Is there such a thing as a horse with 9 lives??!!!???

Hi all

Well last week was one for the books.

All week long thoughts of Sir's last day kept creeping into my mind. In dreams, while driving, while doing anything. It seemed so real that I had to shake my head to get the thoughts out.
 I would see him lying on his side in a field and I laid down next to him. We were staring into each others eyes, mine tear filled. His nostrils flaring and taking in deep breaths. I watched his body rise and fall as he breathe the air.
I watched him and talked to him, stroked his head as he breathe his last breath. I watched the light go out of his eyes. Then I was drawn back to reality. Asking myself if I wanted to be there when it happens. Did I have the courage? The answer was and is yes! I want me to be the last thing that he sees. I do not want him to go to the other side alone. He deserves better than that.

Laurel sent me a text during the week and told me that Dr. Wen was coming out on Saturday evening to examine him. I asked if he was okay and she told me that he was.
I arrived at the Barn around 11 AM after spending the morning running errands and was greeted by my friends and some new volunteers going through this years Volunteer Orientation.
I went back to see Sir and he appeared to be happy to see me. He actually looked pretty good and was more like himself. Heather Davis, a volunteer, told me that he was being a brat. And when she told him that she would tell me he would stop. LOL

Later that day after everyone pretty much left, Laurel and I were talking as she prepared the buckets for the next morning's feeding. She then told me that Sir had taking a turn for the worse during the week. And that she had made the decision that we needed to put Sir down on Monday. He was that bad. She didn't want to tell me until she had him looked at and was sure it was the right decision. She called Dr. Wen to discuss it and went over what medications he was taking. He made some adjustments and she began the new regimen. Well 5 days into it and he improved drastically!
She is so much my friend and like a sister. She is always looking to protect me from stress and sadness. I love her for that. Tommy is the same way. They are caring and compassionate towards others.

Dr. Wen finally arrived. Sir was on cross tied. I had brought him in earlier and Laurel and I groomed him.
Dr. Wen examined him, feeling and pressing in various areas. He stated that Sir looked good. Then he listened to his heart. I stood by watching for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he stood up, stepped back, removed his stethoscope and said "This is good! His heart rate is almost back to normal"
The last time he listened to the heart is was so erratic that the best he could do was count around 120 beats, This time it was 70!

From www.LivingLegends.com:
A normal resting horse has a heart rate of 38-40 beats per minute, foals (70-120 bpm), yearlings (45-60 bpm) and 2 year olds (40-50 bpm). Maximum heart rates can exceed 180 beats per minute, but a rate above 80 should be considered serious in most non-exercising horses.

So you can see from the above that he was in peril and made a major improvement.

I haltered him up and led him back to his paddock. I talked to him the whole way. I was like a giddy school kid. Not ashamed to admit that I shed some happy tears. Once again he won!
When I got back to the barn Laurel was emotional and I told her that I felt like crying because I was so happy. She said that she already was.

We celebrated this small victory together and said goodnight.


Sunday I returned to the Barn and was speaking to Louise about the morning session with the Stony Brook Veterans Equine therapy session. She told me that the girls went to get Sir to participate and he basically refused. She went back to see if he wanted to join as he usually did and she got the feeling that Sir was saying that he was done with that, LOL He was feeling good and just wanted to chill. She said that he was a one person horse and that I am that person. I was of course very happy to hear that 😎

I will see if I can work it out financially so I can adopt him. That would be wonderful!

Thanks again for reading about and following Sir and I. Your thoughts and prayers really do help!

With much love and gratitude.

Sir and Frank "Sir's Human"

Sir and stuff

Hi everyone

I have been away from the keyboard for awhile. Lots going on at work and at home.

We had a scare with Sir a few weeks ago. He was bloated with excess water most likely caused from the congestive heart failure. His legs literally looked liked balloons. They had ridges or folds in them.
He could barely walk and his appetite was absent.

Thank God that Laurel's Niece Dr. Cait Rooney was there for the weekend. She and Laurel sprang into action. She increased the meds that get the water out of the body, a diuretic, and she and Laurel bathe his legs and wrapped them to get the scabs to fall off. (Which they did)
She monitored him through the night.

The next morning when I arrived he was looking much better. He was eating and a lot of the swelling had subsided. Since that day Laurel has been tending to his rear legs nightly. Bathing them with an antiseptic soap, etc. It is a lot of work. I only wish that I had different work hours so that I could go there a few nights a week after work.

He is blessed that he is at North Shore Horse Rescue & Sanctuary. The care that he and ALL of the horses receive, both rescues and boarded horses, is second to none!
Thank you Laurel and Tommy for all that you do for these horses!

I hope that Sir can hang tough as long as possible. It has been suggested that he fights and pushes through for me. I am truly honored if that is the case. I reassure him always that I want him to stay but he is free to go if that is what must be. It is all about him now. All his remaining days will be comfortable and carefree. They must be!

Next week Sunday, April 9th will be my late Son Frankie's Birthday.  It will be a tough day for my wife Lynn and I.  To this point Sir has made the loss of my only child bearable for me. I may need to call upon him one more time to help......................


I remain humbly

Frank

Sir's Human

Chairman of the Board?

Hi all

Well not quite LOL, though I am proud to announce that I was elected to the Board of Directors of the North Shore Horse Rescue & Sanctuary last Saturday night.
I am eager to serve and contribute to further the mission statement of the organization.

There is much work to be done in the future. Fund raising through grants as well as corporate sponsorships is at the forefront. Of course the importance of the individual donor is not lost. It is those of you who continually donate and support our fund raising efforts that have carried the organization throughout the years. We STILL need  your support and are eternally grateful for it.

We will be launcing a new website soon......same mission, more user friendly and informative. I am sure you will agree that it is a vast improvement.
I will advise once it is officially launched.

Sir is looking wonderful and seems to be holding his own. Dr. Wen's medication seems to be doing the trick. Again, if anyone wishes to assist with the purchase of his medication you can donate through paypal on our facebook page. Hit the donate button.

 or venmo.

@northshorehorserescue

That's all I have for now.....please check back or watch facebook for new posts!

Thanks for following Sir and I 

Frank

Sir's Human!

Wonderful Weekend!

Hi Folks

Spent an awesome weekend out at the barn with Sir and our volunteer family 😉🐴
The weather was very much spring like with temps in the 60's and bright sunshine.
Sir seems to be doing really well. The medication seems to be working. He is eating.....well, like a horse LOL

The warm weather brought lots of people out as well. Both volunteers and the general public. The horses enjoyed both the attention and great weather,
As we turned each group of horses out they ran and bucked and stretched their muscles, happy to run and enjoy their turn in the large paddock.

Alexis Ritsch took lots of pics of the horses and of Sir. Thanks Lexi!

We are getting ready for our Comedy night on Feb 26th. And on April 22nd we will be holding our ASPCA Help A Horse Day. Some ideas being considered are an Civil War encampment, Chili Cook Off, Swap Meet, and some others.

Keep an eye on our facebook page and here on the blog.


Thanks for following the blog!

Frank

Sir's Human

Still here ☺

Hi all

It's been a couple of weeks since I have posted.

I saw Sir over the weekend and again yesterday. He looked good. He seemed a bit stiff when we first started walking but gradually loosened up and was walking okay.
He seems so normal on the outside. But I know what is rumbling on the inside. I can only hope that he hangs on.

I wish that I could put into words how he makes me feel when I am with him. But no words could do justice to the overwhelming joy and euphoria that he brings me.

Yesterday when I was with him I was leaning over the top rail of the paddock fence and he came to me and was or seemed to be very needy. Needy of my touch and voice. So I accommodated him the best that I could. He seemed to be happy that I did.

Please continue with your prayers and rituals. And if you feel that you want to help with his medication a donation would be very much appreciated. Just mark in the notes field that it's for Sir's meds.

Visit our Facebook page NSHRS Facebook

Thanks again all!

Frank

Sir's Human

Quick Update

Hi all

Sorry for the lapse in posting. I have been busy with meetings for the rescue and the two Civil War organizations that I am affiliated with.

The medications seem to be working. The edema seems to be subsiding. And of course the medication for the heart is doing what it does. 😉
As stated in my last post it is not a cure. It will help to prolong his life. To look at him you wouldn't think that he has any issues. He is alert and eating, is mobile and his bodily functions seem to be normal.
He is a fighter!

I was out at the barn last Sunday for awhile and spent some time with him. Haltered him up and we went for a stroll. He always likes to do that. He grazed a little on whatever grass he could find. And generally seemed to enjoy himself.

So the prayers and Reiki, medication, etc. seems to be doing the trick for now.

The rescue really needs donations. Not only for Sir but for the rescue's operation and the horses.

Please consider a monthly donation or $5, $10, $15, or whatever you can afford. Your donations are tax deductible and your would truly be making a difference!

Have any fund raising ideas? Any questions about the rescue? Email me at skibbo14@aol.com or just comment here!
We could really use your help!

Until next time

Take care

Frank

Sir's Human

In a fight for his life!!!

Hi everyone

Today I am writing to let you know that Sir is in the battle of and for his life. He was diagnosed two days ago as being in heart failure which is also causing edema.

As followers of this blog you know that he is a fighter and has overcome some major issues in the past year; Cancer, Kidney failure, and infection just to name a few.

But unfortunately he is now in a fight to prolong his existence. Dr. Wen has prescribed medicines to clear up the edema and to help with the heart failure.  

This will not be a cure, nor is it meant to be. It is an attempt to prolong Sir’s life as long as the quality of life does not suffer.

Thankfully he is still eating ravenously and his bodily functions are normal as well. Dr. Wen made sure to convey that there is no way of knowing how long or if he will survive.

However, our mindset is to keep a positive outlook; to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I ask that you include him in your prayers and your healing ways and rituals. He is loved by not only me but all of those who have met him and know him.

The cold hard truth is that Sir is currently in a fragile state. As much as I would be heartbroken if he were to leave this plain, I would understand that his contract was fulfilled and it would be time to move on. None of us wants to be selfish and have him suffer just to fill our need to have him in our lives.  So he will be monitored closely and with fingers crossed he will be around for a while longer.

Thank you all for your continued support for Sir, North Shore Horse Rescue & Sanctuary, and I.

If you would like to help with Sir’s medication please follow this link and make a tax deductible donation in Sir’s name. Doante

Thanks again for reading.....

And I will FOREVER Remain

Frank

Sir's Human 😊