Aug. 25, 2002 ~ Last night we tried
valiantly to change Hoppy's splint, but it was an exercise in futility. The splint looked bad, like it had been applied by a five-year-old (and that's an insult to five-year-olds everywhere). I worried that it was too tight. Way too tight. I was pretty sure Hoppy would get gangrene and his foot would fall off. Applying the splint looked easy enough when Susan did it, but when it came time to do it ourselves... well, what were we thinking!
Last night I couldn't eat. Couldn't watch TV. Couldn't read. You don't need to tell me that this is foolish and pointless and I worry too much. Yes, we do raise beef cattle. I know that bad things happen to them in the end. But while they are here, we treat them kindly. Susan came over this morning and reapplied the splint (WHEW! What a sweetheart!), which she admitted had been a little loose. Right. Isn't that what I said before... that I was afraid it was too loose and it would rub against his skin and he'd get sores and then his foot would fall off? No? Well, the thing is, I knew it was bad. I had done a bad job. I was the worst cow mom in the world. But at least I have nice friends, thank goodness.
Susan also looked at Suzy's calf's eyes, and thought it looked like perhaps she had calcium deposits, or maybe one other thing, but she thought they would clear up and she'd be okay. She's going to check into it, do some reading. Oh, and she wanted to see Doofus while she was here. Doofus the Wonder Calf, who should never have made it, but here he is, doing fine.
So all is well with the animals. Hoppy's splint is purple this time, and very attractive. Much better than my version.
Husband is out of town, and will be gone for several days. Things usually go VERY WRONG when he is gone, but I am keeping my figers crossed. Please, Lord, let there be no disasters, no emergencies, and let nothing break. If it's not too much trouble.
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