B&B Happy Goats....journal

farmerjan

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My ankle is doing really good. No pain, still some numbness but getting a little more feeling on the bottom of it. It is getting stronger. I do exercises with it, and balancing on that foot for a count of 5 - yes I do hold onto the edge of a chair some - but getting more dexterous with it. PT guys say it is doing good.
The warmer weather doesn't seem to be helping the knees much. They just really hurt with any kind of walking/standing .... ESPECIALLY on any kind of hard floors.... walking doesn't hurt as much say on the lawn.... but the right one is very painful. Doesn't seem to matter what I take, supplements, anything.... and even the pain pills aren't helping much. I try to only take some tylenol except when I am in the barns; and the sad thing is I will get about an hours' lessening of the pain but not much. I find myself walking with the knees almost stiff and more of a shuffle sometimes, as they just hurt. And that actually makes it worse.... I tell myself to "bend your knees" often, so I don't get to walking like a tin soldier with stiff knees..... steps are just not fun no matter how I do it.
I know the cold affects them in the winter.... and I do make it a point of always wearing insulated overalls just for helping keep the knees warmer.
But as I have said before, I never realized that the knees hurt this much because the ankle was so painful to walk on. Now that there is just no pain in the ankle, the knees are really letting me know.....
I do find that using the one crutch helps because I take some of my weight on the arm/hand holding the crutch so don't come down so hard on the knees. PT said that it was fine if it kept me up and walking/exercising the ankle more. Or to use a cane or walking stick.... but that is more for balance than to take some of the pressure/weight off the actual knee joint. I am still using the crutch a fair amount when having to walk very much. I don't use it alot in the house, but even sometimes I find myself reaching for it because just putting all the weight on my knees is just too much. I also try to not take much for the pain, and go hours/days without even taking a tylenol if I can . I just don't like to keep taking them. I will combine it with the tramadol when I am testing though. Dr said they would work well together....synergistic (?) so I do that or I cannot get through a 2 hour milking/testing. It helps tremendously to be able to sit for a minute or 2 waiting on a cow to get done.... or the group to go out or come in.
Plus I look at it; I am further than I was a month ago when I needed help most all the time. I can do a 100 cow herd or a 2-2 1/2 hour test now without being in agony.... building up the strength and walking better. I don't use anything in the parlor while going from cow to cow..... and I do sit for a minute whenever I can.
It is better than it was...... I still can't believe that there is absolutely no pain in the ankle.... except a little soreness when doing the exercises and such with the stretching and strengthening the muscles and ligaments and tendons and all.....

SOOOOOOO GLAD that I did the ankle..... am now wanting to get the knees done if they will feel better like this.
 

Mini Horses

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I never realized that the knees hurt this much because the ankle was so painful to walk on. Now that there is just no pain in the ankle, the knees are really letting me know.....
I am further than I was a month ago when I needed help most all the time. I can do a 100 cow herd or a 2-2 1/2 hour test now without being in agony.... building up the strength and walking better.

Improvement positive! Also, over the years & during rehab now, you have adjusted your walk, posture, gait, etc. to accomodate the pain. Now you are having to re-adjust all with the new ankle. Even your back will thank you, although you may not feel that yet. It will all repeat once you do those knees. Heck by next summer you'll feel 20 yrs younger.

@B&B Happy goats -- sure hope you get those coon! And -- how much different can a chicken smell than a crow -- both rotting in the sun?? :idunno Maybe it will scare them off, also. You'll let us know.

Why not hot wire the other pen, too?
 

Mike CHS

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Coincidentally, when we were down checking on a mod we need to do, I told Teresa that Barb is probably wanting a Mel fix. I didn't intend for me to be in the picture but he is giving me one of those big eyed looks that seems like it can see straight into your heart. :)
Mel 16 June 2020.jpg
 

GardnerHomestead

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The smallest of the two piggies has caught up in size (almost) to his brother and hopefully we will be moving them to the new pig area this weekend....boy oh boy they sure love those hardboiled egg,s :) ......rabbit kits a gaining weight really fast and if Mrs Wilson's bred than we should have more kits born tommrow....
The chicks are out now with the adult hens and we haven't had any new losses with them :fl
Whatever has been getting into the back turkin pen has taken itself a whole chicken that was in the special sauce bucket, soooo I am suspecting a racoon momma again, hope her family enjoyed their meal together....
Two of the doe's are in heat and poor little man Moe is yelling at me to let him go take care of business...he just won't listen to me telling him he has to wait a few more months.....
Lilly (labradoodle) seems to be going into her first heat as she is being quite romantically focused on sticking her "business" in poor Winston's face...Winston sniffs and looks at me like " what does she want me to do mom ? " .......
Then we have the KC ducks sitting on a pile of eggs while we are waiting for Mr Drake to realise he needs to get his young self together and get those eggs fertilized.....ugh, lol..it's like a darn zoo around here lately, hopefully we will get back on track and get everyone happy, and the pigs moved to their place .....
It sure is funny to talk with my old circle of friends who are busy traveling and entertaining each other as they share their stories of adventure as retired people...I try to share my Joy's of having a wonderful life in the country with our animals, they don't "get it"....I think farm life is the best kept secret of retirement, can't beat it with a big stick :love
Have a great weekend BYH :yesss:
I have now read your whole journal, and lol at Lilly and Winston, our pup just went through her first heat too and your description is spot on! hahahaha :lol: look forward to reading more! thanks for the laughs
 

drstratton

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Thank you lol, it certainly has been a interesting couple of years for us....my husband still keeps asking "are we done building pens and fences yet ????......:hide nope
Just remind him that you are having a never ending adventure...upgrading never ends...lol!😂 I'm so glad that I found BYH, you all are good for my soul! 💞
 

chickens really

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Depending on the age of the birds the Cockerel will be slower getting the big tail feathers and will be a bigger bird with big legs and feet. 👍
Hope your neighbor gets home soon. It's going to be hot here as far as Alberta hot gets. 23C but humidity is high. Storms coming this evening.
 
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