Saturday, July 3, 2010

You Know It's Hot When...

 ...your farmer husband
comes rushing to the door
with a calf in his arms 
and heads 
straight for the man-cave shower 
boys' bathroom.

This newborn was waaaaaay too hot,
breathing rapidly and with an internal temperature of 107.8.
Normal is 102.
Yikes.
He ran the shower with luke-warm water, 
trying to lower her body temperature.

 
Dennis is checking her temp...
I've heard it said that two of the hardest doctors 
to be are a pediatrician and a vet
because your patients can't tell you what they need.

I'd like to add farmer to that list.
In the same way that parents do a lot of "doctoring" 
on their kids before--or in place of--going to the doctor,
a farmer tends his animals
before--or in place of--going to or having the vet come out.

I, of course, said "Hey kids!  Come look--and bring the camera!"
Elijah thought this was crazy!  
To have a calf in the house was crazy enough--
but in the shower to boot?!
Well...
She got up!
Dennis' idea worked!  
Thankfully, he got her temp lowered.

(You can tell how "new" she is--
just born yesterday!
That "thing" hanging down is her 
drying umbilical cord.)

A farmer has to really pay attention
when it is either too hot or too cold.
He is constantly checking his animals to be 
sure they are ok.

 Dennis carried her out the door,
Linnea dried her off 
and put a purple ribbon on her.
Crisis averted for today!

I should say now that most calves arrive on our farm 
with much less fanfare.
As in, "oh--#452 calved."
and that's about it.




2 comments:

  1. I'll have to say--that's the first calf in the house/bathroom/shower since it was built in '81.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! That was an adventure! Hope the calf is doing well!

    Tami

    ReplyDelete

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