Sunday, August 28, 2011

Silver Bullets



Last week Eddie's vet came out to see him and check on his progress. He took some x-rays and found out Eddie damaged another joint in his lower leg -- the pastern joint -- when he fractured the coffin bone. The fracture has healed well, but there is arthritis in the pastern joint. Not a good situation. Allowed to progress, it could make him permanently lame. The course of treatment involved injecting both the coffin joint and the pastern joint with steroids. The injections aren't a silver bullet -- Eddie isn't magically (or chemically) healed, but they help limit or arrest the progress of the arthritis.

The good news is that rehab is continuing. We've been allowed to trot -- in a very restricted way -- and although there's some limping in the turns to the left, he seems to be improving bit by bit. We are proceeding very conservatively since, as Eddie's vet says, he's being asked to use parts of his body he hasn't used in about a year.

The rest of the good news is that Eddie is very pleased. He's delighted to show me how good he can be.

However, we still have a long way to go, and the ultimate outcome is still up for grabs.

Isn't that the way progress is usually made? Step-by-step persistence, even when the road looks unbearably long and rough. It's like Woody Allen's famous statement, "80% of success is just showing up." The other 20% is willingness to follow instruction and advice, talent, acquired skill, help from others, and anything else that makes up the mix of what is required to achieve your goal.

Regardless of the goal -- whether it be horse-rehab, writing my next book, or weeding the garden -- I need to remember not to put more mental emphasis on the 20% than the 80%.

I will keep showing up.

I will not quit before I reach my goal.

It's pretty obvious Eddie plans on showing up, too.



17 comments:

  1. Good luck with the healing. I hope Eddie will be completely sound before too long so you can enjoy riding together in the beautiful fall weather :)

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  2. Enjoying your horse in the saddle and/or on the ground. Patience and time will most likely do the trick. :)

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  3. Thank you, Susanna! With the way our summer weather has been (or lack of summer weather, would be more appropriate) I think his healing will be more of a certainty than the weather! However, compared to the heat & hurricane everyone else has experienced, we have no grounds for complaints in our corner of the country!

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  4. Thank you, Margaret. Eddie is one of the most positive individuals I know :) Makes the care-giving so easy.

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  5. I do so enjoy your up-dates on Eddy, and I wish both of you all the beast!

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  6. Thanks so much! It's such a pleasure to share him with so many folks who share the passion horses inspire!

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  7. Ah, that Eddie is inspiring. When I'm recovering from my surgery, I'm going to think of Eddie. In fact, send me a good sized picture that I can print out and when I look at it, I'll remember if Eddie can do this, so can I!

    Dee

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  8. Oh, Eddie! Good news/bad news again. Well, we'll concentrate on the good, and hope for the best! Happy training~

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  9. Yea! I'm glad for Eddie and you. Any progress is good. Good luck and let us know how the rest of his treatment goes.

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  10. Your surgery will go fine, Dee! I'll see about getting you that picture :)

    Thank you, Tracy & E.B. Slow progress is progress, after all.

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  11. Eddie is a marvel. He seems to remain such a gentleman no matter what. I hope the steroids do all they're supposed to and he's able to trot comfortably very soon.

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  12. Sad and happy news, Susan. Glad Eddie has such a strong will and happy attitude. That will help you both through this.

    Nanette

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  13. He has consistently shown himself to be a gentleman, even when he's been in a considerable amount of pain -- and even more telling, when he's had to endure the long long periods of patience. Thanks, Ellis and Nanette for your good wishes!

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  14. What a courageous boy. I'll keep holding positive thoughts for his ongoing healing.

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  15. Eddie sounds like a doll. Poor baby.

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  16. Thanks for the invite haynet admin. I went over to your site and it looks lovely! Lots of dedicated horse people. Thanks for stopping by and mentioning it.

    Genie, Eddie is a doll. He's back-slid a bit in his recovery, I'm afraid. The arthritis is the issue now, and not the fracture. Hopefully his vet has a few tricks up his sleeve!

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