Quotable....

Quotable....



Robert Frost

The best way out is always through.





Thursday, June 24, 2010

What happened in these parts on Father's day...

See these average looking work boots.  They are dirty, brown, and a Wal-mart special purchased on the fly one day when we were making a Wal-mart run in town (Waco) and hubby remembered he needed some replacements.  But here is their most important quality...

STEEL TOE.  Because of this feature my David still has his toes....thank the Lord.

Sunday, yes, Father's Day, there was no big celebration (we usually lay low on Sundays anyway), our oldest girls were spending the day with their mother's father and so David headed out for a few simple tasks in the pasture with our youngest cowgirl in training, Sophia.  They had been out for a few hours and I was just expecting them to get home when the phone rang.  As I picked it up, I could hear grunting, and then David yelling out "Jenny, my foot is pinned down by the trailer get Allen and come quick!!!"  I ran out our front door and saw Allen (David's brother) and my nephew Nick (16 yo) just heading into their home (our two homes share a driveway out here in the boonies) and I called out, "There is an emergency and David is hurt out in the pasture!" 

In no time we reached David, (Allen flew the mile and a half down our rutted dirt road)  And as we arrived I noticed that the part of the two wheeled trailer (loaded with a 500 gallon FULL water tank), the neck, that usually is attached to the ball hitch of the truck was pressed firmly to the ground pinning my husband's left foot so hard to the ground I couldn't make out his foot underneath it.  The three of us (well, mostly Allen, and Nick) started to try to heave the trailer neck off his foot, only to painfully budge it up before it pressed down again.  David howled, and next Allen took a steel bar (part of the jack that had given way and lead to the trailer on the foot) and dug it under the trailer neck as Nick, David and I, again lifted the trailer only about three inches up, but enough for David to pry his boot off the neck and out of the way. 
Only then did I notice our silent still Sophia, standing two feet away looking startled yet dry eyed.  Allen, the closest to her, grabbed her and handed her to me and Nick helped David into the truck and we were off again....to the small town ER only a few minutes away.

As Allen again flew down the highway into town to the ER, poor little Sophia let loose with bawling.  David grimaced and grabbed his boot in awful pain but was quiet.  When we arrived in the ER, and I signed papers (it must be done, you know), I finally was able to take in the state of us.  Allen, just before the emergency, had just come in from the pasture and had on his most breezy jeans (with more than 8 holes plus some patches) and his sweat and dirt covered ratty old work shirt,  Nick was in the midst of getting dressed and had on an old dirty t-shirt, new shorts and dirty dusty old work boots, and I with no make up, no comb through the hair, an old t-shirt, and shorts plus neon blue Crocs.....lovely. 

But thankfully for a small town ER, they got David back quickly, and then it was boot removal time.....For what we had seen in the pasture, we all felt that toes might be lost, but as the boot came off.....Hallelujah!  The sock was intact, and only a pencil sized dot of blood was to be seen.  Then the nurse cut off the sock and immediately we were faced with two deep purple near black toes (big toe and adjacent toe).  David, who rarely takes any type of medication, asked the nurse, "Please, can something be done for the pain?" But he had to wait as he was whisked off for x-rays, once he was in a room, the morphine came and helped some, but then the word was quickly in from the x-ray...his second toe was fractured and had to be reset...yikes.  It seemed the next moment the capable country doctor was putting in a local and in 1 minute it was set and immediately pinked up.  Ahhhh

David was thankful for the local, as it eased the sharpest of the pain, and then it was one more x-ray....which showed the toe to be nicely back in place.  During the times in between the x-rays David told his tale, and we looked over the boot that had been on the injured foot.  As you can see the boot is a bit mangled and torn, the thick sole on one side even showed that the impact had cut it somewhat, but the steel.....not bent one little bit.  Job well done boots!

So now, David is home for the week, foot less purplish, propped up and healing albeit painfully.  We have all reassessed the importance of safety in the pasture.  And even last night Sara and I got a good dose of hearty farm work in by pitchforking hay from the thankfully small section of pasture David had just cut before his accident, to the barn for winter. 

Honestly, at times I am at odds with the demands of the livestock and the land.  David LOVES the land, the work, and the livestock.  The girls have grown up learning skills (putting up fences, clearing pastures, putting down seed for hay, running a tractor, shots for healthy cows, cutting calves for sale, putting out feed daily, etc) that are invaluable.  So, in light of the scare on Sunday I prayed and considered our priorities.  And I watched Monday as Sara, my niece Alyssa, Sophia, my sister-in-law Michelle and I moved cows from the waterless pasture (this is not my normal at all....I'm still learning here) under David's direction, to the area with a tank and was moved by the family teamwork.  Then last night I saw Sara put herself to some hard work, non complaining, sure of what she was doing and stepping up to help.  It is hard, there are ups and downs with cattle prices, feed cost, seed cost, and time invested but how special that we are in this together, learning as we go. 

10 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Hello Jenny

Oh my word, how horrendous.. and what a shock the phone call must of been for you and how lucky you all were that you could get help. And as you say ... SAFETY BOOTS ARE IMPORTANT.. and thank the lord that David was wearing them ... I can imagine how you felt once you saw little sophia.. bless her.

What a great job your small town ER did too.

I did have to laugh though, when you described how you all looked :-) :-) ..

I would find it hard to work on the land too... in fact I think I would be totally useless... but I am sure that you are doing great.

Take care and have a lovely weekend . Anne xx

Marcia said...

Oh Jenny ~ I had only heard a little of this story from Lindsey who related it from Jessica - I believe they were together when she got your call. OUCH for poor David!! Hope he is all better soon!
Love to you all,
Marcia

Jenny said...

Thank you dear Anne. I am the last person I would picture helping and doing on a ranch, and yet here I am, oh, my. David is working busily on his computer (he is by day a civil engineer) here at home and recovering nicely but can't put weight on the foot yet. It will be a laid back weekend for sure.

Marcia...it seems like forever since I have seen you. Yes, David is camped out, working out of home for now and everyone tending to him. THanks for checking in and I will see you at Kylie's PAR-TAY!

Anonymous said...

Hey girl,
So glad your man is okay. Very scary.
It was nice catching up on your life. It is never boring. Ha.

I also loved your posts on fatherhood. Thank you for sharing your heart with your readers. You are so transparent, it is a beautiful thing.

I don't think men realize how important their role as a father truly is.

xo,Gina

Jennifer K said...

Hi Jenny, wow, what an ordeal. I'm so glad he was wearing those steel toe boots and I'm also glad his brother was around when it happened and you all managed to reach David quickly. Thank God it wasn't worse!

Sally Annie Magundy said...

Hi Jenny!
Oh no. How frightening! I'm so glad to hear your David is doing well and on the mend. I don't think I knew that you have livestock and land to tend (or it fell through the trap door in my middle aged brain, so sorry!).
Thinking of you all and sending wishes for a speedy recovery for your husband!
Sally

A Tale of Two Cities said...

Oh my, oh my, oh my!
That must have been very traumatic for all of you. I'm so thankful that the accident wasn't any worse. Hoping David heals quickly and that God gives you what you need to fill the gaps in the between time.

Debi

Sally Annie Magundy said...

Hi Jenny!
Long time no peep from you, just checking in to make sure all is well! Hope your husband has enjoyed/is enjoying, a speedy recovery and you all had a wonderful 4th!
Take care,
Sally

Jenny said...

Wow I am behind in tending my blog and wanting to catch up so much. Thank you Gina, Jennifer, Sally, and Debi for your thoughtful words and concern.

Gina, it was scary and I appreciate your comments about things shared on the blog. I am glad to have gotten toknow you because of the this bloggy life.

JenniferK...I know! Allen has even said that 2 minutes later and he and Nick would have been gone and just me on my own. The Lord was definitely watching out for us.

Sally, I don't know if I have shared much about our ranch life. I guess because I am a bit on the fringe of the everyday maintenance, but once we have to round them up, do immunizations, or sell some, it is all hands on deck....even me. THank you for checking in...it means a lot, and we had a subdued 4th and David is doing better but the toe is not looking lovely at the moment. We are going back to the doctor today.

Debi, thank you for your concerns and prayer. We drove through Houston this weekend (quickly) and I wondered what you were up to. Hope your 4th was grand.

BonjourRomance said...

Oh Jenny, I am sorry I missed this post - so glad David is okay. Thank the Lord for that - and the wisdom to by those steell toed boots!
I am sure you were a trooper through the whole things!
Will pray for complete recovery.
Mimi

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