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Monday, July 19, 2010

Just when you thought it was safe to come back here

I whip out another long story.

I get a phone call Saturday night, horse wife had just dropped horse neighbor off at the airport, to head back to Afghanistan, when she got a phone call. Her s-i-l was talking to a vet that had a colt that was going to be put down. She thought horse wife would take it.

The foal's mother was very sick. She gave birth to the little boy and then out right rejected him. Now from the story I got, it sounds like the vet rejected him as well. Didn't feed him for the first 24 hours of life, didn't even clean him up. When horse wife said she would take the baby, he placed an iv for plasma into the tiny neck. The colt weighs maybe 15 lbs. He is a miniature breed. When horse wife got him, he had managed to beat himself up trying to stand. His eye was bloody and swollen shut, he was still covered in birth. And the vet gave her PET (evaporated milk) and told her good luck, he has a 10% chance of making it.

That's when she called me about goats milk. Oddly enough, Patch had (after months of not milking her) swelled up with milk. I got almost 2 quarts from our goat-a-corn, and passed it on to horse wife. The poor colt is having issues. I showed and informed her the best I could. Telling her I have never dealt with a foal before, but goats instead. Next morning enema and her personal vet was called. The foal is on an IV and is receiving antibiotics. If we can get him to live another day and continue to eat, he should make it.

Yesterday, we went to the farmstead. We got water going again, and finished up two sides of the corrals with barb wire. And I became ill. Head hurt, stomach rolled. I told husband we have to call it. I can't do it anymore. Husband begrudgingly agreed. He wasn't feeling well either, and there is so much that still has to be done. We loaded up and head home. Husband decided to go the backside of the property when I asked about a chute in the back 47. No permanent chute, the was a mobile one sitting there as the people that lease it are getting ready to take their cos to market. Husband decided to drive on, taking a different route out of the Flint hills.


We ended up in the Ghost town of Cedar Point. A sign on the bridge called for help, to save the Flour mill on the river.
We don't see a lot of these here in Kansas. The Chase County Historical Society has nominated it for a historical site. Which it should be. You can't park on the bridge where you can see it, but you can stand a little ways off. This part of Kansas is gorgeous by the bye. The Historical Society is trying to raise money to keep the mill standing. Husband and I were talking. Thee have been several small ghost towns in Kansas saved by bikers. I know, odd, but here how it works. 1 small restaurant, 1 historical place, 1 decent but scenic drive out of Wichita and VIOLA! You have a saved community. Wonder if there is a way to talk to the historical society about something like this. Plenty of abandon buildings in that town to sustain a weekend restaurant.

The ride home was pleasant enough. The air helped cool and relieve the headache. Once home I turned on the news, and wouldn't you know it the temperature was 100 F. Have no idea what the heat index was with the humidity, but that would explain why husband and I were getting so sick.

Just got a phone call from the Horse wife, the foal died earlier this morning.

4 comments:

HermitJim said...

That's a shame about the foal, but a good idea to try and save the mill! Way too much of our historical past is being allowed to crumble and fade away!

alrescate said...

What a shame about the foal. I just cannot imagine someone (much less a vet) not caring enough to try to help it that first 24 hours.

We have a really cool flour mill here in MO...that one looks nice!

TeeJay said...

Oh I'm so sorry to hear about the foal. I was hoping he would make it!

I was rather sick this weekend too with the symptoms you described. I'm no Dr. but I'm guessing it had something to do with the heat. Ugh!

Anonymous said...

I had hoped that the foal would make it. Hope you are feeling better!

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