all that much... They just do what they do.

 

[greybeard]

I drain the hose each day after I use it, to the water troughs, and put the insulator over the pipe that comes out of the ground with the faucet and put an empty protein tub down over the faucet. It's currently 21F and if I needed to, I could connect the hose and run water into the troughs right now. You do need to also insulate the standpipe that comes out of the ground tho.
http://community.homedepot.com/howto/DiscussionDetail/Insulating-Outside-Fixtures-90650000000GvWa

 

[greybeard]

This one, with the plastic tub turned down over it has sustained 19°F without icing up.
The pvc pipe coming out of the ground (on other side of the wooden support post) is insulated with split foam insulation. Probably adequate for most winters thru out East Texas.

 

[Latestarter]

So I was feeling "good" enough to go to the VA today and visit the ER. Long story short, they wanted to admit me. Doc said I was a very sick man. Said when he discussed me with his team and they asked how I looked he had to reply "like ****". I thought the truth refreshing as that's probably nail on the head. I told them I couldn't do that as I have animals to care for that can't thaw their water. With hesitation and multiple requests for assurance and promises that I would be back there tomorrow morning (after feeding and watering of course), they provided me the paperwork to sign myself out against doctors orders. The thing is... had I stayed, they would have done nothing but hook me to monitoring equipment including the customary hourly BP cuff activation, that would make me uncomfortable and keep me awake all night with no further testing to occur until tomorrow morning anyway.

Aside from the flu... Diagnosis of raging UTI with very "dirty" urine and acute renal failure. IMHO this happened as a result of the past 3-4 days of flu and not from something that would be progressive and everlasting. What followed was many blood draws, a pain injection, 2 ltrs of saline and a 1/2 ltr of IV Antibiotics. I willingly confess/attest that I have had no problem processing or draining said liquids and in fact presently am having bigger issues with digestive issues not having eaten anything substantial in almost 4 days, coupled with a couple opioids for pain during that stint, I'm sure caused that discomfort. Doc said he didn't care if I ate... just pound Gatoraid. Anyway, I'm anticipating that things should be back on their way to normal by tomorrow.

I was told I can't drink any tea, it's a diuretic and they want me to rebuild my body fluids. Drat, that's my go to drink. Told me to pound Gatorade & I told them I hate the taste so they said then do Poweraid as it tastes better. I bought two 1 quart bottles on the way home and have started on the 2nd one. I hope I don't have to make this my new go to, but guess I could get used to it over time if left no alternative. I started with the blue... I'm now working on the orange. I did stop and have a nice juicy (greasy) Wendy's qtr pound double stack with cheese on the way home. Way filling, but way delicious, still digesting no doubt, no other food anticipated. Really want to have this other Poweraid gone by arrival there tomorrow.

I'll let ya know later tomorrow. Had expected to pay the tax bill when I got back home... too late for that.

On another note, GB, what are you using for underground water supply pipe to your pasture and how deep have you buried it (figuring for cow hoof weight sinking down to it through mud)?

I had planned on using this for an actual hydrant: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-ft-Bury-Depth-Frost-Proof-Yard-Hydrant-EBYH02NL/205031731
I don't want to have to bend over too much or get down on hands and knees if I don't have to. Since it's steel, I can also weed whack around it easily and (hopefully) not have to worry about animals breaking it.