Well, we all know recovery is not a straight line, but yesterday evening the recovery trajectory hit a big bump, so to speak. I was preparing to work on my blog in the office, while Harry was in the bathroom getting ready to run a bath. I heard a terrible crash, and rushed to find Harry on the floor, having hit his head hard. There was plenty of blood, and it was not a good situation, since Harry had just taken his blood thinner a few minutes earlier. There are constant warnings about the dangers of brain bleeds with blood thinners. I wasn’t worried about the blood on the floor, but I was terrified about bleeding inside his skull.
So, did I call 911? No – I called Jane, of course. She was here in a flash. Harry was conscious, and he felt I could get him to the hospital quicker than an ambulance, so we managed to help him up from the scene of the crime. Once he was on his feet, it was determined that nothing was broken, and he was able to walk to the car. We abandoned Jane to look after everything, as usual, and I drove as fast as I dared to Progress West, where they had saved Harry in January.
We arrived to find an emergency waiting room like a scene from The Pitt. Harry was seen promptly and evaluated by the triage nurse, who bandaged his head to control bleeding while we waited. His vitals were good, so he was not critical, as many less lucky people were. A head CT was done, and we waited and waited. Harry remained alert, and as time passed, my anxiety abated. Eventually, we saw a doctor – a woman, whose first name was Robbie (just like The Pitt!). She was competent and compassionate – the CT showed no skull fracture or bleeding in the brain. She glued some of Harry’s injuries, releasing us to return home by 2:30 AM, very grateful for our good luck following on the heels of a bit of bad luck.
By the time we got home, the glue repairs had failed, so old fashioned band aids were employed, and they were adequate. Jane had, of course, cleaned up the pool of blood on the floor, and all was well. I will not post bloody pictures, in case people are bothered… I will save them for the Gross Book that I have been compiling for decades.
Well, enough of that subject! We have had a few visitors over the past three days. First, and most exciting, a big common snapping turtle wandered through! Yikes! Luckily, we were able to lock Eddy up before he saw it. Then, we got it into a bucket and relocated it. It is quite a privilege to see an ancient creature like this up close, leeches and all, but I would prefer it stay in the creeks or ponds. I understand they move from one place to another, and they are not aggressive, but they are frighteningly defensive, and it would be disastrous to be snapped!
We also had human visitors yesterday. I do think Harry was pretty exhausted, which might have contributed to his misstep. After a studio visit, Harry’s trainer came and they had a strenuous PT session. We will be more mindful of overexertion after that hard lesson on the bathroom floor!
Today, Cooper paid us a visit. He lives just across from our mailbox with his owner, Matt. We love seeing him stop by.
Today, at the gas station I met a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer named Hudson. He had a natural tail, not docked like most, which was nice. The owner said he preferred having a tail because it makes Hudson easier to see in long grass. Harry’s sculpture of a German Shorthaired Pointer does have a docked tail, but it is an actual portrait of a dog named Speck.
Of course, there are the daily bird visits, and evening varmint visits. It’s a busy place here. Jane and I are finding time to ride, though, and we jumped the log of the tree that took down the electric line and caught fire in April. A fun sequel to that misadventure… old ladies jumping like kids!
The cats and dogs are well.
And Oisin presented a beautiful early morning picture, before wandering in to breakfast without being led. Do not try this at home, kids!
That is the news from here, where we are grateful for many blessings, particularly Harry’s intact brain, and battered, but still serviceable, body!
Be safe, stay upright! Be lucky, be grateful, and be kind. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
Galloping Through 
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