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Across the Fence:  A funny farm girl thing happened to me  |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
 Posted - May 17 2007 : 07:27:10 AM
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I was in the feed store getting some 50lb salt blocks to put in the pastures for the horses. the fellow said "I'll help you" I said "oh I can do it" he said "I'll be right there". so OK. I went out to where the feed and such is and found the blocks and there was I cart so I proceeded to load the blocks on the cart when the 20something fellow came out. He looked at the the salt-he looked at me and then he said "oh, you live on a farm, don't you." I nodded and he went on to say "You're used to this kind of work". It cracked me up. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9094 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9094 Posts |
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Beemoosie
True Blue Farmgirl
2077 Posts
Bonnie
New York
USA
2077 Posts |
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Kathie
True Blue Farmgirl
2436 Posts
Kathie
Thonotosassa
Florida
USA
2436 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2007 : 11:43:25 AM
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ok..
Yes.. we CAn do these things.. & yes we HAVE done these things..
because we just do.. & are used to doing just about everything ourselves.. mostly out of habit.. some out of nessesity..
i think after a while it just came to us that we hated the idea of having to wait for someone to help us to DO ANYTHING.. & we just decided after time.. that we could just do it.. Do it ALL ourselves..
AND WE DO..
But.. I'm now wondering.. Should we.. ?
If we DON"T have to.. Should we.. I know we still can..
But this is what i am thinking..
I'll be 47 years old this summer.. For years & years we had so many horses it was nuts.. Borded them.. trained them.. sold & bred them.. We had horses comung out of our ears..
My husband worked a regular 9to 5 type job.. all my kids were still in School.. ( public school..) so this was My Baby.. this Horse Business.. Alot of the time I had help here & there.. & some of the time i could wait until the weekend to get things i needed.. feed & hay..
But.. more often then not.. it happened during the week.. & I was the one to either pick it up.. unless it was delivered.. But almost ALWAYS unload it all.. & stack it all up inthe feed room!
Now.. when you consider a ton of feed.. at 50lb bags.. & one woman doing this.. This can take a toll on your poor old Body girls!!!
& it did on mine!
That isn't even talking about the time's you get yanked across a round pen by a mare that doesn't want to be bred.. or kicked in the hip by a chipper little baby as he's turned out.. or slammed into the inside of a horse trailer by an over zealous gelding..
Farm Life wears us out alot quiker then another can..
I found this out when my back aches got worse & worse and worse.. & these migraines that won't seem to ever let up go from one to the next..
as the back aches turned into pinched nerves.. I was then told that i now have Degenerative Disk Disease.. not the best news to hear at 43 years old.. that your spine looks like that of a 65 year old.. & that you have at least 3 ruptured & herniated disks.. & some that are just not even there anymore.. some due to heredity I'm sure.. but mainly due to the life i chose as a Horse Woman.. a Working Farm Girl..
Which i still would never.. ever change in a million years..
But, nearly a year in a wheel chair.. several back surgeries under my belt so far.. & more to come as the degeneration continues..
So girls.. next time that sweet little 20 year old boy says he'll bring that salt block out to ya.. go have a sit on the tail gate for a minute & think about me while you wait on him.. will ya?
Take a breather now & then when you can.. you'll be glad you did later!
Love ya lots!
Kathie
In a World Where you Can Be Anything, Be Yourself.. |
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Maryjane Lee
True Blue Farmgirl
2195 Posts
Maryjane
CA
USA
2195 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2007 : 4:40:13 PM
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You go Farm Girl Marybeth! You show him! To cute! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs, Maryjane Lee
"Cherish the memories and in our hearts they shall live forever!" |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 06:50:46 AM
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That made me smile and nod. :) What a polite 20 something to offer to help...too many places with employees of any age wouldn't think to do that. Your story makes me smile all around.
We make a difference. |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 09:25:56 AM
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It makes me laugh when the young guys at the grocery store asked if I need help to get they little bags into my truck. I smile and giggle a little because one time my oldest son stated, "My mom can out lift any of you guys here and then some" I smiled at how proud he was that he had a mom who was not a whimp. I am always amazed when ladies talk to me a say how many hours they spend at the gym - when I get a better workout just getting the chores done here and heck I do not have to worry what I look like in my yoga outfit. Protect those knees, backs and most of all those funny bones.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larkspurfunnyfarm |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
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Love-in-a-Mist
True Blue Farmgirl
367 Posts
Shannon
Independence
Oregon
USA
367 Posts |
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Tracey
True Blue Farmgirl
766 Posts
Tracey
State of Confusion
USA
766 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 8:40:51 PM
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LOL! I had stuff like that happen to me when I worked at the ranch and was buying bags of horse feed. Seriously- If I have to lug around 60-75lb hay bales on a daily basis I can lift a bag or two of feed! But it is nice to have them offer and sometimes it is even nice to take them up on the offer. I love it when people offer to help me as a new mom. If someone wants to carry the carseat or diaper bag I sure let them! :)
Alee |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 9:04:57 PM
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MaryBeth and Kathie - you both have such great views on this - and most importantly, they come from experience. I hadn't really thought about the "if we can, does it mean we should?" question before, but it's a good one. I love that I can do about any chore around here by myself (except stretching fence - that one I'm still afraid of - something about barbed wire snapping back...), and I also love that some of the farmers near me will stop sometimes and offer to help when they see me doing something... I always take them up on it. It gives me a rest, gives them a chance to help out a "damsel in perceived distress" and, heck, we usually have a good chat, too!
You gals are wonderful...
XOXO, Libbie
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2007 : 04:42:12 AM
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Kathie, I too have been bucked off, stepped on, run over, smashed against walls, kicked, bitten, and the rest. And I too did the hay in the loft, the feed in the bins, etc. I'm a couple of years older than you and also have a herniated disk, and arthritis and degeneration in my spine. While I do hire my hay up these days, and have a guy deliver my feed and put it in the bins for me, I still could do it. I have very little pain because I see a chiropractor frequently. I have also been able to avoid surgery because of it.
Have you considered trying chiropractic? It's made a huge difference in quality of life for me. I still start a few youngsters and ride daily, as well as garden, hike in the woods, etc. |
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MariaAZ
True Blue Farmgirl
203 Posts
Phoenix
AZ
203 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2007 : 10:23:20 AM
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I got a chuckle out of this, because it sounds a lot like me. When we raised rabbits, it was usually my job to buy the 50 lb bags of feed since I worked closer to the feed store and so could stop by on my way home. I build up some pretty good muscle and although we don't go through as many 50 lb sacks of feed anymore (just a few chickens, pigeons and dogs) I can still hoist my fair share of weight.
However, I completely agree with Kathie. A few years ago, I was lifting a 50 lb sack of chicken feed and did something wrong. After a good 10+ years of injury-free heavy weight lifting, I experienced the most searing, horrid, awful pain shooting from my lower back all the way down my legs; it quite literally took my breath away. I crawled to bed and cried, the pain was so bad.
A few physical therapy sessions and chastisement from the therapist about proper lifting procedures and I'm back to normal, except for an occasional tweak in my lower back. I was lucky; I only pulled something. As agonizing as that "little pull" was, I can't imagine how awful it would've been if I REALLY messed things up!
I have never ever in my life felt pain that severe, and hope to never, ever experience it again. So I learned to play the "little lady" a bit more. If someone offers to lug the heavy stuff, I accept the offer. I have to unload it anyways, but unless it's absolutely necessary for me to lift something heavy, I let someone else put THEIR back on the line. I guess you could say I'm saving my back.
And as for store clerks taking heavy items to your car... a lot of store owners strongly prefer their customers NOT lift heavy/bulky items as a matter of liability. They'd rather pay the workman's comp for an injured employee than try to settle with a customer who gets injured on their property, even IF the customer's own actions caused the injury.
Visit my blog at www.craftyfool.net |
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Kathie
True Blue Farmgirl
2436 Posts
Kathie
Thonotosassa
Florida
USA
2436 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2007 : 8:20:05 PM
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I totally agree with the mind set that your at..
Yes.. We CAN do anything we want to.. & have proven that we can by actualy doing it.. Hands on doing it.. & not just now & then.. or everyonce in a while either.. we live it.. we do it everyday.. So it is Comical to think that We need the help of some kid to lob something in the back of the truck for us.. when we are more then capable.. of doing it our selves on a daily basis..
But what I'm saying is.. Spare yoursleves the smidgiest of strains now & again.. when the opportunity arises.. because we all know they don't happen very often!!!
I would never want any of you to have near the back problems I've had..& if your sitting it out ONCE helped..then Good.. Makes me a really happy woman!!
Mary Ann, Yes.. I have been going to a Chiroprator.. for years.. Both for my back pain.. & migrianes.. That was my first choice too.. But they even felt with the extent of the damage I had that I obviously was not going to get the relief I needed..
There are at leave 5 disks that are completely gone.. or useles.. this means that there is no protection for my vertabrae..( I know you know this.. But I'll add it for anyone else that doesn't..) So My back.. My Spine.. has bone.. on bone.. & the nerves in my back, along my spine are continualy being pinched because there is no protection with the disks being gone now.. As the Disks in your back act like small sponges to protect your spine.. Mine are gone from wear.. Extreme over work & abuse on my back.. They done't grow back of course.. Physical therapy helped somewhat.. but periodicaly there is a nerve that gets trapped between bones that pinches so severly that it begins to cause nerve damage.. in my case i was unable to walk for nearly a year until i had surgery to go in to move that nerve from between the bones that held it.. (If I had the protection of the needed Disk..This wouldn't be happening) But as it is.. this just continues to occur.. these nerves will continue to go places that they get caught in & pinched in.. creating horrible pain.. and all because My disks aren't there.. From the wear & tear on my back.. of lifting pulling & pushing & tugging..
So the surgery was the best thing for me.. & I am really happy that i do have it when needed... for me..That seems to be the only thing that has alleviated the pain.. I don't have to be on any pain medication for my back at all.. as long as i'm not going through a pinched nerve bout.. & I'm good right now.. Just have to be really careful what i do..
Everyone is different.. & everyones pain is different..This is the very worst thing I've ever lived through.. & i very nearly didn't..
I just don't want this for any of you..& i know that most of what I have can be avoided ..
Take care of yourselves.. Please..
Kathie
In a World Where you Can Be Anything, Be Yourself.. |
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Across the Fence: A funny farm girl thing happened to me |
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A funny farm girl thing happened to me
