Siobhan a Year Later

This is a follow-up to Siobhan's story from last year.  That story told how Siobhan got Pseudomonas mastitis in her right rear quarter and nearly died.

I was a day away from putting Siobhan down to end her intense suffering when my son and our three grandchildren joined me in the milking parlor.  They prayed over and sang to Siobhan while I stripped her swollen, painful quarter.  They also fed her treats and for the first time since she got sick, she didn't kick in pain.  Shortly after they left, a vet from the University of TN called me--on a Sunday afternoon--and begged me not to put Siobhan down.  He said if I gave her a chance, he believed she could get well--even though Psuedomonas is considered untreatable and incurable.  That vet ended up being a lot like the biblical angel that told Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac--he played his part and disappeared from the story, never to be heard of again!  He never answered my emails or calls, and I was on my own with a cow I hoped and believed God might spare, but not quite sure what I was supposed to do.

Before I learned it was Pseudomonas, a local vet had already given me a shot of Excede and a prescription for Pirsue (assuming it was Staph A again).  So I carried through with the Pirsue in all four quarters for 8 days; gave Siobhan large doses of oil of oregano essential oil in her feed twice a day, along with Vitamin E and probiotics; and massaged and stripped the RR quarter twice a day until the calf could keep her udder milked out.  At that point I quit milking her to avoid spreading anything.  Siobhan and Remy lived in the barnyard while I hauled all the manure and bedding away to a separate compost heap where it would not be spread on the pastures.  

An update from late August recounts some further challenges Siobhan faced, including an annoying fungal infection of her udder, another residual of my grave mistake in using the Tamm Udder Support.  Essential oils, colloidal silver and Lotrimin finally resolved that problem after months of treatment.  However, there was some hopeful news in her further milk tests--especially that throughout her illness, the Staph A she had in Feb. 2014 never reappeared.  That was the best news I had during a horrible year!

In October 2015, Siobhan and Remy got out of the barnyard for the first time since he was a few days old, the end of May.  They had two months out in a pasture until I weaned Remy in early December, and Siobhan came back to the barnyard so I could supervise her anti-self-sucking harness.  Our vet came for a consultation about Siobhan's future, and we made a plan.  The plan changed a few times for various reasons, but here's what we finally did.  Remy was weaned, Siobhan tested negative for Pseudomonas again, and I dried her off.

Once Siobhan was dried off, she was ready for surgery.  I consulted with vets at UT and the University of GA, as well as two other helpful vets with experience in mastitis.  There was a general consensus that, due to scar tissue from the Pseudomonas and probable damage to her lymph system which drains the udder of infection, if Siobhan ever calved and lactated again, she would almost certainly get mastitis.  That much the vets agreed on.  As far as how to prevent that, the vets had various solutions to offer.

1)  A complete mastectomy, a very serious surgery under general anesthesia, with a risk of death, infection, seroma, etc.  This would obviously completely eliminate any chance of her getting mastitis.  It could be followed a couple weeks later by an ovariectomy (spaying her) to keep her from getting pregnant.  That could be done through a flank incision (more risky) or laparoscopically (much less risky, but more expensive).

2)  An ovariectomy (spaying) through a flank incision, at the same time tying off the main artery that supplies the udder.  This would result in atrophy of the udder.  There was a slight chance that collateral circulation might develop, but as long as Siobhan would not be calving and lactating, this should greatly reduce her chance of getting mastitis.

The anxious part of me wanted Siobhan's udder to be gone so she could never have mastitis again.  A friend who had it done for her cow was very supportive and helpful--without making me feel guilty if I decided against it.  The cow mama part of me did not want my cow to suffer the pain and months-long recovery of a total mastectomy, and after the months of stress I endured last year, I wasn't sure *I* could deal with the pain and suffering and potential complications.  Our vet highly recommended against it.  Herb supported whatever I decided, and in the end I had to make the decision for Siobhan; no one else could do it for me.  After spending time in meditation and prayer for wisdom, I felt convinced that the Lord had brought Siobhan this far to spare her--and the ovariectomy at UT kept coming to mind.

On March 21, we took Siobhan up to the University of Tennessee, 2 hours away.  She led off the trailer like the sweetheart she is and got the attention of a crowd of vet tech students, who thought she was so cute!

It was SO hard to leave my girl there, but I knew she was in good hands.   Siobhan had her surgery on March 24, with the assistance of three different vets.  They used a left flank incision.  The ovariectomy (spaying) was as easy as expected, although they had some difficulty reaching the right pudendal artery due to her smaller size, and the surgery took several hours.  As a precaution, they gave Siobhan IV fluids and antibiotics and decided to keep her over the weekend to observe her.

We picked Siobhan up on March 28.  They didn't even bother leading her through the chute, but just led her out the door.  We had a chance to talk with all three vets who worked on her and get their input for her follow-up care.

Here's Siobhan back at home four days post-op, showing off her incision.  The stuff around the edges of the shaved portion is sterile drapes that they glued to her hide to keep them from falling off if she moved.

A close-up of the incision, which would need the stitches removed 10-14 days post-op.  Meanwhile, I was instructed to take Siobhan's temperature every morning for the next 10 days and to closely observe the incision for any redness or drainage.  By God's grace, her recovery was textbook-perfect with nothing to cause me any worry.

On April 8, two weeks after Siobhan's surgery, came the moment I'd been dreaming of for more than a year.  It was a moment I had hoped for, even while I dreaded that it might only come figuratively for Siobhan's spirit when her body found relief from suffering.
(Even a year later, it makes me cry to write that!)

The moment Siobhan didn't know to hope for, but that she sure knew how to enjoy to the fullest . . .

Psalm 29
(verses 2, 4 & 6)

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox. . . .

Every time I see these photos of Siobhan leaping like a calf, I smile all over again.  Her joy was and still is infectious!

About two weeks after Siobhan's surgery, our vet took out her stitches and pronounced that she looked excellent.  It was time to let her really go free, so that Ebby and her calf Buddy could enjoy the Home Pasture.

Despite Siobhan's stellar behavior on the lead rope at UT, I thought it would be wise to tie her behind the Doodad while I drove it slowly and have Herb walk nearby, in case she got excited and pulled too hard for one of us to lead her.  It's a good thing I know my girl so well!  I took this photo from the driver's seat, and Siobhan was definitely leading!

Siobhan was happily reunited with Royal, and after determining that he was Head Bull and she was Head Cow, they set off to enjoy the large Back Pasture together.

That evening I was filled with joy at the sight of Siobhan grazing beside Royal, being a cow again . . . for the first day of the rest of her life.  The last verse of Psalm 29 expresses my feelings perfectly: "The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."  It was a long and difficult year for both Siobhan and me, but at the end of it, we both have peace, and I thank the Lord from both of us!

Think Dirty!

If you thought this was a post about gardening, you're mistaken!  And as cute as Ebby is, it's not about Dexters giving themselves clay facials, either!

This post is--believe it or not--a review of an App!  Don't worry, this is still a farm blog, but I just have to share this great App--which I found through my interest in essential oils--because it helps me "live clean."

One of the first ways I used essential oils was putting thyme, lavender and eucalyptus oils in hot compresses on Ebby's udder when she was newly-freshened to give her comfort and help her relax.

It wasn't Ebby that introduced me to Think Dirty, however.  I discovered this app when it was recommended in a Facebook group.

The website states:  "Think Dirty® is more than just a mobile app - it’s a consumer revolution for safer cosmetics by learning one ingredient at a time, changing to cleaner options, one product at a time.  Join me to take back our power to vote for products that are safe, clean, and not “Dirty”. The time is now."

It sounded like a great idea, so I got the App and tried it out Sunday afternoon.  Using Think Dirty is very easy and rather addictive in a fun way, although the results were a fairly damning indictment of my bathroom contents!

I've never even used the scanner thingy on my iPhone, but I could figure this App out without much trouble.

Enable the camera on your phone, then hold the camera over the barcode of the product you want to scan.  You'll see a small window appear with a red line through it, and the barcode shows up inside the window.

This photo is so blurry because it's easier to do this than to take a photo of oneself doing it, using a camera in the other hand!  The Think Dirty scanner works so quickly I could barely get a photo of the scanning process.  At least you can see how the barcode shows up in the window with the red line through it.

If products are already in Think Dirty's system, they pop up fairly quickly, showing a "Dirty" rating from 0 (good) to 10 (bad).

Here's a decent rating of 3.  It's easy to remember, green means "go," so you can go ahead and keep using this one.

Look at the"Dirty Meter" on the left.  You'll notice that nothing pops up under the "Carcinogen,"  Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity," or the "Allergies & Immunotoxin" scales.

Here's a cream for sensitive skin that I used to slather all over myself during the winter.  It gets a half 'n half rating of 5--yellow for "caution."

Now look at the "Dirty Meter."  The allergic index isn't too bad (unless you consider that this product is made for sensitive skin!), but do I really want a 5 out of 10 on the Carcinogen scale soaking into my skin all winter?  Not really!

Think Dirty offers a lot more than a numerical rating and the Dirty Meter, though.  Notice the "Ingredients" tab in the center.  The 19 ingredients in this product don't all show up on this screen shot, but the six worst ones do.

The "5" rating on this product corresponds to the ingredient with the highest score.  It's not an average, which is a good thing because 18 low numbers averaged with one very high number could lull you into thinking the product is safe.

Finally, check out the "Our Picks" tab on the right.  Think Dirty provides 54 alternatives to this product and gives you their score to compare.

That makes Think(ing) Dirty a great thing to do while you're shopping.  In fact, I can't wait to go shopping and Think Dirty!  Last time I looked at "healthy" shampoo options, I ended up not making a selection because I couldn't narrow the choices down.  With Think Dirty, I can easily weed out any that aren't "clean" enough and find good alternatives.

I think this picture is worth 1,000 words.  This is a product I bought for my grandchildren to use on their cuts and scrapes.  Look at "Developmental Toxicity" in the Dirty Meter.  And this would go directly into their bloodstream--Yikes!

Think Dirty comes with ready-made lists you can save your products under as you scan them.  You can also create new lists of your own choosing.

Here's part of my "Dirty Products" list.  Next time I go shopping I can look up suggested alternatives for each one to be sure I replace them with something safe.

As I scanned items in our bathroom, these three came up as 5's.  I decided, however, that we aren't going to brush our teeth with something that's 5 out of 10 on the Carcinogen scale!

These items ranged from 6 (on the left) up to 10 (on the right).  I plan to replace them all with the help of Think Dirty.  Notice that lots of words on their labels don't mean what you and I might think they mean:  "natural, therapeutic, herbal, pure and nursery."

One final, great feature is that if a product you scan is not in the Think Dirty database, you have the option to send it to them and request it to be added.  It's easy to do, and I sent quite a few in myself.  Now I just have to wait on the notifications to decide the fate of these items.

If you care about your family's health, I highly recommend that you start to Think Dirty!  What's not to love about an App that does all this--AND has a name that just begs to make puns?

Think Dirty about the Bare Necessities of Life . . .

Think Dirty cleans up your life . . .  Sorry, I couldn't resist!  Try Think(ing) Dirty yourself and let me know what you think!

After the Turkey is Gone

Our Thanksgiving dinner was pretty much like everyone else's.  It's what came next that was different . . .

While much of the nation was being inundated with rain and cold, we were blessed with a sunny day of shirt-sleeve weather on Thanksgiving and again on Black Friday.  So Herb blew a huge pile of leaves to make the perfect photo backdrop.

Monique and Jim and the grandkids . . .

. . . Jean-Marc and Jenny and Tai . . .

 . . . and Kara and Bonnie.

Later that day the grandkids wanted to visit the horses.  Julie was happy to see the kids and generously gave out pony kisses.

The horses haven't been ridden in a year, but Romeo, Angel and Brandy stood so still while the kids sat on them bareback.

On Saturday we saddled the horses and went for a real ride.  Well, some of us rode!  Herb led Brandy for Kol to ride.

Jean-Marc led Romeo with Jenny up bareback.

Jim led Julie and Charis.

I led Angel with Monique and Eden riding, although Jim took over for the photo op.

Notice that every rider wears a helmet.  We are firm believers in the importance of wearing protective riding helmets and teaching the kids to wear them, too.  They may not be pretty or "cool," but they're an indispensable part of horsey fun on our farm.  Helmets have kept various members of our family safe on multiple occasions throughout the years.

We have much to be thankful for this holiday season--family, food, falling leaves, and fond memories made on this beautiful farm.

Fall Fun on the Farm

The kids and grandkids were here last weekend, and we had a beautiful day to enjoy the farm.  One of their favorite activities is to go out and see the animals.  Siobhan loves the treats as much as the kids love handing them out.

This little wheelbarrow is just the right size.

We took a "six month anniversary" photo with Seb (at left) and Ebby six months after his birth during Eden's birthday party.

Sir Loin came up to look for treats and made everyone smile with the bit of greenery stuck under his ear tag.

Wellie struck a handsome pose, glowing bright red in the sunlight.

There was fun to be had indoors later in the evening as Jim swung the kids . . .

. . . sending them flying through the air to land on the couch.  Inside or out, there's never a lack of fun on the farm!

Helping Me Over the Hill

As I mentioned back in June, the month of July was scheduled for a big family get-together.  It ended up being a month-long celebration to help me "over the hill" for the Big 6-0.  My two sisters, Barbara and Karen, arrived July 1 to kick things off.

Of course visiting me means hanging out with my Dexters.  Barbara has met them before, but it was Karen's first time here on Zephyr Hill Farm, so she had to meet the whole crew.  Here she is petting her first cow, Ebby.

Barbara discovered that when there aren't enough barn boots to go around, cowboy boots work fine for mud, too.

We did some civilized, "girly" things, too, like antiquing--an especially appropriate activity for an old-timer like me!

The last time the three of us were together was five years ago, so this was a special time for us all.  Someone has to be the oldest and hit 60 first, so it might as well be me.  As I like to remind my sisters and my kids, "If I can't be a good example, I'll just have to serve as a horrible warning."

Sadly, the girls had to leave before my actual birthday, but others came to take their place . . .

We celebrated that night at my favorite restaurant with all of us locals: Jim, Monique, Herb, me, Katie (who came in from Houston), and Kara.

Before Katie headed back to Houston, we modeled our new Billy Bob teeth.  What can I say?  It's a family tradition!  She also took me shopping while she was here, so now I actually clean up nice.

Kara had spent weeks planning a special birthday menu that spanned much of July.  Since we love ethnic food, she cooked up an Around the World Food Tour of places we've visited and cuisines we enjoy, including German, African, Persian, Egyptian, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Mexican.

This was the twelve-course Persian meal she prepared one night with a little help from her Minions.

Jim and Monique brought the grandkids for a weekend, and they kept me young at heart.

Jenny and Jean-Marc came down from Ohio to join the local yokels, and we all got our own pair of teeth for some family photo fun.

Misty had to get in on the act, too, and the kids couldn't bear to take out their teeth, so the "serious" photo was only about as serious as it ever gets in this clan.  Fun times to remember, though!

When everyone else had to go home, Jenny and Jean-Marc stayed on.  They were able to use up some leave and get some rest before heading to their new base.

About the time Jenny and Jean-Marc left, Barbara came back with the rest of her family for another week of fun and laughter, like enjoying my youngest nephew's attempt to walk on water.  (Just kidding--see the swinging rope over his head?)

The month of July finally drew to an end and so, like all good things, did the longest-ever birthday bash.  After we waved goodbye to the last of the family, Herb turned to me and jokingly said, "Well, it's over.  You're not special any more."

I didn't believe him, though--I had an entire month full of lovely memories to remind me otherwise.