This One Packed a Mean Punch

 

Saturday was a beautiful, sunny warm day with temps in the low 60’s.

This is how we spent our day

Just hanging out with Apache.

Sunday started off the same way. Sunny and warm, but slightly breezier than Saturday. I spent most of Sunday outside with Apache and our other barn critters. But by Sunday afternoon, the winds picked up, the sky got dark and snowflakes began falling……..and falling…and falling.

By Sunday evening we already had at least 5” of heavy, wet snow on the ground. Did I mention I’m so fed up with snow and winter?

Ranchman John had encouraged Apache to eat her hay in the barn earlier on Sunday and she seemed happy to get in there out of the wind, but she’s still getting used to all the strange sounds in there, like the creaking and whistling, and the noisy banging from the goats as they eat, and the llamas’ snuffling and humming. Apache would get startled and run out, but she’d eventually come back in to munch her hay.

I watched the barn from the house as it started to hail. It hit the metal roof on the barn and I know how the sounds can be a cacophony of loud noise when you’re inside. Poor Apache flew out of the barn from all that noise, out into the pelting hail.

I threw on my coat and boots and went up there to check on her and with some encouragement she came up to me from the other side of the pasture and walked with me back into the barn. I hung out with her for about 20 minutes as she ate and watched as the hail turned into blowing snow, a white-out. I finally trudged back down the hill towards the house.

The snow didn’t seem all that slippery and I wasn’t having any problems with traction, but all of a sudden, my right foot slipped…….and down I went on my butt.

That wouldn’t have been so bad except my left foot stayed in place, so when I fell, it was still rooted into the ground, which meant that my poor knee was forced into a hyper extreme flex as my butt came into contact with the back of my left boot! OUCH!!!! The pain took my breath away as I felt something in my knee make a crunching sound.

I sat in the snow for a moment to assess the damage, as the snow blew even harder and thicker around me. I realized I had to get up and walk back to the house as no one would hear me if I called for help. And if I was gone for a long while Ranchman John would just figure I was in the barn hanging out with Apache.

I stood up and boy did it hurt! So I just took slow small limping steps back down to the pasture gate, praying that I wouldn’t fall again.

I finally made it back down to the house without falling and when I got back inside, I asked my twinlings to bring me my crutches and some Ibuprofen. My left knee was already starting to swell. I still managed to finish cooking spagetti for my family, but afterwards I scooted up the stairs on my butt to my bedroom.

Back in my tower again…..sigh.

The rest of the night I rested in bed with ice on my knee. This is what it looked like last night.

(Don’t mind the furry legs. They keep me warm in the winter.)

This morning it’s even more swollen, but I can bend it, but not as far as usual because of the swelling, but at least there’s no pain when I bend it. I can also extend my leg out with no pain and I can also bear some weight without pain, too. But the knee feels weak and very sore.

I hope I didn’t do anything to the ACL reconstruction area or any other ligaments. Ranchman John thinks maybe I sprained or strained something. I also wonder if maybe that the extreme flexion from when my knee was bent so suddenly, caused some scar tissue from the surgery to tear, which I think would be a good thing, even though it’s pretty painful at first.

All I can do is rest, take anti-inflammatory meds, apply ice and do some light flexing exercises so the knee doesn’t tighten up. I’m truly thankful that Ranchman John is home to take care of the animals, along with the kidlets, until all this snow melts and my knee heals. He already has a soft spot for Apache, so I know she’ll get plenty of attention, even though I’m going to miss her something fierce!

And all this time I was worried about falling off a horse and reinjuring my knee, and instead I fall in the snow. Are you all keeping tabs?

                 (The view from my bedroom balcony this morning)

This would be the third time that I’ve injured this same knee. If bad things really do come in three’s, this should mean my dues are paid. Right? …….right?    

Well, just when I thought my days of picture-taking from my tower were over……….a Spring snow storm did me in.

These are the chairs and table on my bedroom balcony.

Oh look. 8” high pillowtop chairs. How nice and comfy.

The sun was coming up across the valley. But the clouds moved in soon afterwards, and nipped that little bit of warmth right in the bud.

The view from Jenna’s window. The heavy wet snow ripped apart the hawk netting over the chicken coop. Poor chickens will be stuck inside all day today anyway.

 

Zuni doesn’t mind the snow at all. In fact I’d wager to say that she wouldn’t mind if we had snow all year. (Bite my tongue!)

                      Ranchman John greeting Apache.

 

                                    So sweet.

Watching your man love on your horse is almost as precious as watching him love on your kids.

 

Sure wish I could be up there getting some horse lovin’, too.

 

Apache heads into the barn as Ranchman John walks back down the hill. I think she likes him.

 

Apache gives her opinion of this rotten, sneaky snowstorm.

                       Pppblltprrfftt! Patooie!

 

  

                  Looks like Rapunzel is back.