E is better!

She's walking, talking and even came out to the barn this morning!  Shes still a little weak, and cannot do too much at all,  but she is back to looking after her self and doing normal daily tasks,  Shes even out of the hospital for the long term.  (She still has appointments, and tests that need to be done on a regular basis).

Turns out that she had a stroke due to her blood being too thick to run in her body, and the other side effects were caused by not enough oxygen being supplied to the part of the brain that controls your body movements.

She has some minor issues with her right leg and isn't very steady with her hands yet but the physical therapists are sure that it will only be a short time before she is even better.  The doctors told her she could ride as soon as she felt strong enough, which she hopes will be in a couple of weeks.  They did tell her that she must wear a helmet for the rest of her life if she wants to ride.  She was very willing to accept that one condition!

I went on a shopping trip today in town, got Oscar the fuzzy girth that hes been requesting.  (OK he hasn't vocalized this!  But he doesn't like getting saddled, and hes gone and picked up a fuzzy girth off the rack of girths twice now!)  And since he tore open his blanket on the weekend I did pick up a new turnout for him as well.  I'm going to try and fix his old one but I don't have much in the way of sewing skills.

Even better news!

E is back to brushing her own hair and teeth, and getting mostly dressed on her own.  She still has some struggles with minor every day tasks, but every day she is improving.  Her parents are very hopeful that she will be able to come home this weekend to have some 'home' time before the start more intense physical rehab next week.

While her horses live in her back yard, her parents plan to bring her show horse to the barn so that she can have some companionship as she regains her balance and skills.  We'll also be able to ride her horse for her so that he can have some energy worked out before she gets on.  I'm a bit worried about her riding, the Physical therapists that we know believe it will help, as do I, but I know from personal experience how hard those first rides can be when your body isn't familiar any more.

Anyways we will cross that bridge when we come to it.  Keep thinking good thoughts, they are working!

Finaly some good news

E is on the road to recovery!  The doctors have found out that the stroke was caused by very thick blood, not a blood clot or clots.  Shes the youngest that they have ever found with it, and is now on blood thinners.  There is great hope that because she did not suffer any paralazation just nerve damage that her recovery may be quicker than if she had some.  It will be a long recovery, but she was a young woman in great health so the doctors are being very positive.

I got in another ride today and I'm having so much fun riding Oscar.  :)  He's just a lovely horse to ride. I can trust him enough to work on my own position while he keeps trotting along (lots of two point which I am going to pay for tomorrow!)  and then we work on getting him a little more correct once I'm using my body more correctly. 

I have signed up for a lesson with D next week.  I want some help with what I can't see while I'm riding him.  We've also have a plan to work on some trail things over the next couple of months to improve both of our skills. 

A little video I shot of Oscar today for his owner.

No good news but no bad news either

We haven't heard any more from E or her parents but at this point we know that no news is good news and that we knew they would be busy with doctor meetings and appointments today. 

Oscar and I are good.  We are really starting to work as a team.  Tonight I found a bit that really works for the two of us, and our walk/trot transitions are really coming.  Were going to start lessons with D next week to help with some of the issues that I'm seeing but cant quite fix on my own. 

On Saturday I had a very low key ride (I sat and talked to C more than we rode around!) but by the time I got off my right leg was numb.  I went and saw the Chiropractor on Monday and he found that my "funny disk" was pressing on my sciatic nerve and that was causing the occasional numbness.