Loss of control

I just can't believe that it's November.  October is one of my most favorite months of the year.  Not because of Halloween, but the beauty of that month, and the cooling of the hot, summer temps.  I love that briskness in the air, the color everywhere you look and the gradual slowing of life in general.  So, what's my point?  Even I'm not sure, but even though I took a week off from work in October, I feel like so many areas of my life are outside of my control.  Maybe I'm deluding myself that I ever had a certain measure of control, but there it is.  My favorite month came and went, and I feel like I never got to really experience it, or enjoy the beauty that is October.  *sigh*  I did get to spend a couple of days and nights at my favorite beach though.  My sweet hubby accepted all responsibility at home so the dogs and I could get away and have some quiet time.  I needed it, but sure wish he could have been with us.

We have been overwhelmed with so many "have to do's" lately.  I don't even know where to begin.  But above everything else in importance are the medical issues that we've been dealing with where Ladde is concerned.  He's 19 years old and lately it seems like so many aspects of his health have gone to hell.  Totally unexpected and beyond our control.  I hate it.  It scares me to think that regardless of how hard we try to take good care of them, provide them with everything they need, physically and mentally, things can go south so quickly.  Overnight in fact.  Which is exactly what happened.

We were taking a quick glance at the horses before heading off to church.  Ladde was just leaving the water trough and heading back out to the pasture.  I noticed he was walking unusually, and recognized founder immediately.  Oh no...years ago we lost his grand dam to this dreaded disease and I sure didn't want to face it again.  But there it was.  The evening before he'd seemed perfectly fine, but we'd already reduced his hay rations because he'd put on some extra weight and his neck was getting just slightly cresty.  Long story short, we've been soaking, poulticing and bandaging for about 6 weeks now.  We took x-rays which showed very little, if any movement of the coffin bone.  Good news! Then he got even more lame, abscesses in both fore feet, multiple abscesses.  Oh boy, poor guy!  On top of that, he banged one eye, it got better, then he hurt the other eye, and he got a yeast infection in his sheath.  Until this past weekend, we weren't seeing much improvement.  Keeping him stalled in deep bedding was tedious, but important.  Thank goodness we'd purchased an extra ton of bedding and had it stored at the ready!  On Friday, the 30th I finally saw some progress.  Finally!  He's even lost a few pounds and other than being excessively hairy, was looking pretty good.  Saturday morning dawns, MH gave him his dose of Banamine and within seconds he was seizuring.  Teeth clenched, body and head tremors and down he went like a sack of potatoes!  His entire body was convulsing and his legs were paddling and kicking out...terrifying!  It only lasted for a minute or two, but afterwards he was exhausted.  He could barely walk.  Poor horse!  It is terrible enough that he had a seizure, but not knowing what caused it is really scary.  He banged his eye when he went down and got some sawdust in it, so we've been flushing it and keeping ointment in it as well.  Since that day, he's continued to slowly improve, with no new catastrophes.  Thank God...

We've had him tested and he is positive for both Cushings and EMS, in fact his numbers for ACTH, insulin and glucose were through the roof.  So, we've put him on pergolide for the Cushings, started soaking his hay and continued with the reduced rations.  We'll follow up soon with re-testing to see how the numbers change.  Hopefully, once we get through this acute phase, we can keep him controlled and prevent further laminitis episodes.  Other than what we're already doing, all I can do is pray.

Thankfully all the other horses are doing well.  Kadie, at 31-1/2 years young is doing remarkably well.  She has bone spavin in her hocks, but who wouldn't be a little creaky at that age?

Ruby and Charlotte are becoming fast friends.  Some days Ruby wants to rip out Charlotte's throat.  I can see the look on her face, but overall things are good.  The increased activity and mental stimulation is good for our lounge lizard, Ruby.  :)  Overall, Charlotte is a very good puppy.  She seems to learn quickly and we've suffered no losses to chewing.  She hasn't had many accidents in the house either, none in several weeks that I can remember.  She is growing leaps and bounds and is going to be a good dog.  I'm so glad that we got her, although I must admit there are some days that I question my sanity in getting another puppy.  Like yesterday when she discovered a hole in the car blanket and I came back from a short errand to find mountains of white polyester fluff everywhere, including hanging from her chin like a billy goat beard.  *sigh*  If she didn't look so darned cute, I may have killed her myself, right there and then.  But instead I gave her a thorough scolding and cleaned up her mess...puppies can be exasperating.  Kinda like little kids, I believe that's why God made them so cute.

Weather-wise, we've had some rain lately.  Last weekend was particularly wet and windy.  I loved it!  Today the sun is shining and we're loving it.  The grass is growing again in the pasture and the horses are enjoying their occasional mud baths, and especially no more flies.  So glad those little buggars are gone!  Time is marching on and my head is spinning.  Nothing new there.

My ambitious hubby is just about finished with our bedroom.  We moved the bed back in and most of the furniture as well.  It looks beautiful, and I'm so pleased with the results.  The blue isn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's close enough to live with.

We've no plans yet for Thanksgiving, except I'm really looking forward to the long weekend off.  We may even join some fellow church members and spend the holiday with them at the church potluck.  I'd miss visiting with my family, but would certainly get the spirituality in the celebration that I'm always longing for.  That would be nice.  My honey is good with that idea too, but he bemoans the "no turkey" aspect and just groans when I mentioned that someone just might bring some Tofurkey!  Oh well, guess I could roast a turkey breast later in the weekend, satisfy that craving for him.  :)

We're hosting our riding club Christmas party in our home this year and are really hoping that we'll have our cozy little home all put back together and cleaned up after all the demolition and re-building by then.  It's been a long, drawn-out affair, but we have light at the end of the tunnel.  Overall, we're quite pleased with the results, and overjoyed with when we look at the "before" pictures.  How quickly we forget!!

Lately I've been going through drawers, closets, pantry and everything in between, and purging.  Big time!  I really want to eliminate so much stuff in our lives.  Like most people, we have stuff in so many places that we've forgotten just what we have.  What is the point of it?  My new motto is, if we don't use it or wear it regularly, then get rid of it.  It feels so good!!!  I highly recommend it.  My purging project is still in its' infancy, so time will tell on how much I really end up eliminating, but my hopes are high.

Hope life is treating everyone well and blessings are abundant.  Happy November!!!