Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Bruce]

Joe, did you count the kids after DV and DH left? Seems it would be pretty easy to sneak one out in that box.

Perhaps DV will have some cheese for you to take home after you disbud their kids

so we got Fried Okra. The coleslaw was good, but note to self . . . Nix the okra next time.

I've found that fried stuff just does NOT travel well. I'll eat tempura at a restaurant but won't get it for take out. Just yuck when it has cooled and gotten soggy.

@Devonviolet the nurse in me couldn’t help but ponder your swelling issues. DH’s Dad has a similar problem with anything “heavy.” He has his esophagus “stretched” by a GI doc when he starts flaring up again. It’s been about two years and he’s due! Just a thought.

My sister has had than done a few times as well. I'd never even heard of it until about a year ago.

Almost all of Joe's mowing problems will go away with the introduction of some good 4 legged mowing machines.

 

[Devonviolet]

@Devonviolet the nurse in me couldn’t help but ponder your swelling issues. DH’s Dad has a similar problem with anything “heavy.” He has his esophagus “stretched” by a GI doc when he starts flaring up again. It’s been about two years and he’s due! Just a thought.

Actually, being a nurse, myself, I am aware of that. I wasn't going to make my post go too long by going into the details. But, since you mentioned it, here goes . . .

I have had esophageal issues since I was in my 30's, due to GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disorder). I took Protonix for acid reflux, for several years, but due to rebound effect, I had to take increasing doses. Which insurance balked at paying and I didn't like the side effects, especially calcium deficiency, which can lead to osteoporosis.

After years of trying to find an alternative, I started taking baking soda in water, to neutralize the acid, only when I start to feel burning. The acid/alkaline reaction causes gas, which I burp up and the burning goes away.

Over the years, I have had about 20 EGDs (Esophageal Gastric Dilitation) procedures. They scope and stretched my esophagus at the same time. I have had about 3 or 4 MAJOR extreme reflux episodes, which led to severe burns and infection, making it very painful to even eat or drink, so I went a week fasting until it healed.

One of those episodes was 3 days before my wedding. By my wedding day, I was REALLY sick. But I was bound and determined to get married. I had planned a steak dinner, for 20, at a nice local restaurant. But, I was in too much pain to eat. On my wedding night, I woke up with a temp of 106 F. So we went to the ER. But, the ER Doc couldn't do anything for me. So, I went home on antibiotics. Swallowing the big capsule was a huge challenge.

I had planned a week's honeymoon, and I wouldn't be able to get anymore vacation time off work, so we went anyway. We had a good time, but after a day of trying to eat, I gave up and watched my husband eat at mealtime. I also slept a lot. Ourt last dinner there was at an Italian restaurant, and the only thing I ate was authentic Spumoni. And it was the best ice cream I ever ate. It hurt going down but I can still remember how good it tasted!!!

I've had several EGDs since we got married, and they all show really bad scar tissue in my esophagus, which makes it more difficult for food to slide down. However, the real reason, for food getting caught, was discovered about 8 years ago. I got some pills caught, and they just wouldn't go down. It lead to what is called an esophageal spasm, which causes the sphincter muscle, at the bottom of the esophagus, to clamp shut, preventing even my saliva from going down.

That day, I went 18 hours without anything to eat or drink. I could tell I was getting dehydrated. This was the second time I had gone that long (the first time it was 16 hours and I ended up going to the ER to have an EGD). So, after 18 hours, I gave in and got my purse, to head for the ER. But, I decided to try some water one more time - and it went down. The next day I called a doctor, who treats esophageal problems. He did another EGD, and discovered that the entire lining, of my esophagus was swollen and white. This indicated that I have a condition called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE)

What I learned was that EE is caused when a person eats foods, that they are allergic/sensitive to. That causes white blood cells (eosinophils) to migrate to the lining of the esophagus, causing it to swell and turn white. Eventually, it can swell to the point, that food cannot pass. In fact, the doctor could not get the camera to pass down the length, of my esophagus. So, I had to schedule a repeat at the hospital, so he could use a tiny pediatric scope.

I have had blood testing, for food sensitivities, and know that in addition for chemical additives, in food, I am sensitive to all night shades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers), peanuts, and casein in milk (among other foods). I have since learned that I can drink raw milk, but not pasteurized milk. Heating milk, to pasteurize it, destroys the enzymes that allow the body to digest casein, so I react to pasteurized milk. Raw milk has the enzymes that allows my body to digest the casein proteins, and I don't react to it.

Even though I am careful to not eat foods I am sensitive to, and I eat slowly, so I can chew my food well, I still occasionally have a problem with bulky foods, like hamburger, steak, Hardboiled egg yolks, etc., get caught and I have to wait for them to go down.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

What a challenge...

 

[greybeard]

Keep an eye on it. I'm sure you know this already, but I will repeat it any way.
You are at a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer because of EE and GERD.
Chronic reflux leads to EE which can lead to GERD (and/or vice versa) which can lead to Barrets, which can lead to esophageal cancer.

This very pathway is what killed my twin after years of having reflux and self treating it.

 

[Devonviolet]

Keep an eye on it. I'm sure you know this already, but I will repeat it any way.
You are at a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer because of EE and GERD.
Chronic reflux leads to EE which can lead to GERD (and/or vice versa) which can lead to Barrets, which can lead to esophageal cancer.

This very pathway is what killed my twin after years of having reflux and self treating it.

Oh yes, I have been checked several times, for Barrett's Esophagus, which is the cancer you are referring to.

Early on, I was told I had it, but several biopsy since have been negative. So yes, I am aware of Barrett's, and I am keeping an eye on it.

And as far as "self treating", I discussed my use of baking soda, with my doctor at the Mayo Clinic, and he totally supported that as a treatment modality. Thanks for your concern.

I'm sorry for your loss of your twin. That must have been very hard.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Thank you for the info @Devonviolet. I think I read about all of that somewhere in your journal. I will pray that it heals!

 

[goatgurl]

wow joe, congratulations on all the new babies. glad everyone is doing well. pretty babies. and glad dot is milking well for you. her mama was a milking fool. is april doing ok feeding her three? and I keep reminding you that april isn't 1/2-1/2 meat and milk but 3/4 milk and 1/4 meat. she should milk well too. glad you, @Devonviolet and her dh had a good disbudding day. one of my least favorite goat jobs. glad to see things are going well.

 

[Latestarter]

I don't know why I keep hanging on the 50/50 vice 75/25 dairy/meat mix... I'll try to stick that in my mind for good this time. Regardless, yes, April is doing well feeding all 3 and has been a real good and attentive mom. She routinely paws at the kids to get them up and pushed under her to drink. Sh'e is also no longer my fat goat. She now looks just as dairy as the others. Bang is doing a bang up job raising hers and Dot's kids by herself. Dot gets sentimental and sniffs/cleans all 4 (hers & Bang's) as well but doesn't (routinely) feed any of them (that I'm aware of). I DID see one of Dot's kids latch on to her the other afternoon for a couple of quick sips and Dot stood still for him. So I guess the sisters are co-parenting the 4 kids of theirs. Once again, I'm only milking Dot. All the others are dam raising their offspring. All the kids are growing well and active. No hold over stress from yesterday's disbudding.

The girl I'm so infatuated with is not the one in the box that DV shared. Although I may stick with beauty as a name for her. Here's is Champagne with one of Dot's boys behind. The pic(s) are from my phone, shrunk, and Emailed to me so not the highest quality. The mix of shadings and color on her, especially her face isn't really shown well here. DV has seen and held her, so she can tell you her impression as well.

Here are Dot's boys

The wear on the mower blades is indeed the grasses and weeds I'm mowing. That and the fact that sticks get mowed as does dirt in some cases... Like running over/through fire ant hills. The blade actually bends up, back behind the cutting edge, which is what lifts, & deflects the cut material out the exit. That bent area of the blades gets cut through till it's basically non existent. You can see what I mean in the pic below. This one was from the last set (of 3) I changed out. Additionally, you can see how the end of the blade wears through and gets rounded and thus shortened. The result is that it leaves lines of uncut material in 2 rows down either side of center of the mowing path since the center blade no longer "overlaps" the outer blades in the cutting swath.

Oh, some good news today... my Sprint bill is due tomorrow so I called them to see what they could do to match or beat what wally world offers with straight talk. Best there was $35/mo, w/no contract, unlim talk & text, 2 GB of data, on 4GLTE. Sprint gave me the same plan for $30/month plus a $10 credit immediately and for the next 2 months to stay with them, no contract. That's $25/mo cheaper than what I had. $300/yr saving doesn't sound like much, but it sure helps. Also priced out a new S7 to replace my S6, and wally has them for $399... Found one new, and unlocked online for $229. Sprint said I could get their simm card for ~$10 at any sprint store and have it installed for instant phone access. Holding off on that purchase for now.

 

[goatgurl]

we may never know who is feeding whom but I can tell you that whoever seems to be doing a good job. they all look great, fat and healthy. and the 3/4-1/4 or 1/2-1/2 is really not a big deal I just wanted you to remember that she is more milk than meat and should milk very well. and you are right champagne is a doll baby. I got a lot of chocolate colored babies this year too. 1 white, 2 cream, one chocolate frosting and the all are dark chocolate.
I do the same thing with my lawn mower, use it as a mini brush hog and then wonder why the blades won't stay sharp, lol.
I know the girls are proud of the fact that you are working hard to get fences built. good for you and them.

 

[Mike CHS]

I always like the way you can see the smarts on the kids faces. Our lambs come out with a blank look like they are trying to decide if they should freeze or run.