Friday, December 31, 2010

End of Year Review

Instead of breaking down all of my goals and analyzing them I think I will just sum up 2010 as Major Fail. That will save us all time.

Yesterday I was cleaning out my e-mail account when I got back to November I got sick. Ugh. I want to pretend that November never happened, let alone 2010.

In other news, (sit down) I have a diagnosis!!!

Yes, you read that correct. After going to hell and back we finally have a working diagnosis!

Arthritis.

On our 4th set of x-rays the Radiologist finally saw it! Between the C4 and C5 (or C5 and C6, I was so excited that I couldn't quite listen) there is arthritis forming. There are small bony protrusions, and the vet said that would explain her pain and neurological problems. I wonder if it got worse because she was in a stall for 8 months (Don't you love all my theory's?) There could still be something else going on, but for now...arthritis! We'll re-do the EMP bloodwork in another month or two to be sure.

What next?

Do nothing for now. We are going to watch her, do neck stretches, acupuncture and massage to see if there is any change. The next step is to start her on Adequan to see if that helps. The final option to keep her comfortable is to inject the joint. That will require a visit to the Spa, a little nap, and they would need to ultrasound the area while they inject it. AKA-$$$. So, I am starting a little savings account for just the horse. At least I know that this is coming down the road and can start saving for it. At this point Denali will have more money in her savings account than I do in mine (Thanks Denali.)

Last night I went out to see the beast. I haven't seen her in over two weeks. She's was in the arena with the rest of the herd. She actually came up to see me which surprised me since the past few times I didn't exist. We shared an apple until her boyfriend came up and moved her. She walked to a corner and pouted while the vet got the lunge whip.

The round pen is in the arena, and the vet wanted to show me what she has been working on with Denali. Denali didn't want to show us anything and tried to hide in the corner again. She walked reluctantly to the arena and the vet took off her blanket.


Holy shit, she looks good! Dare I say, you can't see my TB's ribs (at all) and she is getting muscles back. She is also getting a very nice white stripe on her butt where she was bit by the herd leader. They told me a few weeks ago that she got bit, I just didn't realize that it was that bad. She's also scaring on her front right where she had cellulitus.

Denali's leg, post cellulitus. She also has a lot of scaring on the back of her leg.

The vet lunged Denali and she looked so good! Well, you have to understand that "good" for Denali is looking somewhat horselike and NOT falling. I don't require much to make me happy. At first she did her normal, "I don't see you or hear you and will look everywhere BUT at you." After a few minutes she stopped looking everywhere and focused on the vet. She is definitely stiff in her neck, but as she warmed up she started to use it more.

Then the vet got the saddle and my heart stopped.

1. Denali had been in her stall all morning (still recovering from pulled tendon and they didn't want her to be running around like crazy in the mud.)
2. The herd was in the arena.

She tacked her up and Denali just stood there like, "Yeah, this is what I do. Iz a riddin horse." She made a squeal at her boyfriend and the vet had to remind her the difference between acting like a horse with a horse and how to act around a person.

She hopped up and Denali walked off, so she did it again and Denali stood still. They did some walking and trotting until her suspensory started to act up and she started to limp. The vet (both of them at this point) said that it's not going to finish healing unless it's used.

During the ride, out of the scary, scary woods came the most horrible noise I have ever heard. It sounded like a bobcat killing something followed by an owl hooting. I jumped. Denali looked at the woods and stopped, but that was it. I think the best way to describe Denali would be confident. I think that she is developing confidence being out in the herd.

One problem Denali is having is treating horses like horses and then treating people like horses too. She is trying everything she is learning in the herd with people. It's sort of funny, she does things and looks at you like, "Is this okay?" No Denali, no it's not okay.

Thank you so much for following our blog, and our crazy horrible 2010 with us. I'm hoping that 2011 is our year!
Like our new white stripe on our butt? I hope it comes in black and not white, but at this point she can be covered in scars, as long as she's sound I don't care!

18 comments:

Carol said...

You've certainly had an interesting year! So glad things are working out. Hope 2011 is your year! Happy New Year

Anonymous said...

That's very good news - may your 2011 be an improvement over 2010!

Lisa said...

I'm so glad you ended 2010 on a high note with Denali alive and getting better. Happy New Year!

Jen said...

Yeah Denali!!!!

Ms Martyr said...

Yay for Denali. I hope 2011 will be happy, healthy and prosperous for you.

Kate said...

Yay for Denali! I think that you, along with many others will be glad to see the tail end of 2010. However, its impossible to not see how very lucky you were as well! Best of luck in 2011, and may you have a happy healthy new year.

Frizzle said...

Hey, I wouldn't say the year was a fail -- you still have your horse and she is improving! Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, lol.

As far as the arthritis diagnosis, that's awesome! SO much better than a lot of the alternatives! I would start researching Adequan, Legend, Pentosan, etc. and also try to find a good feed-through. Also, I don't know if this is an option or not, but in dogs they are using stem-cell therapy made from their own fat cells and then injecting it into arthritic joints. There have been some very good results with it. I know they do this therapy for horses with bowed tendons, etc., but not sure if they inject it into the joint. Of course, it's around $2000-3000 for dogs, so you'd definitely have to save up for a while.

Well, glad that you are ending the year on a good note. It sounds like Denali is doing much better, mentally & physically. Yay!

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

I agree Frizzle. I thought I would start 2011 horseless. I am super happy about that! I am still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that we almost put her down. It was so, so close. Makes me a bit sick still.

Barbara said...

I think 'Fail' is a bit harsh. Two rules of horses are Never Say Never and Shit Happens.
Glad you got a diagnosis. A friend of mine is having shockwave therapy done on kissing spines on her horse (lumbar area), just wondered if that was on the list for Denali.
I think I have this obsession that if I know enough about this stuff that it won't happen to my horse. I didn't say it was logical.
Happy New Year.

Sarah said...

I'm so happy to hear she is not only alive, with a proper diagnosis and being treated, but being Ridden by actual human beings-and being a good girl!! I'm so happy for both of you. What a year of hell you've had, I agree, but I have a feeling things are turning around for you:)

If you're not using MTG on her scar already, I highly recommend it for regrowing hair (and hair that is pigmented instead of white!). I use it constantly on Miles, and have even used it on my dog who had a hot spot to regrow hair and I looooove it:)

Happy 2011 to you and Ms. Slew!

Sally said...

Woohoo! That is wonderful! I just recently found this blog, and I'm glad I did. I'm happy you finally know what's wrong and that it's all going to be okay.

Now save some money up and go buy yourself something for being such a wonderful horse mama. Go shopping at Tim's Boots or something!

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

I'm not sure if shockwave would help her, but I'll ask the poor vet (whom I drive crazy.) We've done it a total of 6 times on her legs and it really seemed to help her heal.

Thanks everyone for your kind words!!

Mrs. Mom said...

EXCELLENT!! HappY new Year. May 2011 be as amazing as 2010 was bad for you. (Which means I hope it is an astonishingly great year for you guys!!!)

Unknown said...

This is a great way to start 2011... on the upswing! Hope everything continues to go well and that Denali keeps making great progress. Happy New Yer!!

eventer79 said...

I am so excited for you, ahhhhh! Check out polyglycan for the arthritis too, it packs a bit more punch than the Adequan. Denali does indeed look great and it sounds like she is blossoming at the farm, congratulations!!!!

Leah Fry said...

I was born in St. Marys, lived there until I was 10 (1962). Went to Sacred Heart School. Family names are Jesberger and Wegemer. My mom and 2 of my brothers still live in the area.

Dom said...

Arthritis?!?!?! Are you kidding??? Wow.

Here's hoping 2011 has none of the drama and heart break that 2010 held.

Achieve1dream said...

That is so fantastic that you have a diagnoses! Finally!! I know arthritis is something you'll have to deal with for the rest of her life and it will be expensive, but she's alive and you finally have a diagnoses! I'm so happy for you. I'm glad she's looking good, doing good, learning, etc.

Oh and I haven't read your comments yet, but what you heard was a screech owl. That noise that sounded like a bobcat is the noise they make, hence the name screech lol. I still remember the first time I heard it. It scared me so bad!

I think 2011 is going to be your year!