Dimensional...

Of course we ALL know that there is more that just one dimension to a person and their life.

It's never been my intention to get too "personal" on this blog as far as "real life".  Who really wants to read someone's dirty laundry?  (We all know that's what FaceBook is for anyways! LOL!)

I've mentioned family loss and family additions, just surface stuff.

Well I'm going to share a little more stuff...

Only because mom sent me an e-mail and I felt like sharing.

Just a little back story..or maybe a lot..not sure yet!

When I was 8-10, but I could have been younger, my grandfather was diagnosed with renal failure.

I don't really remember a whole lot of particulars, but I knew it was serious.  As things went on, he was on dialysis.  He was on that for several years, and then he received a kidney transplant.  When Grandpa Dick got his kidney, the expected life span of a transplanted organ was 8 years. ( Early '80s.)  His kidney lived almost exactly 8 years.  Once the kidney was no longer functional he opted for a Peritoneal Dialysis .  It worked well for him for about 8 months, then the stresses of illness and other things caught up with my Grandpa Dick and he died in his chair at home watching a movie of a heart attach.  I was 16.

That organ gave him 7 years of quality life, life that being on dialysis you just don't get to have. ( I say 7 years, because his road to recovery was long and hard, and when the kidney started to fail, there were some pretty bad days...)  I knew just how lucky we ALL were that he got that kidney.  I knew from then on that I would be an organ donor.  (With the exception on my eyes...there is something about that, even to day that just freaks me out...  And you can, I believe, live a quality life without sight...)  I am truly thankful for that person that gave me those years with my grandfather.  We never knew their name... But I always felt as though they were "our" hero.

Flash forward 7 years.  My cousin and one of my best friends was killed in a freak accident while playing flag football with her family.  Keturah ran into another player, fell backwards onto the base of her head and pushed her brain stem up into her brain.  Rendering her brain dead almost immediately.  They were playing in a park only 5 minute from the hospital.  Her mom, my Aunt Terry is an advanced EMT.  CPR was started the ambulance called.  Keturah was pronounced DOA.  The family made the decision to donate her organs.  (Grandpa Dick was also Keturah's grandfather.)

That was 16 years ago this past January.

After all that time, Keturah's parents were able to meet a recipient   Here is an update on the man who received Keturah's heart.  (It seems like at one time, Aunt Terry was in touch with one of the people who got a kidney too...)I think it's amazing that they are able to keep organs alive so much longer than they they used!   I wish this lady would have written a little more in detail...but that's just me!   

Any whoo, just thought I'd share!

Wow... Has It Really Been A Month??

I guess that since winter's finally started disappearing, I've run out of things to blog about!

Does that make me a whiner?

Probably.

But we're getting some rhythm I guess you'd say, so I'll have something to blog about now!  Oh, happy day for anyone who still visits!  LOL!!

So lets see, where to begin...  Snow's gone, rains began, weeds are greening up, and there is tons of work to be done...it's definitely spring! 

Chad and I have started "planning" what we are going to work on, started working on things that were left over from last year!  It's like Mindy keeps reminding me Rome wasn't built in a day and all of that stuff can wait, for just as long as you need it to.  She is right of course...so no worries on "The List", it will happen when it happens!  (0:

Finally got Jake out to put shoes on Remi.  It never fails that I call him when everyone else does.  He's great though.  Squeezed me in and then had to take a nap in the drive way to wait for me as I drove home from work.  I told him I didn't know what I'd do when he retired.  He assured me that he won't EVER retire, he will die under someone's horse and that's just how he wants it to be.  I told him deal.  I sure home that he doesn't die under my horse!  (0:  I had him trim Horse Girl.  We are going to tend to her more like a navicular horse.  Having never had x-rays, but seeing her lameness progress over the last few years, this approach seems to be helping.  She doesn't have a working type of job, so we will see how this goes...  Last year we shod her with wedges, like a navicular horse and it went well.  Trying to save a few dollars and keep her comfortable.  Won't know how well it's working until the ground dries out.  For now seems great, but may have to go back to shoes once stuff get harder.  Oh, the suspense!  Heehehehaahaa!!

The Hee-Haws are fat and happy.  Both of the little poops were good for Jake.  Jack-Jack has always tried pretty hard to be a good boy.  And if he "goes" first, then he is usually successful.  Patron likes to act like well....and Ass, so he usually puts on a show.  If Jack-Jack sees this stupidity then he follows suit, but if he doesn't see it, he doesn't think of it.  Funny how that stuff works.  Patron tried to dish out some drama, but Jake explained to him how that was not conducive to his comfort, and he decided that maybe being good WAS a good idea!  (0:

Tari is now with the BRC.  She is still quite sure that the secrete to her happiness is having babies and relaxing in the pasture.  She still tries a crow hop on occasion, has decided to shy at the timer's booth in the arena, and has a few other spoiled brat things she is trying.  The BRC is working on things Tari is good at mixed in with some new things and of course always ending on a good note.  I'm sure by mid to end summer, Tari will be in the right frame of both body and mind!  (0:  Mindy is pretty excited to run her this fall.  I am also pretty interested in seeing what she can do!

And last but not least there is Fiona.  Here is the last update I got from Mike...

Howdy, Nikki! Well, we got settled. I turned Fiona in with mine. Kept a close eye on her for a 

few days, she's been doing good. Bottom of the totem pole, but she being smart about things

 and has plenty of room to get away. Had her out to move cows. She did ok. Rode fine, a little 

spooky or alarmed, but not terrible. Basically did whatever I asked. She got plenty tired! This will be good for her! One of the funnier things was trying to push about 50 head that wanted

 to turn back. I legged her up, the cows all turned toward her at a high trot, she stopped in 

her tracks and said Buuuullllll Shiiiitttttt! She turned tail and made for the hills!!! My boss

 laughed his ass off! She has plenty of speed! We turned around and she did better the next 

try. I think she will learn a lot between long days, cows, plenty of trail miles, and getting good 

and tired. Best part is, not only do I have al that at my disposal, but the White rodeo arena is

 3 miles away from my corral for when I want to do arena work. We're going to get a lot done

 here. I don't have phone or wifi down there, but I should be to town once or twice a week to 

get any messages. Got your letter too! Thanks! I'll have Erin take pics this week to send.

My friend Mike landed a job on a  cattle ranch in the White Bird area.  The guy has 700 cow/calf pairs and I am not surehow much of what else.  So Mike will be riding a lot of fences and moving a lot of cows.  Right now they are castrating the bull calves and vaccinating.  

I am hoping that the next outing with Fiona and the cattle will be better!  (0:  I'd really like her to get some "street cred" with the cowboys before she comes home!  I know that horses have to learn that they are in charge of the cows, and can move them.  I just hope she doesn't take forever and a day to figure that out...  Her dad is off of an actual cattle ranch, where he worked for a living...it's gotta be in her gene pool somewhere doesn't it?  LOL!

And for the record...  Mike has been promising to get Erin to take a few pictures of my horse for weeks...  Men!  (0:  He did post two on FaceBook the other day, they weren't exactly of her, but she was in them and she looked good!  Not that I am worried, Mike takes good care of everything, as foolish as it seems, I'm totally fine with him not sending pictures...even if I do miss the big roan dork!

Next time I'll have pictures...of something...  (0: