Devonviolet Acres

Baymule said:

Too much water at one time, too fast, and the culverts weren't big enough to carry the water away.

The land we used to own in Livingston had a wet weather creek that cut across that front of it. We battled culverts and floods, knocked down fences, from the massive amount of water that came through. Our culverts and road went completely underwater, that dry wash turned into a roaring river. I found a deal on a steel culvert in Beaumont, 90 miles away. It was 22 feet long, 7 feet tall for $850, we drove there immediately and paid the man. I found someone to haul it for $350 and was thrilled. The neighbor across the street bought a bulldozer and we hired him to put it in. THAT culvert worked! It was an old underground gas tank with the ends cut out. Normally they cost $2500 to $4000.

I have pictures of a small rain right after we had the culvert put in. I don't miss that property at all, but it was a good investment at the time.
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Here is a picture of Joe walking down the road we put in. He is 16 hands tall and looks small walking over the culvert.

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Wow! That's quite a river you had going there! We have a wet weather stream going through the back end of our property, I've never seen it in action, but have seen the aftermath. No roads back there, though. So, it's not so much of a problem.

LOVE that culvert you put in! DH commented that big ol' Joe could fit in it.

I wish I could get the county to put one in just half that size on our road, and build the road up a bit. Then maybe it wouldn't flood so often. After seeing that video of the culvert washing out I'm afraid to drive on our road when it floods - even though it's only a few inches deep!

I have to brag on one of my LGDs.

Yesterday, DH was cleaning out the goat shed. All of a sudden, he heard Violet behind him (she was standing in the opening, of the shed) barking her head off. DH turned around to see what she was barking at & realized she was barking at a swarm of about 30 red wasps, flying around in the shed.

Once she realized DH saw the wasps, she started biting at them (in the air), and then turned around & ran, so they would follow her. That gave DH a chance to get out of the shed without getting stung!

Isn't that AMAZING??? What a great Guardian Dog she is! Not only does she guard her goats against predators, and the chickens from birds-of-prey in the sky, she guards her human against nasty, vicious red wasps!

This is especially important, because 4 days ago, DH got stung by a red wasp, on his wrist. He didn't think much of it, since last summer he got stung about 4 times & didnt really react (other than a day, or two, of mild itching).

This time his whole hand swelled up. Actually, it swelled half way up his forearm! And ITCH??? OMG! No matter what we did (Benadryl, ice, apsirin, Ibuprofen) nothing would stop the pain, swelling & intense itching!

The swelling is now finally going down & the itching is a lot less.

Can you imagine what would have happened if he got multiple red wasp stings at the same time? The expression "anaphalactic shock" comes to mind. Time to ask the Dr. for an Epi-Pen!

Super good dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drawing off the nasty brutes so her Dad could make a getaway! Give that girl a T-Bone steak!

Oh I'm with you 100% on stinging insects.

So very glad to hear your DH is doing better. I recently got stung on the back of my hand by a yellowjacket. My hand swelled and the next day the swelling was halfway down my arm. Darn thing looked like a sausage. I could not bend my fingers or wrist. Went to the Dr. and he sent in a RX for the Epi-Pen, gave me a stern lecture about how to use the Pen and to hightail it to the ER if the tips of my fingers started going black. I started grousing about the joys of aging and he said it I had hit the limit for my body and the next sting could be rather bad. He had me take Benadryl 4 times a day for 2 days. This was a couple weeks ago and I still itch, but each day it is less and less.

Just another item on my "What were you thinking, God?" list for when I do meet up with my maker.

Good dog! Give Violet a hug from her Aunt Baymule! My DH said Voilet saved your DH's life! It would have been very bad.

That dog deserves a treat

I have gotten stung more times this year that I think cumulatively in my whole life. Agressive critters.

A lot of my family members have been and are severly allergic to stings, but I had never had a bad reaction until I got a single yellow jacket sting 4 years ago. I rushed my kids into the house since I didn't know if they were allergic or not, then followed them to tend my sting. Less than a min after the sting, my arm and leg muscles seized, making my fingers and toes pull upward, I lay down on the kitchen floor, and my diaphragm began to seize. I did not swell, but could barely breathe. I fought to suck in air. It was almost as bad as when I nearly choked to death on a peanut about 12 years ago. It took almost 10 mins for the ambulance to get there (from the hospital 5 mins away!) and I was breathing and pretty much back to normal by the time they got there, but it was very scary. The EMT's said it was just a panic attack, but a few weeks later my doctor said it probably wasn't. The pharmacist said that per my description it sounded like a bad reaction to the wasp venom itself, not anaphylaxis where your immune system goes bonkers. Anyway, I still don't have an Epi-Pen, which terrifies my poor DH, because I have to go to an allergist and be tested before my GP will prescribe one. Stupid Obamacare!!!

THAT is ludicris!!! If you had that severe of a reaction, you NEED an EpiPen. If insurance won't pay for it, it would be worth it to pay out of pocket. But, you would still need a script from a doctor. What you described doesn't sound like a panic attack to me either.

My husband's new doctor wouldn't write a script for a med he has taken, successfully, for over a year. So, we changed doctors to one who would write the script.

For the most part we use alternative medicine. However, I told DH we need to ask for a script for an EpiPen at his doctor appointment next week. I told him if he gets stung & starts to have a severe reaction (breathing issues, severe rash and/or severe swelling of his face /neck), I would use the Epi-Pen & then load him in the truck & take him to the closest ER, 15 min. away. The ambulance comes from 25 minutes away, meaning a 50 minute round trip drive to the ER in Sulphur Springs.

UPDATE: i was curious what an EpiPen would cost (out of pocket). So, I called our local Walmart pharmacy. I just about fell on the floor! The brand name 2-pack cost a whopping $683!!! I asked if they had a generic pack. That is still expensive - $232.43!!! YIKES! Since it would save DH's life, I would pay it. But, it would be a huge hit on our budget! Now I'm really praying our insurance will pay for it, without a huge co-pay!
UPDATE 2: I call our insurance company to see how much a pair of EpiPens would cost.
I was told they only sell a 3 month supply (6 pens - 2/month), of brand name only. Generic is not available on our plan. That would cost $131.

If I wanted only 2 pens (a 1 month supply), I could get them at Walmart for $37. A far cry from the $ 683, for brand name EpiPens. I suspect that is a 3 month supply, not 1 month, as the pharmacy tech told me.

Baymule said:

Good dog! Give Violet a hug from her Aunt Baymule! My DH said Voilet saved your DH's life! It would have been very bad.

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Tell your sweet DH, I totally agree!!! That is why we are getting an Epi-Pen!!!

It is a case of better safe than sorry... Not a "wish I had..." or "If only I had..." type situation.

After I posted about DH's red wasp sting, I realized I never posted about our health scare a couple weeks ago.

A friend was using his brush hog, to clear our fenceline. DH was out there, pointing out hazards. It was another one of our Texas "heat advisory" days, with high 90°+ heat & heat index in the 100°+ range.

DH had water to drink & stayed in the shade as much as he could.

When they were finished clearing the fenceline & back pasture, DH called & asked for me to take them some ice water.

By the time I got to him, he was leaning against a hip high, steel tube framework. His face was gray and he was non-responsive. I was trying to get him to respond, when he started going down, backwards. I grabbed him & pulled him toward me, planning to take him down to the ground. Just then his legs buckled & I couldn't stop him from falling.

I couldn't see him breathing, but felt a pulse. I was crying my eyes out and kept calling his name but he didn't respond.

I knew he passed out from the heat & also that I needed to cool his head fast. So I poured the ice water over his head and he came to immediately.

He started gasping, and I thought I got water in his mouth. So, i started clearing his airway. Later he told me he was gasping from the ice water - similar to what one would do after jumping into an icy waterway.

I was so relieved when he came to!!! But, I couldn't stop crying, because i thought I had lost him!

He wanted to get up and go in the house right away. But, his face was still gray, and he was really weak. So, I had our friend get a lawn chair & I made him sit in the chair (in the shade), for a half hour, while I continued to pour cold water on his chest and back, and made him drink ice water. After about 10 minutes, his color came back. But, I made him stay in the chair.

It's a good thing I took a gallon plus a large glass, of ice water, out for DH and our friend!

I kept asking our friend to call 911, but he wasn't doing it. I just couldn't understand why? Later I learned his cell phone was in his truck.

I also learned that if he had called 911, the ambulance would have come from Sulphur Springs (about 30 minutes away.) They wouldn't have gotten here in time, if I hadn't revived him. So, I decided next time I will try to get him in the truck & take him to the ER that is 15-20 minutes away. Speed limit be d*m*ed!