I cannot ever remember feeling so sick from a cold or flu – or whatever has got me in its grips.

My head hurts, my eyes hurt, my body aches, my teeth hurt… there isn’t enough Kleenex to stop my nose.. and the cough.  Ugh.

This was the first morning in as long as I’ve had email that I didn’t check it.

After several ringing phones went unanswered, Hubby came in to gently tell me that work was trying to get ahold of me.

Of course.

I did my best but after feebly tending to the work emergency, I fell right back into bed.

At feeding time, I dragged my pitiful self out and threw hay.

It was then I noticed that Dodger wasn’t eating.  5:30pm  (Dodger is my twentysomething Shetland I purchased at a livestock auction for his meat price of $23.97.  That was 16 years ago…)

Great.

With the tiny bit of strength I had left over from pitching flakes, I haltered him and brought my sweet pony inside.  I pulled out the Colic Relief that I have had in my cupboard for 3 years and administered it to him at 5:45pm.

(Actually, I had to run (amble)  inside with the bottle because I didn’t have my glasses on and couldn’t read the instructions… note to self, write instructions big and bold on the bottle and then put it away for 3 years…)

At 6:00, I gave him Banamine and called the vet.

Now we wait.

Of course, this happens on the day I can’t even walk to the barn without feeling like I am going to hurl.

I also called a new vet that I knew was nearby dealing with PLLL’s stitches.  I also knew she didn’t have cell reception because none of us do out here.

I couldn’t drive to where she was if I wanted to.  I felt too lightheaded.

So I left her a message.  In the meantime, my regular vet returned my call and asked Dodger’s symptoms.  He said to ‘hold tight’ he’d call in an hour.

Which he did.  At 7pm, he called and I missed it.

So I called him back and he was not available.

7:06pm:  I sloughed back to the barn and Dodger was up and alert.  The Colic  Relief or Banamine was working.  I listened for gut sounds and there were many.  Gassy and Gurgly.  Something was happening.

I felt better.

7:13  Still waiting for poop – Me hunched in the corner of his stall.

7:39:  I’m back up in the house and my head is pounding.  I just want to go to bed.  I got off the phone with the llama vet and she made me feel better that I heard gut sounds and that he has no temp and a normal heart rate.  She said she would be near her phone if I needed her.  And, I was to watch him.  If he got worse, call her.

7: 42: –Back to the barn.

His appetite has returned.  Probably the Banamine helped with that.  I let him eat a handful of grass hay per the vet.

7:49:  I lay in bed

7:50:  Other vet calls and gives me close to the same report…  If he looks comfortable, wait for the poop.  If he is in distress, call.

7:53:  I go back to lay on my bed.

8:14:  I drag myself back down to the barn and hope there is poop because I really need to go to bed and take care of myself.  Both of the vets said that gas colic could take up to 8 hours – or more – to clear…

8:35pm:  No poop.  Dodger looks like his normal self with a distended belly.  He is alert and happy to eat another handful of hay.

I wish I could say the same for myself.

I took a pic of him.  I turned around to grab my box of Kleenex and below is what the puppies did for me.

8:40:  I’m going to bed.  If I wake up, I will check on him.  But for now, I am going to think positive thoughts that the Colic Relief is doing its job and that this pony Dodged another.

Get better, sweet Dodger.

He is a very good boy.

I’ll tell you how it goes in the morning.

Me – for the first time that I can remember, I’m trusting during this tenuous time and am going to bed.  Scary.

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