Crash and Burn

I did a really dumb thing last night. Fast forward: I hurt myself with KC's assistance.

I was only going to feed them quickly, get back in the house to make dinner. That wasn’t what happened.

While they were eating their grain, I busied myself with cleaning the aisle, Skip’s stall, moved on to KC’s stall. I had the muck bucket in the doorway of KC's, he finished eating, munched some hay off the floor and then walked out into the aisle. This is rare for him.

I paid no mind to him, going quickly about my chores. He walked over to Skip’s stall to help clean up any fallen grain. I finished up and let Skip out into the pasture, left the gate open.

KC had moved on, too, at the other end of the barn, licking the feed bowls. While walking down the aisle towards him, ‘something’ spooked him. I don’t know if it was traffic/headlights, deer on the other side, or what. Won’t ever know.

He spooked at ‘something’ and ran into the barn, down the aisle (this took less than a second in real life) and hit me squarely with his shoulder at high speed. I was literally lifted off my feet, flying through the air before I abruptly hit the tractor’s rear tire and fender. And he was gone, through the barn.

Skip, hearing the commotion came back into the dry paddock, and worked his way around to the barn aisle to steal the mini’s hay out of the net. I tried to get on my feet as quickly as I could, but this was difficult. I did not have my phone with me.

I tried to climb into the tractor’s seat, but couldn’t get that done. KC was now in Skip’s stall, cleaning up fallen grain; Skip was still eating hay in the aisle. I could not muster the strength to get them into the pasture.

By the time I got to the middle of the parking lot, he managed to notice me, came out to help me into the house. I could stand, but barely walk. I was afraid to try to sit. Obviously my spine was not broken, but I wondered if I might have Kidney damage. He wanted to take me to the emergency room, but I declined.

This was like getting hit by an NFL lineman, if he could run 25 mph, hitting me full-force. I believe I escaped more serious injury because I had on two shirts: a long-sleeved t-shirt and a polartek shirt from Lands' End, plus a Carhhardt shearling-lined jacket and a down-filled parka. Could have been worse, could have been better.

Blunt-force trauma to the left lower back. I imagined a big tire imprint on my back, put an Ice pack on it and took two Advils with a large bottle of water. The rest of the evening I could not get up. I also could not eat, I’m sure that was the ‘shock’ talking.

He reluctantly did my barn chores, letting me know I’ve been doing this and that all wrong. At 10:00 I went out for last call, and throwing hay was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.

This morning I was able to get out of bed, but unable to walk the dogs. I really cannot handle them right now, together or separately. I’m feeling better every single minute.

I’m feeling much better now, but don’t know if I can lift a water bucket tonight.