Petey

Not too bad of a day yesterday. I was up at 4 am because of pain, but the good news is, that meant I was able to go out and catch Wimpy before they all left at 6 am. After Randy helped me feed all the bottle calves, I got the goat milked, fed the babies, and put up a new watersystem for the meatie chickens. Walking is painful. The pain is shooting beyond my hip now, and thru my knee.

I got Wimpy saddled and we rode out to the willow corral where they were branding. It's only about 3 or 4 miles, but it is the most beautiful ride. We pass the horse cavvy on the way. It's nice to look and see 40+horses out grazing in a field that is miles across. It took a lot to get the gate open and get back up on my horse, but I did it. Got there about an hour before they finished. Just sat on my horse and watched, since I can't participate now.

Felt great when I got back until they came to ask me to bring bottles and a gastric tube to the big corral where they are having to strip a big beefer cow of milk because she has a bad bag. That wiped out my hip completely. I could hardly get back home again. I had to tube the little calf as she is too weak to swallow. This morning was the 3rd time I have had to tube her. I have 2 sick ones besides, so this afternoon's feeding will be with shots again.

Better them than me. I hate shots. Doc called. He is going to up my Methotrexate, the Pred and probably change me to Remicade. We have to figure out how we will do that, as it means going to town every 8 weeks and we can't really afford the fuel, even tho its only 2 more trips per year than we make now...but if it makes me functional, I will manage somehow. He also wants me to see a spinal specialist because of the pain in my leg. That scares me. I don't want another surgery. If I have to have it, how am I going to milk Emma? What will we do about food? and worse, I want to ride this summer. The past several years have been so screwed up, I miss everything.

At least right now, I have two good horses and am going to do my best to get on for at least an hour a day, if not longer. Sorry honey, I can't clean the house, do laundry or feed you, I have to go ride.