Many know that my summer has been spent treating an eye infection with my horse, Mindy Lou, that started with the pupil of her eye not dilating. I noticed she was squinting her eye a lot and that wasn't normal. Then she kept rubbing it, and it caused an ulcer, we would treat it and it would get better, but she then kept rubbing it and it caused an abscess which then turned into a fungal infection. We think she has uveitis which we were to treat, but had to knock out the infection first. She is the same horse that had an extensive abscess that required surgery in 2018.
Mindy is a very special horse as she is one of the great-great Granddaughters of Seattle Slew. She has an amazing genealogy, but has developed suspensory breakdown in her hind fetlocks over the past few years. I am keeping her comfortable by giving her Zilis Raw CBD on a daily basis. She is 26 this year!
After a little over a month of treating Mindy's eye for the ulcers, an infection developed which required a port put into the eye that has a tube coming out, is threaded under the skin on her forehead, and goes up over her fetlock. That tube then snakes down her mane and has an injection port that medication is pushed into with syringes. It makes it very easy to give the medications so that you know it gets into the eye. At first, she had up to six types of medications going into her eye being given five to six times a day. It has been quite an ordeal, but I have had amazing assistance and veterinarians to help Mindy and I get through it.
About a month ago of this writing, Mindy didn't see me behind her while eating her hay, and I reached out to her and she kicked me. I ended up in the E.R. I did not have any broken bones, but had torn muscles and a lot of bruising. I had one day off from giving medications, and was back at it the day after. I have had only three days away from Mindy in all of this time. I am still healing, and am better and better everyday.
We are currently on the last week of three types of medications three times a day and then we stop and see how her eye does. I have been treating her eye now for over 4 months. As of today, her pupil is dilating, her eye is comfortable, the infection is gone, and just in time before my show at George Washington's Mount Vernon from 16-17 September.
I asked via social media for prayer for Mindy's eye, I was praying as well. I asked God for a sign that her eye would be okay or was I wasting time and money trying to save it? The worry was pretty stressful. I have done this my entire life asking for signs or help with situations that I don't think I'm equipped to handle. So, it is not something new to ask and wait.
The sign did not come right away, but I was not disappointed and was given two just in case I didn't believe the first one! The picture below was my first sign given to me on a Saturday. There were storms all around the farm, and I was going to my car to get something and when I turned around, I saw the rainbow above her head. I immediately took a photo as I knew it was my sign. A weight came off of my shoulders, and I would not in anyway talk or think that she would not get better. I trusted. I also prayed for the vets to have the wisdom and knowledge on what to do for her to save the eye.
I will do a follow-up on social media with photos of her without - what I call - her space suit! Mindy's eye veterinarian is Dr. Catherine Nunnery of Equine Veterinary Vision for those who may read this and need one of the very best equine eye doctors in the United States.
The visor she has on is made by EquiVisor and you can purchase padding and a fly cover for it because the visor and straps will rub on the skin. They also have a lot of excellent products for the horse - including a fly mask that I have purchased for after the visor comes off. The slinky/sleezy isn't really made for undoing it and redoing the velcro multiple times a day over and over again, but I liked it for the fabric as it breathes especially on extremely hot days that we have had (today was 98 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade). You also know exactly where she is when going to give another dose of meds. It is made by Perri's Leather that they call a mane/hood. I had to purchase so many of them that they may be out of stock! They truly only last a week or two when on all the time, and in field conditions.
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
