and then....

Maggi es discharge appears to have stopped. Silver is still eating and still loves me, or at least loves petting. The '99 Ford Contour passed smog check the second time around, after spending a day at the mechanic. Then it had it's tires rotated. Lydia got a bath. A bunch of Maggie's mane and tail fell out, but she still has lots left. I think it is probably stress related. Lydia put another notch on the NylaBone. I cleaned Joseph's dresser and got all his clothes sorted. He went ripping through, looking for a particular shirt. I went in and picked up the heap and started them in the wash. The ones that didn't fit in that load are in the hamper with damp towels. I hope(snicker snicker) that he doesn't need any of those things soon.....School starts Monday.

Here are my friends, riding around the ranch without me because I am hand walking a sick horse, again. There is still discharge from Maggie's incision, but it is less. She won't let me touch it anymore.

Lydia has a new chew toy.

Silver sits here when the door is open to get air.

Silver Eats!

After two colicks, a ponneh and a bunneh, eating a pooping is the best!

Why?

Why did I do it? I thought that colick surgery was too much to put a horse through, too hard, too scary. And I did it. Why?

Well, if you recall, Saturday morning before the whole thing began, I was driving up to Clay Station Horse Park for the driving play day to ride shotgun with Maureen who would be driving Spunky the school pony, solo. Traffic was bad on route 99 and I turned around and came home to find Maggie is distress.

As I drove t Clay Station, I was listening to the podcast of. The Driving Radio Show, new from Horse Radio Network. Episode 1 was introductory and the host Glenn The Geek was telling about his first driving pony, a mare that drove until she was 35 and lived to be 41. Maggie is nine. I would have many years with Maggie. Maggie would be my last horse. A lifetime companion.

Then the colick began.

As I drove her the 85 miles to the vet clinic on the following day, I thought about the years I thought I had, and the loss of Janow, and how, just the day before, I realized I as attached enough to Maggie to be upset if she colicked. How could I lose two horses in three months? I decided then.

Today....she was very happy to see me, but I was bringing food. Of course, she was happy to see the food. After the food was eaten, we went for a walk, a new route that took us down a steep hill. My balance is bad so I grabbed mane. Maggie misunderstood and moved into me. I pushed her away, she sped up. I slowed her down. She was figuring it out. Fast. Pace yourself to the person, hold them up. Stop if they let go, wait 'til they grab mane again to continue.

Totally amazing.

I put her away and hung over the door, watching. She nickered to me. She went around looking for food and came back and nickered and hung out and talked and talked, so softly, sometime just a flutter. When I turned to leave, she whinnied. I went back and we talked a little more.

This is the pony I saved.
No regrets.

Drip, Hop, Poop

This stall was designed for horses. They moved Maggie into the Show Barn right after this. She was next in line for power washing and painting. Her stall, that is. She finished her antibiotics but still has ooze coming out of her incision so Dr. Novick came out again today and gave me more. Antibiotics, not ooze. He took a video to email to Dr. Adams at the hospital. her temp is normal and she is eating and pooping.

Silver started showing the signs of colick this morning at 5am. After calling 5 places, I found a rabbit vet who could see her. Her own vet was booked for the day, but his office helped me find a place. It was way the heck over in San Jose 40 minutes away. Good thing I just bought a GPS. She got a shot of pain killer, a motility drug and a special diet that mixes with water to put in a syringe and force feed. She started eating hay when she got home. She is doing better but still not normal.

Lydia pooped in the back seat. Again. This time she was spied doing it so we could tell her "No." Now she knows not to do it. Will that make a difference? I picked the poop up and neglected to tell Joseph that she pooped in his helmet. He thinks he knows everything, but he is wrong.

Drip Two

Maggie continues to be well. She had a second lesion, near the first, swell and open, draining more discharge. She didn't move away when I poked it, so it doesn't hurt. It's probably just more stuff from an infection that's beaten. Antibiotics continue.

I need to take another picture today. I am out there three times a day to walk her. There should be lots of opportunity. Sometimes, when we are walking, she just touches her nostril to my arm. Very sweet. Janow used to give me nose bumps that almost knocked me down!

Lydia is also well. Dave is frequently amazed that I can tell her to do stuff and she does.

Milpitas High School registration packets can be picked up this week. This has a very ominous feel to it if you are a student, but not if you are a parent!

Slow Drip

Maggie's discharge is decreasing. Today is the third day of antibiotic. Tricky part has been getting her to eat it.

The first time I gave it, I moistened her Equine Senior and sprinkled the powder on. It's about one and a half tablespoons, and I added it to one and a half pounds of Senior. She ate it. The next time, she ate about half, then said "Blech."

I added rice bran: "Blech."
More Senior: "Blech."
Gatorade: "Blech."

Hmmm. Thinking.....she likes hay better than Senior.....Sprinkled water on some hay--guessed how much antibiotic she had not eaten, sprinkled it on the hay, pushed it into the stall. She ate it. She continues to eat it that way.

Lydia pooped in the back seat of the car on the way to the barn. Joseph said:
"I smell poo."
yup.

Then I left the car window open while I was taking care of Maggie. A bird flew in and pooped in the car. Can I get a new car out of this? Probably not.

But- a big plus this morning. Lydia stood in the middle of the room, looking at the back door and wagging her tail. I opened the door and she went out and pooped. Big step, asking to go out to poop. Yay Lydia!

Infection

Maggie had a slow drip of clear yellow stuff that was forming a stalactite on her incision. After a few phone calls with Pioneer Hospital, it was decided that I should have a vet see it. If I could not do that, one of the Pioneer vets would drive down to take care of it! They don't make ranch calls, especially 85 mile ones!
Scary.

Dr. Novick, my regular vet, came out yesterday and started her on antibiotics.

Her stall on The Lane is due for painting soon, like, today, I think. The other horses have gone into the Mare Motel pipe barn while their stalls were painted, but I have arranged for her to go in a box in the Show Barn. It should be done in a day or two.

She remains happy and in good spirits.

waiting, again

Maggie is in good spirits, bright and curious, wining during the afternoon and picking up again at dusk.

She has begun a slow leak of blood serum from one spot on her incision. I called and reported it to the vet at the hospital. Dr. Adams. She is not sure if it is important and was going to confur with Dr McDonald. It is clear, not cloudy, not bloody. If I wipe it, I get a small smear of fresh blood that comes form the site, not from inside.

Without cell phone signal at the stable, I wait at home.

Still Good

Maggie is still doing well. She is pooping with good appitite. Bright, interested in her surroundings and happy. She would be happier with more food..... that is increasing slowly. Today is the last day of Cisipride 2xs daily, tomorrow she goes to 1x daily.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Maggie has returned home on Friday. The vets were tentative at sending her home, but admitted that they would be tentative unless she was eating normally and it would take awhile for that. So I am attending to her and feeding her the small prescribed amounts of food 4 times per day.

Diana of The Qi Paperswas an incredible help. She(Maggie, not Diana) stepped out of the trailer and perked right up. Her appetite was voracious. She is on stall rest with hand walking for a long time and has restricted feed.

Saturday morning she was very hungry for breakfast, then squeaked and banged her stall door to come out. After trying to run me down while I was putting on her halter, she tossed her head and jigged, then had to be corrected two times for body slamming.

She became more sedate as the day wore on, but still good and alert to her surroundings. Some of this afternoon slow down may be the way she always is. I have not had her for very long and always see her in the morning.Quite possibly, her natural best time of day may be morning, just like mine.

Maggie Has Rallied

Maggie was perky and hungry at 6am this morning. No more stomach reflux. She gets to try food again today.

Not so Good

Maggie had a bad day yesterday. A major setback in gut motility may be temporary, or it may be the end. I will know more within hours.

My fear and my grief are overwhelming, especially following so closely on my loss of Janow.

There has been distress at my decreased availablity, both emotionally and physically. I want to die.

The Maggie Report

Vet report this morning is that Maggie is doing well, pooping a little but regularly, apatite improving but not quite normal. Off IV fluids, increasing feed slowly. Some inflammation around the IV site that is being treated with hot packs. Bright and curious. If things continue, she can come home on Wednesday.

BTW---Ponies are NOT stubborn, they are TENACIOUS!