NOW I'VE DONE IT..........!!!

Last night Pepper didn't come in for feeding.  After everyone else was fed John went over on Burroland & when he didn't come back I went over &  them.  Pepper was down in one of the dust bathing areas & couldn't get up, although he had been trying.  

He was a long way from "home" thru some rough country & it was getting dark.  What to do, what to do.........???  We finally decided to get some straps & the tractor & see if we could get him lifted enough to get his feet under him.  When John went back to get everything he also called Joe from the Oasis Exotic Bird Sanctuary to see if he could help.  Joe said he'd be right here, & John came back on the tractor.  I had been standing behind Pepper to hold him up on his breastbone, rather than laying out flat, which is how he was when John found him.  All of a sudden he tried to get up & when he flopped backwards my leg got caught under his body, which bent my knee backwards, with accompanying snap/pop sounds.  

I wanted to give him a shot of banamine, so John went back & got the golf cart so I could drive it over to the house.  When I got back from getting the banamine, Pepper was up.  We had turned him over on his other side, which sometimes helps them get up, & he made it, but was very weak.   Just about that time Joe & Ben showed up.  We were afraid he might go down again, so the 3 of them marshalled him back & mentally he was willing to go, although he wasn't very steady on his feet.  Got him back to his pen, & he immediately dived into his mush.  This morning he is perky & "P.O.ed" because he had to spend the night in his pen.  

As for me & my knee.............hmmmmm...........will call the doctor later.  We've iced & moist heated & it really isn't very swollen, at least not as much as I think it should be, considering what it feels like........!!!! (G)  

We were suppose to go check on a rescue situation this afternoon, but I think we'll have to take a rain-check.  I'll let you know more about it later.  Over the phone it's sounds like a real mess, & of course as usual we're full up...........!!!!  SIGH...!