I had my own OMGiH when I got there the morning and the wrap that had been on the right foot was in the middle of the stall. And after I got it back on, I could see how much relief those lily pads are giving.
We can’t put on styrofoam or any other things yet because it would be too painful to start tapping on those feet yet. As soon as we can, the special pads are ready.
Because I have never looked at the bottom of a hoof with founder, I had the fright of my life when I saw that his feet were flat, and now understand more than ever why the pads go on the frogs and backs of the hooves. I kept having this mental picture of a normal hoof bottom with this thick pad over the frog. Yeah, right. Hell of a way to get an education, but I am like so many who never had an experience with this before and am learning as I go along.
Nitroglycerine increases the blood flow; it’s the same as people with heart problems putting a small nitroglycerine tablet under their tongue. It saved the life of the last horse they used it on.
Being Willem, he was driven by his stomach this morning, and as soon as the foot was rewrapped and I put in new feed, he dove into his hay.
Here’s the best way to describe his attitude. Picture a horse who from the coronet bands up is totally normal, eating and begging. He lays down to rest, then gets up. Moves around enough to keep it all flowing. Is extremely offended by his feet and looks at you like “Dude, I would SO be there faster but my effing feet, bah, wazzup with that?!”
But when Darya brought Seymour over today right after Willem had the syringe in his mouth, he hobbled right over to go pick a fight, scream and then swallow the meds. He hasn’t figured out yet that Seymour, Jake and Bolero come over in the morning for exactly this purpose - to get him to scream and then swallow.
50-50 is still floating around, like when you say something totally wrong or horrid and it comes out of your mouth in a balloon. So the balloon is right there in front of my face the whole time, plus another balloon filled with all the extremely moving and wonderful stories that so many of you have shared here an in PTs and emails, of horses who have pulled through. The ones who didn’t make it are in another balloon, a heart-shaped one. That’s the balloon we don’t want to be in.
And all that just slams around like a pinball machine in my head. Splash and so many of our fellow BBers know exactly what this is like, whether it is founder or colic or EPM or so many of the other nasties that come along, slap you across the face like a trout and you think
“Here I was, having a nice day and I don’t know WHAT the hell happened.”
And that’s when I remind myself that not only do I have the best care possible for him, but I have the most wonderful people that I am privileged to know through this beloved community pulling for our Willem. Because he’s not just mine anymore, he belongs to all of us. Just as Aiden does, just as Mr. Slim does, just as so many of the people and animals we have had a jingle for do.
These updates are catharsis for me, and I apologize to those it may offend by this thread continuing to be on the front page of this BB. Not everyone is a Willem fan - that’s fine. We may not all get along all the time, and that’s also fine. But please know that for those of us going through things like this, whether it is our horses or our children or our family members, the support we receive from this community is a wonderful thing. It may not be your cup of tea, and I respect that. But do know that there is not a single person who I have ever encountered on this BB, whether they still post here or not, that I would not jingle for in the same situation.
I am holding my arms as wide as possible so that I can hug back all the wonderful, dear people who have given Willem and I so much support, and who are continuing to do so. Thank you for your posts and your PTs and your emails. Bless each and every one of you, know that you are loved. If it is meant to be, then my dear old horse will be with us for a long time still, as will Splash’s beloved Mr. Slim. If it is not meant to be, then Willem was better for having known you all, for having met so many of you and for having loved everyone.
jingle jingle jingle
