Here are some pictures of Sassy at a brighter time - helping out with our engagement photos. As many of you know, another vet came out Wednesday to run some tests on Sassy. While the scans were non-diagnostic, Sassy appears to be suffering from laminitis. Her condition worsened significantly on Monday but thankfully she appears to have stabilized and today was a tiny bit better. I was told Wednesday that she may only have a 10% chance of recovering at this point, but that’s enough for me. This condition often is associated with sugar in the diet so I have overhauled Sassy's feed. She is now getting special herbal tonics from Australia and medicine for Cushing's disease. We are still waiting for the results of a blood test taken Wednesday as well. Sassy is in pain but she is still eating and drinking, perky as ever, and trying to break out of the new stall we built to keep her resting. The last week has been a total whirlwind as I try to nurse her back to health while working and parenting. If we can get Sassy to hold up her leg long enough, we will attempt a special shoe. Sassy was born when I was 11-years old and has given 29 years of carrying my weight and now I am returning the favor. Some of you have asked about donating to help with Sassy's medical bills so I set up a GoFundMe. Please know, however, that if you're supporting me here you're helping too. I am so grateful for each of you - this has been a tough year but we will endure and persevere together. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sassy-get-back-on-her-hooves?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
Carla our Easter Egger is the most patient chicken ever, and the best kid chicken I’ve ever seen!
Remember how I survived that one day of farming in frigid Florida winter?
I don’t either.
The cold front, or “winter” as it’s called everywhere else, is over for now in Florida. After temperatures dropping in the 20s, we are back to high 70s & the beach. I still remember numb fingers while milking goats, wearing 4 layers to feed chickens, and seeing my breath. My sun-hat is off to those farming up north, just beginning to hunker down in the cold. One of the reasons we moved back to Florida from Washington state is that we like living in the country and raising animals, but I grew up in Florida so my tolerance for cold is low. Dealing with frozen water troughs, bursting pipes, numb toes - it’s just not my forté. My insulated overalls are back in the closet, waiting for a few more opportunities to work before spring break.
Many of you may already know this but Nate the Lawyer is in surgery right now to remove a brain tumor he never knew he had until this past weekend. Please hold him and his medical team in your prayers. There is an effort underway to get his YouTube channel to 1 Million subscribers before he wakes up. If you’d like to sub, here is his link. I met Nate when he only had 40,000 subs back during the crosshairs of YouTube censorship. I have always found him to be kind and genuine in a world that often rewards neither.
https://youtube.com/@natethelawyer?si=THI1UV4wj16A8BTs
Here is another example of the news media trying to push a narrative based off of limited information and knowledge. This is a farm in Northern IL that sells raw milk and other items from their farm and surrounding farms. Maybe someone good for you to interview, @AlisonMorrow https://allgrassfarms.com/blogs/farm-news/no-turkey-shortage-sample-wild-caught-salmon-sunday-beef-restock
It's a very sad cycle, for the sake of fitting into a system. The pharmakeia spiral.
Millions of Kids Are on ADHD Pills. For Many, It’s the Start of a Drug Cascade.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/millions-of-kids-are-on-adhd-pills-for-many-it-s-the-start-of-a-drug-cascade/ar-AA1QMkhq