Baby update

Well, no baby - but we just fixed (I hope it is fixed) a prolapsed uterus on #10. She was looking uncomfortable yesterday, but we were hoping she was in the 1st stage of labor. No go. The kids came running to tell me she was prolapsing. To make it even more exciting - it has been raining for two days (the farmers are so excited). Remember the wet wool? Try stinky wet woolly sheep. How did we fix it?? Well, you start with a really long piece of twine. Center it behind the neck, cross over underneath on the chest, into the "armpits" of the front legs, cross over the back again, into the "armpits" on the back legs, straight up either side of the behind and tie off to the cross on the back. Now you need some shorter pieces of twine to basically truss the sheep up like a turkey, without using a needle. That is an option too, but I'm just not willing to try that. I need to see it done first.

OK, now you know the technique. It's not quite that easy. FIRST you need to replace the organ that is protruding. Well, actually first you need to clean off her insides that are sticking out. Warm water poured over, clean rag to gently rub as needed. Elevate the hindquarters - on a straw bale or two. Replace the organ - truss the sheep up and viola! Oh, that sounds so easy - not so. It took all 3 kids and me to get this done (the nurse husband is at work - he did it last year). Time lapsed - about an hour. The sheep didn't understand that we wanted to help her (I don't blame her - it sure didn't seem like it) so she was not very helpful. Matthew and Katelyn held her and assisted with manipulation of the hindquarters. Alyssa was the assistant who held the flashlight, twine, scissors, warm water, rubber gloves. I worked on the business end. I won't share all gory details with you, but I think you get the picture.

We have all bathed/scrubbed/disinfected and Matthew just came in from checking her - all is still well. NOW we have to be HOME when she lambs to cut the twine. I hear a sheep can lamb between the twine, but I closed her up pretty good - Mark may need to adjust my work when he gets home.

More later.