I'm finding myself thankful to have had Tatjana around to capture on camera what I do every day. It's kind of fun to look through the pictures and remember what I did that particular day. Most of the time my days are a blur. :)
When I was 18 and first started working for Dr. Doug Woolsey in Greeneville, TN, one of the first things he said to me was "you will make a great pig and goat OB."
My hands are small. :)
The goat in the picture above had delivered one healthy kid at home but the second one got stuck. She is a Nigerian Dwarf and they are prone to having birthing difficulties. Tatjana and I were in an exam room when she came in and our staff brought her back to our treatment area and Dr. Nice tried to help her.
Goats are the only animals that I work on that actually scream like a woman when they are in labor. It's awful. I could hear her screaming from the exam room and quickly finished up to see if I could go help.
When I saw how small she was, I asked Dr. Nice if he would mind if I tried to help her. Really, his hands are so much bigger than mine that it does make a difference when you are working in such a small space.
He is a talented vet and very gentle. But my hands are just smaller. It's a matter of physics and geometry.
I was able to deliver the kid in a matter of minutes. It had a faint heartbeat when it was first delivered but despite our best efforts we were unable to get him going and he died. I layed him on the floor so that the mom could see him and see that he was dead. It's important for her to realize what happened.
This is the kind of thing that breaks my heart. Every time.
She stayed away for a few minutes and then eventually went over to him and started to clean him off by licking him. And then she started to cry. Not a normal "I'm a goat and I'm talking" noise but a true, grief-stricken wail. We were all standing around just helpless watching her.
But then her other owner arrived with her other baby who was alive and well and HUNGRY! He let out a loud bleat when he saw her and she instantly left the dead baby and responded to him with a completely altogether different bleat. She was loud and obviously excited and joyful. They put the kid down and they ran to each other. He searched for a meal and she licked and licked him.
This is the kind of thing that makes me tear up with joy. Every time.
Instinct is a powerful, powerful force. It's amazing to watch creation as it breathes in life and death. And it affirms in me over and over that there is a Creator behind it.
As the group of us stood watching the scene, the farmer said to me "you can't live on a farm and watch animals be born and not believe in God. It's impossible."
After a few minutes (and after his meal) I scooped up the little live kid and gave him a hug. He was just too cute! I love goats and hope to have some of my own someday.
Baaaa!!!!!
When I was 18 and first started working for Dr. Doug Woolsey in Greeneville, TN, one of the first things he said to me was "you will make a great pig and goat OB."
My hands are small. :)
The goat in the picture above had delivered one healthy kid at home but the second one got stuck. She is a Nigerian Dwarf and they are prone to having birthing difficulties. Tatjana and I were in an exam room when she came in and our staff brought her back to our treatment area and Dr. Nice tried to help her.
Goats are the only animals that I work on that actually scream like a woman when they are in labor. It's awful. I could hear her screaming from the exam room and quickly finished up to see if I could go help.
When I saw how small she was, I asked Dr. Nice if he would mind if I tried to help her. Really, his hands are so much bigger than mine that it does make a difference when you are working in such a small space.
He is a talented vet and very gentle. But my hands are just smaller. It's a matter of physics and geometry.
I was able to deliver the kid in a matter of minutes. It had a faint heartbeat when it was first delivered but despite our best efforts we were unable to get him going and he died. I layed him on the floor so that the mom could see him and see that he was dead. It's important for her to realize what happened.
This is the kind of thing that breaks my heart. Every time.
She stayed away for a few minutes and then eventually went over to him and started to clean him off by licking him. And then she started to cry. Not a normal "I'm a goat and I'm talking" noise but a true, grief-stricken wail. We were all standing around just helpless watching her.
But then her other owner arrived with her other baby who was alive and well and HUNGRY! He let out a loud bleat when he saw her and she instantly left the dead baby and responded to him with a completely altogether different bleat. She was loud and obviously excited and joyful. They put the kid down and they ran to each other. He searched for a meal and she licked and licked him.
This is the kind of thing that makes me tear up with joy. Every time.
Instinct is a powerful, powerful force. It's amazing to watch creation as it breathes in life and death. And it affirms in me over and over that there is a Creator behind it.
As the group of us stood watching the scene, the farmer said to me "you can't live on a farm and watch animals be born and not believe in God. It's impossible."
After a few minutes (and after his meal) I scooped up the little live kid and gave him a hug. He was just too cute! I love goats and hope to have some of my own someday.
Baaaa!!!!!
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