OK, outside of my quit smoking blog entry... I pretty much don't ever talk about anything on a very personal level. Most blog entries are trials and tribulations regarding my livestock.
But I have to write about this- because it is serious to me, and of course I have nobody else to talk to...And recognize this, I am a VERY opened minded person when it comes to relationships...Let's just say, most people do not share my open minded views (no, I'm not into weird swapping and all that jazz!)
SOOO.. here's the beginning:
It is a Saturday night. Earlier in the day, my girlfriend had asked me to go to a local bar with her. Even though it wasn't my bar of choice I decided to go to hang with my friend. My husband knew where and who I was going out with. He also said that he was going to go "find something to do" tonight.
We each got ready, and I left our house before him. It was almost 8:30 when I had left. I am not a big "going out" person and so we (girlfriend and I)went early, so that I didn't have to stay up till the crack of dawn!
after roughly half an hour after my arrival by my friend, I text my husband to see what his plans were for the night. He didn't tell me what/where/who his plans were with before I had left... He text back saying that he was going to go out to some campsite of his buddy's. No big deal... I then thought about it a little more and so I had asked him if he was coming back home tonight. Figuring camping, drinking with the guys, I wouldn't want him driving drunk. He didn't answer me. So I asked again (in not so many words) and he still continued to ignore my question.
Meanwhile, at the bar- I was having a good time. Chatting with my girlfriend... I had 2 beers and 2 shots at the time. Because of who I am, I was starting to get bored. I was also feeling kinda lonely, so I had started texting my husband. I would like it if he came out to where I was at, if he wanted. Because I had been drinking, and he had mentioned coming out by me, I asked him if he would give me a ride home, and I would leave my car there until morning. I'm not a big drinker- and I was already starting on Soda.
Another hour and a half had passed before he said he was on his way. No big deal, I thought perhaps he was having fun w/ his buddies. It's after midnight.
Here and there I kept texting him- funny things, not "naggy" things :)
And I noticed he wouldn't respond. When I finally asked whats up with that he said that he couldn't hear/feel his phone. No big deal...
Eventually he shows up at the bar... Here's the kicker.....
WITH SOME GAL. I was caught so off guard that I'm damn near speechless. I don't quite know what to say. I had been talking to him on and off most of the evening and never once did he mention being with her. Or bringing her.. But I do recognize this gal because I know that she's on his "Friends" list on Facebook, and that they message back and forth on there.
He introduces me to her, and proceeds to tell me that she is from North Carolina and that she is here for a funeral and that her car broke down - and so she CALLED HIM for help. I'm baffled. Why would my husband be the night in shining armor for his facebook "friend" from North Carolina??? Why wouldn't she call family?? Of course she's married, but a military wife, and he is always deployed. Oh look! Lonely housewife who has found refuge in my husband. How awesome is that??
So there they stand... I try to talk to the gal. I TRIED... But it was just making me REALLY uncomfortable. I just didn't know what to do- I'm clearly annoyed no matter how much I try to hide it. My girlfriend is looking at me clearly worried about my feelings- seeing that same scene that I am seeing before me.
I just didn't know what to do- No matter how much I wanted this to go away I can't turn around and talk to my girlfriend- that would be rude. But yet I couldn't act "sweet" on my husband, because that would make that gal feel uncomfortable. I didn't want to talk to her- just because I'm certain she can see the aggravation on my face.... So I did the only thing I felt I could calmly do:
In a rational, calm voice I said to him: Please take yourself, and her away from me. Please leave. You both are making me very uncomfortable. I will just take a taxi home. He of course insisted on telling me that nothing is going on (again, never mentioned he was w/ this gal...for hours...in any previous conversation. Not to mention, if the car REALLY did break down, and he was "helping her out" by giving her a ride to wherever she needed to go, why were they out for an evening on the town together??)
He told me that he would just give her his keys (aka: she take his vehicle) and he would stay with me and take mine. I'm by this time very frustrated- I've had one million bad scenarios rip through my head in less than 5 minutes- and I've instantly become super insecure (ok, I think I became super insecure the minute they walked in!- VERY UNLIKE ME) Anyway, I basically said "F" No! and thought why the hell would I want to continue this strangeness on day 2! So to get him and her to leave- I turned my back to them and entered my girlfriend's conversation until they had left a few seconds later.
I sat at the bar not quite sure what to do. Because my husband was coming to give me a ride, I had switched back to alcohol, and clearly not in a good position to drive myself home. So I sat there for a while longer. In the meantime my girlfriend kept asking me if I was OK. So I vented my frustration to her. Great, I've just become one of "those" types of people. I never tell my deepest feelings and suddenly, I'm in a bar- going off the deep end. Awesome. Bye-Bye Sanity...
(didn't cry though, THANK GOD! That would have been totally embarrassing!)
Again, I'm not a big "going out'er", or drinker. I wanted to go home but honestly- I didn't know how to call a cab! I felt so stupid... They all told me the number and what to say when they answered. Yeah me!! I did it!
While I was waiting for the cab to come (didn't know how I would know when they got there!) my girlfriend told me that it was OK to not be OK. I of course ignored that bit of info, and kept my chin held high, and tried not to let my eyes glass over from the tears that were just around the corner.
Sure, all of this may sound innocent- but there are too many things that just don't jive: Why did this strange facebook friend call him and not her family/friends? Are they better "friends" than I'm being led to believe? Why if he was rescuing her from her stranded vehicle, were they out together all night long? Why didn't he tell me he was with her? Why didn't he say he was coming out to me with "friend" in tow? How long have these two been "close" friends?? And why the hell don't I know about this??
My girlfriend made an excellent point. That if things were as innocent as they had seemed, he should have taken his "friend" home- and have come back to the bar to pick up his slightly intoxicated wife and take her home. But nope. He never came back. I did end up taking that cab home. I got home almost an hour after he had left the bar with her. He text me just as the cab pulled into our driveway to tell me that he was "Home now".
I paid the cab driver the $30.00 ($25.00 + $5.00 tip)that I owed him to take me home to B.F.E. Again, Awesome. I couldn't think of a better way to blow that money.
Here's the kicker... One of his cars are gone. So I called him, he answered in a very sleepy (like he had been sleeping for hours- not in the house for the past 5 minutes) voice (faker!!). I went inside and asked him where the car was (duh, like I couldn't figure out the answer??) He gave it to her to use. Again, super awesome.
Long story short- I have trust issues with my husband because has made bad choices regarding his "behavior" in the recent past. Just this last summer he was meeting a gal that he hooked up with through a singles dating line, in a park, all while telling me he was at work. I just happen to find out by looking at his text messages (THE VERY FIRST TIME I HAVE READ HIS PHONE TEXTS - lucky me)about hooking up again, and how they each had a good time. Of course he claimed that nothing happened.
Anyway, back to tonight: So I asked him the who/what/why of this gal, and as it turns out they text each other weekly. And that he was great friends with her his whole life (funny, we've been together 11 years and have never heard him mention her, and he hides texting her from me?)
All in all, my biggest issue has to do with being sneaky and deceitful: Not telling me about her in the past, his texting her continuously, his plan to get together with her tonight, not telling me he was spending his night out with her - when he first led me to believe he was going to a male buddy's cabin. I'm the type of person that believes if you don't have anything to hide (actions or feelings) you don't have anything to be hiding and to be sneaky about. Again, I'm open minded- it isn't the actions that alarm me- I wouldn't have issue of him having a woman friend, or texting a woman friend, or facebooking a woman friend- if it wasn't such a secret. I tell him anytime that i talk to a man, or text one, or i show him some of my funny conversations on FB. I'm not breaking any laws- and I'm not being sneaky and hiding anything- because there IS nothing to hide.
As my mind races, I wonder how this evening WOULD have went (again, my road to Hell is paved with the words "WOULD"a, "coulda" & "Shoulda") What if I didn't text him to convince him that I needed a ride home? Would he have ever told me about being with her all night? And remember, he never did answer my text about if he would be coming home tonight- Perhaps he was waiting to see how his night would go with her and then decide?
All in all, if he has never fessed up about his "best of friends" relationship with this gal, I whole heartily doubt he would have "done the right thing" during a night with her, without me. Remember... He never fessed up about the chick he was seeing behind my back before- only said he was "SO Sorry" when I caught him at it. I hate people that are only sorry about something when they have been CAUGHT!
And lastly, I'm going to swear here- Fucking Awesome! Now I get to deal with her having one of our cars... Yes, she has family here- she used to live her. Her kid was at a relatives while she was hanging with my husband. Lucky me.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Who the Hell am I?? *Me* in a 1000 words or less!
********************UNDER CONSTRUCTION**************************
(HEE HEE!)
**SNARK!**
(HEE HEE!)
**SNARK!**
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
15 minutes of Momma Drama = 8lbs of Spirit Redemption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUKkKIMr3q8
This is the way goat kids should be born! Well, I would prefer a little less ""Momma Drama"" associated with it- but a live birth is WAY better than body recovery...
Because of the length, YouTube made me break up the video into a few segments. Above is the link for video #1.
And if you are REALLY pressed for time, skip video number 1, and go straight to #2-#4.
video #2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRqQhgSG8qc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
video #3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udL7dHn59l4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
video #4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4scMgD8vuQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
This is the way goat kids should be born! Well, I would prefer a little less ""Momma Drama"" associated with it- but a live birth is WAY better than body recovery...
Because of the length, YouTube made me break up the video into a few segments. Above is the link for video #1.
And if you are REALLY pressed for time, skip video number 1, and go straight to #2-#4.
video #2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRqQhgSG8qc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
video #3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udL7dHn59l4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
video #4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4scMgD8vuQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
A haunting decision... When to let go and walk away...
First off, let me start off by saying a couple things...
I am grateful for all of the mindless documentary television that I used to watch.
I am grateful for having an interest in "off the wall" topics.
I am grateful for not being one to dive into situations blindly.
I am grateful for my nightly 2 am wake ups- where most of my deep thinking occurs.
I am grateful that for the most part, I always error on the side of caution.
Now, with that out of the way! Let's get down to business!
Through the "vine" we have been offered an old small two story grainery. It is still standing, and if we wanted it, it would be our responsibility to dismantle it. This is a beautiful historic building! It is not very large, I guessed it to be roughly 20'x30', and approx. 20' tall. It is sided with your classic rough barn board red siding, and has a (rusted) steel roof. The interior is constructed with hand hewn timbers, and has plank flooring both on the main floor and in the upper level. The condition of the building is solid. Definitely worth salvaging instead of having it bulldozed to the ground.
Old fashioned wood barns (regardless of size) are a incredible piece of our American history! It is becoming almost impossible to find a treasure in such good shape. If in doubt, just take a drive through the countryside- what do you see? Due to customization, cost effectiveness, and construction time, you see livestock being housed in new metal pole buildings. Rarely do you see an old wood barn in functional condition. More than often you see them falling down, condemned because of their condition, and rotting. Becoming more and more forgotten with each passing day.
This tiny tall barn would be perfect for us! In addition to breathing new life into the building- It could house our hay in the upper story, and we could add sheep and goat pens to the main floor.
It all sounds pretty "Dreamy" doesn't it?? Well... Here's the bad...
This building is currently bursting at every seam and is packed with "stuff". We are learning that we will be responsible for removing said "stuff" if we want the building. This "stuff" is of such diverse nature that I cannot even begin explaining the actual contents. I can say that said "stuff" pretty much has absolutely no street value- and it would even cost me to landfill it. Most "stuff" will be sorted and recycled (paper, wood, plastic, glass) and a portion of the "stuff" will be donated to Habitat for Humanity to become recycled building supplies.
Still sounds do-able right???
Well not so fast! With an abandoned barn packed with misc. "stuff" comes vermin.... And LOTS of them. The two times I have been in the barn I have not seen any- But I can smell that they are there. The signs are every where. Mouse nests, mouse droppings, the familiar smell of mouse urine (did you know that a mouse/rat has absolutely no bladder control and that they urinate continuously? A tid bit for you!)
And then that made me start to think about something I had learned once about mice and their droppings/nests/dust... and that brings me back to the title of this blog entry.....
Below this is the information. I don't expect you to actually read the entire article- but know that it is serious, and can actually be fatal.
And to think, my only major concern prior to this discovery was somebody falling to their death off the roof of this thing while tearing it apart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hantavirus
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome [HAN-tuh-vi-rus PUL-mun-air-ee SIN-drome] (HPS) is a rare but serious, and often deadly, lung infection.
HPS is caused by a type of virus called a hantavirus. The hantavirus that causes HPS is carried by rodents found throughout North America.
People get HPS when they breathe in dust that is contaminated with saliva, urine, or droppings from infected rodents.
No anti-virus drug is effective against HPS, and there is no vaccine.
To prevent HPS, avoid contact with rodents, and avoid inhaling dust that might be contaminated with rodent urine, saliva, or droppings.
What is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but serious, and often deadly, lung infection.
What is the infectious agent that causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is caused by the Sin Nombre virus. This virus is a type of hantavirus. Most hantaviruses attack the kidneys, but the Sin Nombre virus attacks the lungs. It infects the walls of the capillaries (tiny blood vessels in the lungs), making them leak and flooding the lungs with fluid.
Where is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome found?
Hantaviruses are found in rodents in different parts of the world. Each hantavirus has a preferred rodent host. The Sin Nombre virus is carried by the deer mouse, the cotton rat, and perhaps other rodents common throughout North America. These rodents live in semi-rural and rural areas and infest camps, old buildings, barns, and homes.
How do people get hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Wild rodents spread HPS to people. The Sin Nombre virus is passed in the saliva, urine, and droppings of infected rodents. The virus can live for a few days in contaminated dirt and dust. People are infected when they breathe in tiny particles of these materials in dust from places where rodents are living and active. People can also be infected by handling contaminated materials and then touching the mouth or nose.
HPS is not spread from person to person. Cats and dogs do not spread the illness either, although they can bring infected rodents into contact with humans.
What are the signs and symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
The first symptoms are general and flu-like: fever (101oF-104oF), headache, stomach pain, pain in the joints and lower back, coughing, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. The main symptom is difficulty breathing as the lungs fill with fluid. This can quickly lead to an inability to breathe and, in severe cases, death from suffocation.
How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?
Symptoms can appear from 3 days to 6 weeks after infection, but usually within 2 weeks.
How is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome diagnosed?
Because the early symptoms are not specific and vary from person to person, HPS is hard to identify in its early stages. It is usually detected only when it affects the lungs and causes breathing problems.
Who is at risk for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Unlike many illnesses that mainly strike people with weakened immune systems, HPS has hit mostly strong, healthy persons. Those who work, play, or live in closed spaces with active rodent infestation are at risk, although the chances of infection are low. The risk to campers, hikers, and tourists is very small.
People who should take special precautions against HPS are: 1) people who often handle or are exposed to rodents, such as wildlife biologists and exterminators, 2) people who clean or work in attics or crawl spaces where rodents might be living and active, and 3) people who clean or renovate buildings that might be actively infested with rodents.
What complications can result from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Infected persons can develop untreatable respiratory failure. HPS is fatal to more than half of those who become infected.
What is the treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
No virus-killing drug is effective against HPS. Although there has been some experimental use of the anti-virus drug, ribavirin, mechanical ventilation (use of a respirator) is the main treatment. Most patients need to be hospitalized in intensive care. The sooner an infected person gets medical treatment, the better the chance of recovery.
How common is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
HPS is a rare disease. It was first recognized in 1993 after the investigation of an outbreak of sudden fatal respiratory illness in the southwestern United States. Since then, no more than 100 cases of HPS have been identified in 20 states, mostly in the western part of the country.
Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome a new or emerging infectious disease?
Yes. The Sin Nombre virus is a newly recognized virus, and HPS is a newly recognized disease. Scientists are working to learn more about it and to develop diagnostic tests and treatments.
How can hantavirus pulmonary syndrome be prevented?
The best way to prevent HPS is to avoid contact with rodents and to avoid inhaling dust that might be contaminated with rodent saliva, urine, or droppings.
Control mice inside. Keep the kitchen clean, and store food and trash in containers with tight lids. Carefully dispose of dead rodents trapped indoors or brought inside by pets. Rodent-proof the house by sealing cracks and clearing brush from around foundations.
Control mice outside. Eliminate possible nesting sites. Elevate hay, woodpiles, and garbage cans, and place them away from the house. Store animal food in closed containers.
Use safety precautions when cleaning indoor or outdoor areas that might be contaminated with rodent saliva, urine, or droppings. Do not stir up and breathe dust. Before cleaning, wet down potentially contaminated areas with a household disinfectant (such as bleach or alcohol). While cleaning, wear rubber gloves, and disinfect them after use. Dust masks that cover the nose and mouth can also help.
When participating in outside activities, stay clear of rodents and their burrows and nests. Keep campsites clean and food tightly sealed. Open up and air out outbuildings and rural or wilderness cabins before entering or cleaning. Remove garbage and trash before leaving.
Where can I find more information about hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hantvrus.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/index.htm
I am grateful for all of the mindless documentary television that I used to watch.
I am grateful for having an interest in "off the wall" topics.
I am grateful for not being one to dive into situations blindly.
I am grateful for my nightly 2 am wake ups- where most of my deep thinking occurs.
I am grateful that for the most part, I always error on the side of caution.
Now, with that out of the way! Let's get down to business!
Through the "vine" we have been offered an old small two story grainery. It is still standing, and if we wanted it, it would be our responsibility to dismantle it. This is a beautiful historic building! It is not very large, I guessed it to be roughly 20'x30', and approx. 20' tall. It is sided with your classic rough barn board red siding, and has a (rusted) steel roof. The interior is constructed with hand hewn timbers, and has plank flooring both on the main floor and in the upper level. The condition of the building is solid. Definitely worth salvaging instead of having it bulldozed to the ground.
Old fashioned wood barns (regardless of size) are a incredible piece of our American history! It is becoming almost impossible to find a treasure in such good shape. If in doubt, just take a drive through the countryside- what do you see? Due to customization, cost effectiveness, and construction time, you see livestock being housed in new metal pole buildings. Rarely do you see an old wood barn in functional condition. More than often you see them falling down, condemned because of their condition, and rotting. Becoming more and more forgotten with each passing day.
This tiny tall barn would be perfect for us! In addition to breathing new life into the building- It could house our hay in the upper story, and we could add sheep and goat pens to the main floor.
It all sounds pretty "Dreamy" doesn't it?? Well... Here's the bad...
This building is currently bursting at every seam and is packed with "stuff". We are learning that we will be responsible for removing said "stuff" if we want the building. This "stuff" is of such diverse nature that I cannot even begin explaining the actual contents. I can say that said "stuff" pretty much has absolutely no street value- and it would even cost me to landfill it. Most "stuff" will be sorted and recycled (paper, wood, plastic, glass) and a portion of the "stuff" will be donated to Habitat for Humanity to become recycled building supplies.
Still sounds do-able right???
Well not so fast! With an abandoned barn packed with misc. "stuff" comes vermin.... And LOTS of them. The two times I have been in the barn I have not seen any- But I can smell that they are there. The signs are every where. Mouse nests, mouse droppings, the familiar smell of mouse urine (did you know that a mouse/rat has absolutely no bladder control and that they urinate continuously? A tid bit for you!)
And then that made me start to think about something I had learned once about mice and their droppings/nests/dust... and that brings me back to the title of this blog entry.....
Below this is the information. I don't expect you to actually read the entire article- but know that it is serious, and can actually be fatal.
And to think, my only major concern prior to this discovery was somebody falling to their death off the roof of this thing while tearing it apart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hantavirus
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome [HAN-tuh-vi-rus PUL-mun-air-ee SIN-drome] (HPS) is a rare but serious, and often deadly, lung infection.
HPS is caused by a type of virus called a hantavirus. The hantavirus that causes HPS is carried by rodents found throughout North America.
People get HPS when they breathe in dust that is contaminated with saliva, urine, or droppings from infected rodents.
No anti-virus drug is effective against HPS, and there is no vaccine.
To prevent HPS, avoid contact with rodents, and avoid inhaling dust that might be contaminated with rodent urine, saliva, or droppings.
What is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but serious, and often deadly, lung infection.
What is the infectious agent that causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is caused by the Sin Nombre virus. This virus is a type of hantavirus. Most hantaviruses attack the kidneys, but the Sin Nombre virus attacks the lungs. It infects the walls of the capillaries (tiny blood vessels in the lungs), making them leak and flooding the lungs with fluid.
Where is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome found?
Hantaviruses are found in rodents in different parts of the world. Each hantavirus has a preferred rodent host. The Sin Nombre virus is carried by the deer mouse, the cotton rat, and perhaps other rodents common throughout North America. These rodents live in semi-rural and rural areas and infest camps, old buildings, barns, and homes.
How do people get hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Wild rodents spread HPS to people. The Sin Nombre virus is passed in the saliva, urine, and droppings of infected rodents. The virus can live for a few days in contaminated dirt and dust. People are infected when they breathe in tiny particles of these materials in dust from places where rodents are living and active. People can also be infected by handling contaminated materials and then touching the mouth or nose.
HPS is not spread from person to person. Cats and dogs do not spread the illness either, although they can bring infected rodents into contact with humans.
What are the signs and symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
The first symptoms are general and flu-like: fever (101oF-104oF), headache, stomach pain, pain in the joints and lower back, coughing, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. The main symptom is difficulty breathing as the lungs fill with fluid. This can quickly lead to an inability to breathe and, in severe cases, death from suffocation.
How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?
Symptoms can appear from 3 days to 6 weeks after infection, but usually within 2 weeks.
How is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome diagnosed?
Because the early symptoms are not specific and vary from person to person, HPS is hard to identify in its early stages. It is usually detected only when it affects the lungs and causes breathing problems.
Who is at risk for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Unlike many illnesses that mainly strike people with weakened immune systems, HPS has hit mostly strong, healthy persons. Those who work, play, or live in closed spaces with active rodent infestation are at risk, although the chances of infection are low. The risk to campers, hikers, and tourists is very small.
People who should take special precautions against HPS are: 1) people who often handle or are exposed to rodents, such as wildlife biologists and exterminators, 2) people who clean or work in attics or crawl spaces where rodents might be living and active, and 3) people who clean or renovate buildings that might be actively infested with rodents.
What complications can result from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
Infected persons can develop untreatable respiratory failure. HPS is fatal to more than half of those who become infected.
What is the treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
No virus-killing drug is effective against HPS. Although there has been some experimental use of the anti-virus drug, ribavirin, mechanical ventilation (use of a respirator) is the main treatment. Most patients need to be hospitalized in intensive care. The sooner an infected person gets medical treatment, the better the chance of recovery.
How common is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
HPS is a rare disease. It was first recognized in 1993 after the investigation of an outbreak of sudden fatal respiratory illness in the southwestern United States. Since then, no more than 100 cases of HPS have been identified in 20 states, mostly in the western part of the country.
Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome a new or emerging infectious disease?
Yes. The Sin Nombre virus is a newly recognized virus, and HPS is a newly recognized disease. Scientists are working to learn more about it and to develop diagnostic tests and treatments.
How can hantavirus pulmonary syndrome be prevented?
The best way to prevent HPS is to avoid contact with rodents and to avoid inhaling dust that might be contaminated with rodent saliva, urine, or droppings.
Control mice inside. Keep the kitchen clean, and store food and trash in containers with tight lids. Carefully dispose of dead rodents trapped indoors or brought inside by pets. Rodent-proof the house by sealing cracks and clearing brush from around foundations.
Control mice outside. Eliminate possible nesting sites. Elevate hay, woodpiles, and garbage cans, and place them away from the house. Store animal food in closed containers.
Use safety precautions when cleaning indoor or outdoor areas that might be contaminated with rodent saliva, urine, or droppings. Do not stir up and breathe dust. Before cleaning, wet down potentially contaminated areas with a household disinfectant (such as bleach or alcohol). While cleaning, wear rubber gloves, and disinfect them after use. Dust masks that cover the nose and mouth can also help.
When participating in outside activities, stay clear of rodents and their burrows and nests. Keep campsites clean and food tightly sealed. Open up and air out outbuildings and rural or wilderness cabins before entering or cleaning. Remove garbage and trash before leaving.
Where can I find more information about hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hantvrus.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/index.htm
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
"Karate Kid(ding)"
Who would have ever thought that the two words; "Karate" & "Kidding" would go together?? No one! Because frankly, they don't!
Just a few days back I had to take the little one to his very first Karate tournament. He had been waiting all week long for that Saturday to come. It started out as a great day; getting ready, getting his uniform & belt on, and painting his toenails "black-belt black" (don't ask). At the same time, I was informed that one of our young boer doe's had lost her mucus plug. Great!! That means birthing is right around the corner- and we should have some new kids to boot! What a fabulous day this was going to be!!
Him and I got to the tournament at 9:30 in the morning. This was (what seemed to me like) a bigger tournament and it was held at a local high school. We hurried inside because we knew that the little kids (his forms class) were up immediately following the bigger kids. It ended up being quite a bit of "hurry up and wait"- but with this being both of our first times, I didn't quite know what to expect!
The huge gym was electric with excitement and activity! Parents flocked the stands on each side, youngsters practiced doing whatever it was they were there to do that day, and in the middle of it were all of the black-belt judges monitoring students in a multitude of rings around the floor. The entire gym hummed like a finely tuned machine.
As I sat in the bleachers amongst all of this organized chaos, watching the morning events unfold I realized exactly how completely out of sorts I was!
What the heck was I doing at a Karate tournament??? I know absolutely NOTHING about Karate- Except for of course, the time that I told my teenage daughter to go "Kung Fu Crazy" on Roy, my big 300lb sheep who was trying to bash her into the next century! But that ended with her shoe flying off, and me laughing so hard that I fell in the mud and the sheep I was holding fell on top of me! Funny Stuff!
Anyway, I am by no means a HICK. Sure, I raise livestock- But if you saw me out in the "real world" you would never ever know it unless I told you. But being at this tournament was a real jolter for me. I realized that just this Spring, my daughter and I went to a hog auction to buy a young pig for fair- and never once did I feel as "lost" as I did that morning at the high school. I worked that hog auction like I owned it!~ :)
I'm just starting to make a few friends at my boy's karate classes... "Just starting" to- that's actually a really sad statement given he has been going to Karate 2x's week for the past EIGHT months! Hey! I'm not unfriendly, I'm just SHY and pretty much keep to myself.
OK, I better get back on topic- His performance in the tournament went on without a hitch. He was fantastic (OK, maybe just in my eyes!) and he was super stoked to receive his first trophy!
After smiles and lots of congrats and photos, we went home...
Checked on the doe to see if she was in labor yet. She was doing quite a bit of straining without any real progress in delivery. I didn't want to interfere quite yet, and so I waited. After a short while she started to deliver "substance"- her bag of waters was starting to appear. This looks like a water balloon that protrudes further & further with each contraction and push. This is part of the natural delivery process. Because this water/bag was black in color, I used my gloved finger to gently touch it to see if it was a kid or just liquid. It was just liquid. Within moments her water broke.
Everything to this point was going as God had intended it to go, and I had decided to step aside and let nature do it's thing. She is a very young doe (just turning a year), and this is her first kidding. I decided to not get her more nervous than she already was with my presence.
After roughly 30 minutes, my daughter went out to see if her kid was born. By this time she should be licking it dry. She came back in to tell me she was straining (contractions/pushing) getting nowhere. Not great. Now I'm starting to have my "oh shit" moment. Waters are supposed to break, and feet / nose are to follow almost immediately.
Grabbed my gloves... Couldn't find my Obstetrical lube in a pinch- So I grabbed veg. oil. And off my daughter and I went. She held the doe while I went "fishing". There I was, hand buried past my wrist in the doe trying to figure out what is out of place that she isn't delivering. I felt a large mass. Now trying to figure out exactly what THAT mass is, is VERY tough! At first I thought butt, then I thought back, but then I realized it was a head. I had a head and it was facing up towards the spine- and I could not find the front feet. (Ideally, babies are to be born nose / front legs first (like diving) out of the mother looking toward the ground, not the sky.)
Now I had the baby, facing the wrong direction (sunny side up) a nose without feet. My thought process was to flip the baby over, find the front feet, bring them up by the nose and deliver. So after a contraction I pushed the baby back in further (to give me some room) and tried to carefully log roll it. I thought that went well, I now had the head facing the right direction (looking down not up). I searched frantically for the front feet. Another incident where time is not my friend. My mind is visualizing the baby looking like a seal sliding across the ice- nose forward, on it's belly, legs tucked back along its side. For the life of me I cannot find the front legs. And then I found one, it was above the head. Now my mental visual changed to a swimmers front crawl stroke. So I tried to lower the leg to where it needed to be.
All of this action feels like it is taking forever, when in reality only about 5 minutes have elapsed. Time, time, time... slipping, slipping, slipping... If I don't get this baby delivered it will die of asphyxiation. Got one leg, and one nose -need to quickly find the other leg. The doe gives one monster push and delivers the head.
Oh crap! Now I'm stuck, the head can't go back in, and without legs first the baby can't come out. I'm now worried too about the baby being choked to death with each contraction of the doe- but the more and more I look at the baby, and it's lack of movement, and the whiteness of it's tongue- I realize that it is non-viable.
So, I call the vet. He tells me that if I remove the head, I then should be able to push it back inside the doe and find the feet to deliver the body. I know that last sentence is tough to read, trust me- it was tough to hear! But again, the baby is dead- and there's no bringing it back. Time to save Momma... Because I was completely out of scalpels I asked my vet if he wouldn't mind stopping out. (Needless to say- I'm now fully stocked in scalpels again!)
With each contraction of the doe I hold my hand against the baby's protruding head. My gears shift from saving baby, to saving momma goat and I don't want her to push so hard something else bad happens, because contractions don't stop just because the head is out.
Vet arrives within a short time. I explain all the events leading up to that moment. He tells me that everything I had done was correct. Granted, he is a very nice vet- and who knows if that is truth, or if he was just trying to "poo-poo it" as to not make me feel any worse! I hold the doe while he gloves up, inserts up to his ARM (noticed I didn't say hand!) and goes for broke! He is fishing around inside of her like a mad man. Yanking and shoving....
The first thing he tells me is that she is carrying twins. FRICK!!!! For whatever reason I had it in my head that it was a single- small doe, first kidding = single in my mind. He said the leg I had belonged to the other kid. He told me the best way to tell that is to shake/tug the leg- if the head doesn't bob- that leg belongs to a different body. And yet another piece of common sense advise that comes from experience.
He struggled quite a bit trying to untangle the two to remove the first twin. The second twin also was non viable and super stuck- it took him quite a bit to remove it from the doe. After watching him reef and tug I knew that the manipulating I was doing earlier - was nowhere near as forceful as he had been doing. I wasn't being a total "girl" about my manipulating- I was just more cautious than he... And so I asked him about it.
When everything was said and done, on the ground were two nice size twin boer goat kids; one traditional (brown head / white body) doeling, and one black/white belly band buckling. Both perished.
Gave the doe some Oxytocin to increase contractions to help her expel the afterbirth, gave her Penicillin for infection, and Banamine for pain and inflammation.
What a day it had turned out to be. One minute I'm having an extreme high, watching my boy feel like he accomplished the world, only to have the next minute come on like a firestorm and challenge me in every sense of the word.
Even though I can remain collected and confident, yet honest in my abilities during a crisis (meaning YES, I *could* cut the head off- if I had the tool to do it)- I'm not completely heartless. I did have a good cry later that night while playing the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" game in my head. I know I'm my own worst critic. But I do feel that if I would have been faster, more aggressive all while knowing it was a multiple birth- I think things may have been different.
As for my doe? She looks like an absolute train wreck on the back end. She is completely softball sized swollen to the right of her vagina. She prefers to lay over walk right now. It took 2 days for her to clean out (that worried me too!). Her appetite has been increasing (good sign). She is still on pain meds and penicillin.
Another young doe is going to kid within the next week... I pray that I don't have to go "go for broke" on her.
Just a few days back I had to take the little one to his very first Karate tournament. He had been waiting all week long for that Saturday to come. It started out as a great day; getting ready, getting his uniform & belt on, and painting his toenails "black-belt black" (don't ask). At the same time, I was informed that one of our young boer doe's had lost her mucus plug. Great!! That means birthing is right around the corner- and we should have some new kids to boot! What a fabulous day this was going to be!!
Him and I got to the tournament at 9:30 in the morning. This was (what seemed to me like) a bigger tournament and it was held at a local high school. We hurried inside because we knew that the little kids (his forms class) were up immediately following the bigger kids. It ended up being quite a bit of "hurry up and wait"- but with this being both of our first times, I didn't quite know what to expect!
The huge gym was electric with excitement and activity! Parents flocked the stands on each side, youngsters practiced doing whatever it was they were there to do that day, and in the middle of it were all of the black-belt judges monitoring students in a multitude of rings around the floor. The entire gym hummed like a finely tuned machine.
As I sat in the bleachers amongst all of this organized chaos, watching the morning events unfold I realized exactly how completely out of sorts I was!
What the heck was I doing at a Karate tournament??? I know absolutely NOTHING about Karate- Except for of course, the time that I told my teenage daughter to go "Kung Fu Crazy" on Roy, my big 300lb sheep who was trying to bash her into the next century! But that ended with her shoe flying off, and me laughing so hard that I fell in the mud and the sheep I was holding fell on top of me! Funny Stuff!
Anyway, I am by no means a HICK. Sure, I raise livestock- But if you saw me out in the "real world" you would never ever know it unless I told you. But being at this tournament was a real jolter for me. I realized that just this Spring, my daughter and I went to a hog auction to buy a young pig for fair- and never once did I feel as "lost" as I did that morning at the high school. I worked that hog auction like I owned it!~ :)
I'm just starting to make a few friends at my boy's karate classes... "Just starting" to- that's actually a really sad statement given he has been going to Karate 2x's week for the past EIGHT months! Hey! I'm not unfriendly, I'm just SHY and pretty much keep to myself.
OK, I better get back on topic- His performance in the tournament went on without a hitch. He was fantastic (OK, maybe just in my eyes!) and he was super stoked to receive his first trophy!
After smiles and lots of congrats and photos, we went home...
Checked on the doe to see if she was in labor yet. She was doing quite a bit of straining without any real progress in delivery. I didn't want to interfere quite yet, and so I waited. After a short while she started to deliver "substance"- her bag of waters was starting to appear. This looks like a water balloon that protrudes further & further with each contraction and push. This is part of the natural delivery process. Because this water/bag was black in color, I used my gloved finger to gently touch it to see if it was a kid or just liquid. It was just liquid. Within moments her water broke.
Everything to this point was going as God had intended it to go, and I had decided to step aside and let nature do it's thing. She is a very young doe (just turning a year), and this is her first kidding. I decided to not get her more nervous than she already was with my presence.
After roughly 30 minutes, my daughter went out to see if her kid was born. By this time she should be licking it dry. She came back in to tell me she was straining (contractions/pushing) getting nowhere. Not great. Now I'm starting to have my "oh shit" moment. Waters are supposed to break, and feet / nose are to follow almost immediately.
Grabbed my gloves... Couldn't find my Obstetrical lube in a pinch- So I grabbed veg. oil. And off my daughter and I went. She held the doe while I went "fishing". There I was, hand buried past my wrist in the doe trying to figure out what is out of place that she isn't delivering. I felt a large mass. Now trying to figure out exactly what THAT mass is, is VERY tough! At first I thought butt, then I thought back, but then I realized it was a head. I had a head and it was facing up towards the spine- and I could not find the front feet. (Ideally, babies are to be born nose / front legs first (like diving) out of the mother looking toward the ground, not the sky.)
Now I had the baby, facing the wrong direction (sunny side up) a nose without feet. My thought process was to flip the baby over, find the front feet, bring them up by the nose and deliver. So after a contraction I pushed the baby back in further (to give me some room) and tried to carefully log roll it. I thought that went well, I now had the head facing the right direction (looking down not up). I searched frantically for the front feet. Another incident where time is not my friend. My mind is visualizing the baby looking like a seal sliding across the ice- nose forward, on it's belly, legs tucked back along its side. For the life of me I cannot find the front legs. And then I found one, it was above the head. Now my mental visual changed to a swimmers front crawl stroke. So I tried to lower the leg to where it needed to be.
All of this action feels like it is taking forever, when in reality only about 5 minutes have elapsed. Time, time, time... slipping, slipping, slipping... If I don't get this baby delivered it will die of asphyxiation. Got one leg, and one nose -need to quickly find the other leg. The doe gives one monster push and delivers the head.
Oh crap! Now I'm stuck, the head can't go back in, and without legs first the baby can't come out. I'm now worried too about the baby being choked to death with each contraction of the doe- but the more and more I look at the baby, and it's lack of movement, and the whiteness of it's tongue- I realize that it is non-viable.
So, I call the vet. He tells me that if I remove the head, I then should be able to push it back inside the doe and find the feet to deliver the body. I know that last sentence is tough to read, trust me- it was tough to hear! But again, the baby is dead- and there's no bringing it back. Time to save Momma... Because I was completely out of scalpels I asked my vet if he wouldn't mind stopping out. (Needless to say- I'm now fully stocked in scalpels again!)
With each contraction of the doe I hold my hand against the baby's protruding head. My gears shift from saving baby, to saving momma goat and I don't want her to push so hard something else bad happens, because contractions don't stop just because the head is out.
Vet arrives within a short time. I explain all the events leading up to that moment. He tells me that everything I had done was correct. Granted, he is a very nice vet- and who knows if that is truth, or if he was just trying to "poo-poo it" as to not make me feel any worse! I hold the doe while he gloves up, inserts up to his ARM (noticed I didn't say hand!) and goes for broke! He is fishing around inside of her like a mad man. Yanking and shoving....
The first thing he tells me is that she is carrying twins. FRICK!!!! For whatever reason I had it in my head that it was a single- small doe, first kidding = single in my mind. He said the leg I had belonged to the other kid. He told me the best way to tell that is to shake/tug the leg- if the head doesn't bob- that leg belongs to a different body. And yet another piece of common sense advise that comes from experience.
He struggled quite a bit trying to untangle the two to remove the first twin. The second twin also was non viable and super stuck- it took him quite a bit to remove it from the doe. After watching him reef and tug I knew that the manipulating I was doing earlier - was nowhere near as forceful as he had been doing. I wasn't being a total "girl" about my manipulating- I was just more cautious than he... And so I asked him about it.
When everything was said and done, on the ground were two nice size twin boer goat kids; one traditional (brown head / white body) doeling, and one black/white belly band buckling. Both perished.
Gave the doe some Oxytocin to increase contractions to help her expel the afterbirth, gave her Penicillin for infection, and Banamine for pain and inflammation.
What a day it had turned out to be. One minute I'm having an extreme high, watching my boy feel like he accomplished the world, only to have the next minute come on like a firestorm and challenge me in every sense of the word.
Even though I can remain collected and confident, yet honest in my abilities during a crisis (meaning YES, I *could* cut the head off- if I had the tool to do it)- I'm not completely heartless. I did have a good cry later that night while playing the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" game in my head. I know I'm my own worst critic. But I do feel that if I would have been faster, more aggressive all while knowing it was a multiple birth- I think things may have been different.
As for my doe? She looks like an absolute train wreck on the back end. She is completely softball sized swollen to the right of her vagina. She prefers to lay over walk right now. It took 2 days for her to clean out (that worried me too!). Her appetite has been increasing (good sign). She is still on pain meds and penicillin.
Another young doe is going to kid within the next week... I pray that I don't have to go "go for broke" on her.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Wacky Stuff!! A Video to aMUSE you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDr3-6eqRcA
This video is from last year. My daughter and I were trying to come up with a creative way to exercise our 4H Club lambs. We try to get as much muscle on them as possible for the show. The lambs get exercised every other day. They do cardio (Like what you see here) to trim down, and resistance training to build muscle.
This video was mainly for fun! It was the only time we had tried it. Sorry that the video is pretty low quality... Oh! And you may want to turn down your volume at first, it's a little loud :)
This video is from last year. My daughter and I were trying to come up with a creative way to exercise our 4H Club lambs. We try to get as much muscle on them as possible for the show. The lambs get exercised every other day. They do cardio (Like what you see here) to trim down, and resistance training to build muscle.
This video was mainly for fun! It was the only time we had tried it. Sorry that the video is pretty low quality... Oh! And you may want to turn down your volume at first, it's a little loud :)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Playing with my food :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnvQuB_wAM8
I remember being young and having my parents always say to me; "Quit playing with your food!"
Now that I am older, I have taken that phrase to a whole new level!
What do you get when you take one "Geeky" Female, two dirty Steers and a video camera???
This video Silly! What did you THINK I was going to say! :)
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