Tuesday 30 January 2007

Barbaro

I won't say much because it is all over, but I felt so sad for that horse. He tried so hard and in the end his own body let him down.

It is a shame that evolution still allows such a beautiful creature to have such delicate legs. It is a shame that a stallion must physically cover a mare for the breeding to be recognized in thoroughbreds. It is also a shame that we did not all, at least once get to see that beautiful, beautiful animal just plain run one more time.

I felt this horse close to my heart as it reminded me so much of what happened with Ruffian. I was watching that day too and I just cried my heart out.

I too agree with one of the suggestions I read today that they should wait until the horses are four years old before they race them. They are still such babies and as such undeveloped completely at three years old.

Anyway, that's my piece and I know that I will see Barbaro, Secretariat, Northern Dancer and Ruffian one day, as well as all my pets that I have had and loved.

Thursday 25 January 2007

Should have written sooner

I can't believe that it has been so long since I posted on my blog. Where has the time gone?

Shortly after my last post, I got the news that I was getting a new hip. Finally!! They have been putting it off because at 53, and then 54 years of age I was considered too young. Finally this June I was told that I was bad enough that they would do it.

Thank Heaven. It would be so nice to stand straight and not be in pain. I was told the wait was about five months. I planned on it happening just at or after Christmas. Well, in July they called me with a late November date. I was pleased and then shocked and then....... scared. I was mentally prepared for the five month wait but four seemed too short all of a sudden.

I had planned on writing a weekly blog detailing my adventures etc. Obviously that didn't happen. So I thought I would write a weekly one afterwards chronicling my recovery etc. Guess what? It has been 8 WEEKS since I had the surgery and I am just now writing.

They measure your pain level on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the worst. The evening after the surgery I was at about a twelve, which sounds bad but wasn't too much higher than what I had been at for the past year or so. The next morning, after a terrible night reacting to morphine, I was at a 2, maybe. I stopped taking the morphine at around three in the morning and went to Tylenol 3's. That's all I needed.

I have been recovering so well. I can stand up straight for the first time in over three years and I can walk fast again. I can also walk distances, which was hard to do before. I still need my knees done and they are all that are holding me back, but I still get out and do about a km a day at this point.

I can shop for groceries without it being an ordeal. I don't have to worry that I may not have brought medication with me or that I will be crossing a street or parking lot and not be able to get out of the way of traffic. I have FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!

Thank you
Ontario!