Olivia and I have been working hard at getting that broken leg of hers on the mend. She has been taking her cast off several times a day so last Wednesday I decided we would work without it and see how it went. My heart broke every time I would see that leg drag or crumble as she moved around her pen. Now with four kids in the pen with her they kept her moving and I was worried that she would over do it but it was just what she needed. It was a different form of activity and something to keep her mind focused on - that was beating up the bottle kids. I thought I might have to pull them but of the pen but on Friday morning I locked all the other girls up and let Olivia and Opal out into the backyard and I took the bottle kids with us too. There we all had a picnic and spent time in the sun. This has healing powers not only for the body but for the soul.
After several hours of nippling and sitting in the tall grass Olivia was ready to go back in and the bottle kids had fallen asleep in my lap so back into the barn we went. Everyone took a nap - not me but the four legged kid did while I got back to work.
Saturday morning Olivia was like a different goat. She was not bulling the kids, not running around like a chicken with her head cut off. She seemed centered.
With all the trauma on the farm Monday I worried so that we might slide backwards with Olivia's progress. All the wind, noise and screaming of the other goats did get her going but she settled down once I was in the barn and even let the bottle kids sleep with her.
This afternoon when I was in the barn doing afternoon bottles I could not believe what I was seeing - Olivia was stand on her broken leg. I tried not to act like I noticed so she would be at ease and so I could watch her. She walked on it with out much of a limp. She was not dragging it of having it crumble under her weight. I sat there for the longest time just watching and giving thanks that we might have a chance at this healing. I just sat there watching her until she began to wonder what was wrong with me. She walked over the the pen gate and touched her nose to my hand. We locked eyes and I could see that she realized that all this touching on my part (which she hated every minute of it and fought me tooth and nail) was for her own good and that I was not trying to kill her.
I am so thankful for how far she has come and hope that we continue on the healing path to a strong leg that will support her for the rest of her life. This sure made up for Monday in a big way. Congrats to Olivia/
4 comments:
Congrats to YOU! You deserve a big pat on the back for sticking with it. You know what most would have done. It takes a very kind and patient heart to do what you have done. And if Olivia could use her hoof to dial the phone I am sure she would send you some flowers.
I'm so glad to hear that she is finally healing. Isn't it wonderful that the Universe provides us with such moments of grace after the horrible wind storm and destruction of the previous day? It's all about balance, I think. I am so happy for you that you received this wonderful silver lining after such a rough start to the week. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you so much ladies - I agree that even during the hardest of times there is grace and wonder. She is standing today and even gave me a look that was so full of joy. I think she is starting to believe that this is going to work. She even let me pet her at the 2 am feeding - I did a happy dance all the way back to the house in the wee hours....
Grace, I am so glad to hear that Olivia is doing better!
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