So yesterday morning I got a phone call from my daughter. Her lamb wasn’t doing well (a pity since his is name is Well). Quick backstory: he went to the vet the day before because he has been prolapsing. That means, his whole butt falls out of his hole. The vet tucked his insides in and then put in a suture to hold the insides in. The problem was, now the lamb could poop, he was backed up.

Now, yesterday wasn’t just any day… it was a BIG football day too! So, Kasey has to get to school which means, I have to go take care of this lamb. The ag teacher has told Kasey to cut the suture. So she relays that information to me, along with the Vet’s number, so I can double check with them when they open.

So, I get ready and stop at Walgreens to get scissors to cut a suture, and gloves, because there’s poop involved. I can’t find scissors in the first aid area, so I end up in the makeup section where I find a pair scissors with a small tip. I also pick up a brow tool, thinking I could use it to help scoop off the poop. And I’m off to the barn.

Still yesterday morning, mind you. I arrive at the barn. The lamb has had some diarrhea – which I take as a good sign. So I get the lamb up and walk him around his pen. I give him some Reiki, hoping maybe that helps him too. You can just tell he is not feeling good. Maybe just more embarrassed, as he does not want to look at me. He is really struggling to  push, but nothing comes out. So I break out the brow tool. I poke it in the hole moving the blockage out of the way, and finally, he’s able to release some of his poo.

I leave the pen, and sit down in a chair outside the gate to just give him his space. He stands in the corner with his head down. Still trying to push some more. He then moves to get a small drink of water and then makes his way to the gate where I am sitting. He looks at me and quietly baa’s. Then he steps back and starts shaking his head yes at me. I sit up, and lean in. And then…. A small explosion. He pooped! On his own. This seemed like a really good sign to me. So I sat with him a little while longer. He was drinking more and ate a little. So I clean stuff up and head home. The vet called and I shared this news with him. He thought that was a good sign and asked I text him an update in the afternoon/evening. So I go check the lamb before the football game, and he seems to be doing okay. The vet asks for an update in the morning to see how he is doing.

But this morning, I get a call, he’s still constipated and struggling. I text the vet and he says to cut the suture. But, Kasey is already late for football. And that BIG game that was supposed to happen yesterday is now today! So, here I go. Back to the barn to cut this suture. Now, this requires that I walk the lamb to the other barn, put him on a stand, clean him up, and cut a suture.

If you don’t know me, then you don’t know that I don’t do this kinda thing. When it comes to medical stuff, I hire that out. And when it comes to animal stuff…. I mean – I don’t have animals for a reason!!

I message a friend who I know is an animal empath and lives near the barn (Kelly J). I know I need help. And thankfully she has time this morning to meet me at the barn. I arrive and it only took me three tries to figure out how to get the halter on and lead this lamb out of his pen. He is being suborn and doesn’t want to go. So we fight a little, but I finally get him out of the first barn. Kelly arrives with her daughter and I point to the barn where we are going and suggest they lead, hoping Well will follow. I tell her, I’ve never been over there, so this is a blind leading the blind situation. She walks in the barn and squeals, “there’s pigs!” (I had no idea there were pigs there!)

We get the lamb on the stand. Get his head chained in. Find the water hose. Put some water and a little bit of soap in the bucket Kelly thankfully brought. Kelly and her daughter hold the lamb and try to keep him calm while I wash off his butt. I finally find this suture and get the scissors. It didn’t cut the first try. But the second try I cut it and now have to pull it out.

I DID IT!!!! (Yes, I yelled that as I hold the suture up over my head).

We clean up the area. Put the hose away. And now have to figure out how to get this lamb off the stand – he’s being stubborn again. Kasey told me how to get him up there, but not how to get him off. I suggest Kelly’s daughter start to walk towards the exit, and sure enough, that was all that was needed. Well jumped down and was now racing to exit the barn. We get him back to his pen, get the halter off, and he goes back to his corner. Kelly and I talk about lambs, cows, and a book I’m reading. Finally he poops!! Our job here is done.

I wish I had the words to express how I feel. I am so grateful to have such amazing friends that show up for me when I am so outside of my comfort zone. Yes, I was strong enough to do this. Yes, I probably could have managed it by myself. But the moral support to get me through this meant it required just a little less of my own strength. I am both overwhelmed with gratitude and exhausted from all this event did require of me.

But now, I have to amp my energy back up – because there is a BIG ASS FOOTBALL GAME kicking off in three hours.