Sunday April 22, 2007

Got home in the afternoon and all the animals seemed fine. But this evening all the youngsters got out - ten of them. My dad, Ruth and I ended up walking all over (and driving all over) trying to get them back in, but didn't manage it. By the time it was full dark they had headed past the ranch and we just let them go. I am too sore to keep going at this tonight. Tomorrow I am going to have to fix one of my pastures so that it holds the herd. I had hoped to limp by on weak fences until June when I have fencing help, but I can't do that. I am going to have to figure out how to fix these fences with my back as it is. And how to get 10 horses home without being able to ride. That will be tomorrow's work, I suppose.

Saturday April 21, 2007

Am finding it a bit hard to be at the ranch, since I can do so little. Will head down to town for the night and spend tomorrow with my sister's family. Jarred is taking care of everyone here.

Thursday April 19, 2007

Got a great birthday present today. Dave got a job and will be able to work from home more than half the time. He will go out to Chicago one week per month and live at home the rest of the time. He starts work on Tuesday. Thank goodness.

Got home for the first time since my accident. Clara (one of the goats) had two babies. My female turkeys are gone, but that's not the end of the world. For the most part, all is well. I need help getting around some, can't keep a fire going since I can't lift the logs and can't take care of the animals, so it is good my Dad and Ruth are here for the week. My neighbor is going to help feed each day.

Wednesday April 18, 2007

Dave when up to the ranch today to get Ryder and bring him to town. He has to do some AI breeding this week and I usually wait to get the call that the mare is ready and rush him down the mountain for that. Knew we couldn't do that, so we took him to the vet and will leave him there until the AI work is done. May leave him longer as well. I am going to have some family and friends helping me these next few weeks until I can walk normally again, and I don't want anyone else to have to deal with the stallion if he were to get out or something.

Poor Dave got to the ranch, discovered that the house was freezing and had to split wood and build a fire. Then he tied Ryder up and got the trailer ready and Ryder untied himself and went waltzing around the year. With Dave's tendon injury and his ankle in a cast, he had a hard time catching up with him and getting him in the trailer. Then the turkey attacked Ryder and freaked him out. Then Rajah and a neighbor dog followed him to town and he had to put them in the truck and take them with him. Dave finally got him to town and as Ryder jumped out of the trailer he landed on Dave's foot. The whole trip took 5 hours.

I am doing much better today. Able to sit and stand up on my own for the first time. Will head home tomorrow for my birthday!

Had two baby goats born today!

Tuesday April 17, 2007

On Saturday, my brother-in-law and my 3-year-old niece came up to go horse back riding. We saddled up two horses and my niece rode with me. About 30 minutes into the ride, a few miles back on our mountain, my horse stumbled hard. I pulled her head up to help her regain her balance, but quickly realized that I could not hold onto my niece and hold the reigns up. I dropped the reigns to grab my niece and the horse went down. My niece and I were both thrown over her head.

I locked my niece in my arms and twisted in the air so that I would land on my back with her protected against my stomach. As we hit the ground my arms were thrown open and she was propelled out of them and onto the ground next to me. I still had her feet locked into my hands and Tucked under my body a bit, so she didn't go far. She ended up with a scuff on her helmet and a scrape on her hip, but otherwise unhurt.

I fractured a vertebrae in my back (L3) and though we didn't know exactly what was wrong at the time, it was clear we were not moving me. Miraculously, Dave came along on the golf cart minutes after the fall and he was able to rush back to the house and jump in the car to go get our neighbors, who are EMTs. They called an ambulance and rushed up to start treating me.

It took about an hour to get me ready to move - there were four trucks and an ambulance and over a dozen paramedics. They decided not to try and get me down the road with a back injury and called for a helicopter. Loaded me in and had me in the hospital in 10 minutes.

My fracture is mild, considering. No surgery needed and pain drugs help a lot with the pain. I will need help moving from a sitting, standing and laying position for a few days. Help walking for the next few weeks, maybe month or so. I spend most days on my back right now, but can sit or stand for short periods. Jarred is feeding for us right now, since we have been staying at my sisters until I can handle the ride up our road. I hope to get home by Friday.

All in all, we're doing quite well here. Dave is staying with me until the weekend and my Dad and his wife are coming up for a few weeks. The animals are all well and the horses were not hurt during all this. We will keep everyone posted as things develop.

Friday April 13, 2007

Pretty normal day with feeding and a little ranch work. Dave had an interview by phone for the Minneapolis situation and it looks good - he's heading back there shortly to meet them in person.

This evening we came home from my sister's to find Georgia, one of our goats, had just given birth to three babies! She wasn't due till May - I imagine that with three inside her she birthed early. They are beautiful and healthy.

Thursday April 12, 2007

Picked up Dave last night and got home around midnight. We took it easy today. Cleaned the barn, did a little yard work and fed animals. I worked with Sahara, taking her through some Parelli training. She is so smart and quick to learn. Jarred finished removing the greenhouse and garden fence and we are ready to plow that area up. Dave had two job contacts today - two phone interviews and one tomorrow.