Louise, I can only echo the sentiments of others. My fingers are clasped and crossed in hopes of recovery for Promise.
Know that we’re all here for you.
Been there too. Hope she continues to improve!! 
Thanks for the update, I hope that Promise continues to improve. You are a wonderful mommy.
Great news…I’m happy for both of you!!! Wish I could travel with Sillymommy this weekend to meet some of you but I have to work (yuck)…hopefully another time, Soon!!
Going to be there Saturday!!!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=373825&a=2764639
These are the only pictures I have scanned of Promise. She is the bay, the other is my really old (26) gelding, Stormy.
Once again, thank you all for your support. I saw Miss P last night and she was brighteyed and alert. Skinny as all get outs now, but, that we can fix. She’ll stay in the clinic for a couple of more days, just so they can monitor her, but the crisis is definately over.
Louise, your job is not to keep her alive as long as possible. Your job is to get her to a good end.
If you chose to dump her at a sale, knowing she would spend the end of her days in a Bad Situation, just so you could get a couple hundred bucks, THEN you should feel guilty. If you have her euthanized, which I pray is an option for me when I get there, that is a good end.
What could be better than a nice, productive life and a quiet, restful, pain free death?
I truly thank all of you for your responses. Promise has always been special, and that makes the decision harder. You are bringing up good points though, and are really making me feel much better. I had forgotton the agony Hennessy went through (torsion colic, 2 surgeries and 3 weeks before she died). I don’t want Promise to go through that.
I am praying very hard that she gets through this and that I have many more years with her. If that is not to be, then I will remember all your kind words, and be very thankful that I had the years that I did have.
Hugs to you and Promise during this very difficult day. I agree with all the thoughts expressed about here about not feeling guilty, you have done right by the mare all these years for which you should be proud.
Again, hugs to you and prayers for Promise.
SLW
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Silly Mommy and I want to meet you this weekend. I know Promise is in excellent hands, especially since I’ve known your vet since he was a young boy (wow am I aging myself). You know my prayers are with you and Promise for a complete and rapid recovery. Who knows, she may be back in her own stall before the 6 day time pd. Here’s hoping for better than the best.
msj
So glad to hear.
msj
I’ve been monitoring your situation with bated/baited(?)* breath, Louise.
I LOVE happy endings, too.
As regards the “useless critters” syndrome-my only hope in h@ll of getting into heaven is with the grace of that patron saint, the most holy, “ST. Francis of the Vet Bills”.
*An aside: how do you bate/bait breath and which is the proper usage? This is bothering my very little mind.
I love seeing these pictures again! I had forgotten how nice both of your “babies” are. When I come back in my next life - I want to be one of your horses! 
You are NOT letting your girl down and your doing everythign you can for her. As the others said, your job is to give her a great life (which you have) and at the end it’s your job to know when her quality of life is gone and it’s time to say good-bye. That’s the hard part but most owners always come to the right decision.
Your doing the right thing and both of you are in my prayers.
I was where you are last year with my rescue horse. And I’ve definitely been there with dogs. The fact is that I can’t afford to give myself the best and most expensive medical care, much less my animals. It worries me that humans don’t have the privilege of humane euthanization, because I know that I would rather be dead than to live on and on with conditions that I can’t afford to treat.
I’ve just taken on the responsibility for a twenty-three year old gift horse, and I made it very clear from the getgo that I was in no position to provide extraordinary vet care for her. She will still be better off with me than sold to slaughter buyers.
When my mare had to be put down, it gave me a great deal of comfort to know that her body and her case would be used to teach vet students who can learn from what she went through. Perhaps that will be an option for you.
The fact is that sometimes the cure is worse than the disease, and it’s better to end pain and suffering than to allow the possibility for it to continue interminably.
But, oh, the guilt. It’ll always be there in the back of your mind gnawing away, even if it’s irrational. And you have made the rational decision.
as you were kind to Promise for 13 years. And as you are granting her the last kindness you can offer now.
All you can do is your best. Not anyone else’s best, yours. I deeply empathize with what you are going through - and agree with whoever posted about putting down Raven. Animals accept death as humans tend not to do.
Nothing to add to what others have posted - just know that whatever happens, if Promise survives or dies, it is what was supposed to happen in her life and in yours.
Our thoughts are with you. Blessed be.
A big hooray. Let’s hope it all goes well from here.
Just consider this a “drill” for when ever we have to come to these decisions.
And don’t forget to use those two fur-balls at home for consoling. Their little furry-selves make great Kleenex’s. Meowww.
Keep us posted.
Just got off of the phone with the vet. Promise’s intestines are completely clean (know any other people who would talk so enthusiastically about excretement?). She is not gassy any more and is off of painkillers and IV fluid. She is bright and STARVING!!! I am, needless to say, wildly excited!
It’s funny, this is (to most people) an entirely useless mare, she has never competed and she is not of a quality to use for breeding. But, she has always meant the world to me and been able to make me feel better, when no one or nothing else could. I am very thankful that our time together is not at an end.
I am also very thankful that I have found such a fine group of friends here on the board. The thread that asks if we on this bb have an “attitude” raises some valid points. However, I think the best point that can be made about this board is that, when one of us is in trouble, the others all rally around to give their support. You were all there for me when I really needed it, and for that I will be forever grateful.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Yea Louise! Yea Promise! Yea vets! Yea poop!
