Friday, January 9, 2009

The Sun Machine is Coming Down

I went to the doctor and found out in a recent blood test that I am Vitamin D deficient. Crazy! I am outside a lot but the doctor explained that often times people are using so much sunscreen that they don't get the sun's rays. And, sun's rays can cause skin cancer. I do drink milk, however, I guess I don't drink enough. So now I will be taking a high level supplement.

This is the newest trend for doctors. Vitamin D deficiency can cause Osteoporosis. I know my mother and sister have that, so I am a likely candidate. Vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancer, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, depression, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder, peripheral artery disease and several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes. There is an association between low vitamin D levels and Parkinson's disease, but whether Parkinson's causes low vitamin D levels, or whether low vitamin D levels play a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease has not been established.


I also gave my mare her Rhinopneumonitis vaccine yesterday, all by myself!!! That was incredibly hard for me but Annie was so sweet. I just kind of leaned the needle into her neck until it poked through the skin and then I squeezed the plunger. She seems to be a little sore today but I guess that's normal. She is supposed to get this vaccine at 5 - 7 - 9 months gestation but I am running behind. The holidays really threw me for a loop, timewise and financially. Is it better to give the next 2 booster shots closer together or just go with a total of 2 boosters rather than 3?

I wormed my three horses but I am afraid that Annie spit hers out. I didn't want to redose her so I hope she got some of the medicine, at least. I have never noticed any wormy manure and they don't go anywhere, so I don't think they have too much infestation anyway. Nadia turned away when she saw what I had but was easy to catch. Scout was a pain, as usual. He threw his head and tried to back away from me but eventually, he just gave in. Of all my horses, he is the most troublesome. Nadia is a sweety and Annie is always in panic mode but Scout is just stubborn and bullish. Whereas the girls are light on the lead for opposite reasons, he tends to want to walk on me. I must teach him to respect me more. I wonder sometimes if this is because he was born here and was spoiled as a colt or if it's their Arabian breeding versus his Appy side. (All the Arabian mares I've owned have been super easy on the lead rope.) Or is it a mare versus gelding thing?

Isn't it incredible that I had to apply for jobs these last few weeks knowing that I will be in school full time starting Monday? This is a requirement for unemployment. As of Monday, I will be fully qualified again until the uneployment benefits run out sometime in April. My first class starts this Saturday- 8:00AM until 3:30PM and then I have 6 classes during the week. (Hmmm, 11 classes actually!) I will be very busy! I'm taking a Tax class, so beginning in February, I can prepare anyone's personal income taxes. I'm also taking Statistics, MicroEconomics, College Algebra, Biology, Biology Lab, and Early Music Appreciation.

I don't know how much blogging I'll be doing since I am the slowest writer in the world. I usually think too much about what I write. However, I am an avid reader and spend a lot of time just reading everyone else's posts.


The Sun Machine is Coming Down - song: Memory of a Free Festival, artist: David Bowie, album: Space Oddity

5 comments:

Andrea said...

Look at you!! Giving shots!! I hate doing those! And you are so good to give them yourself!! All of our horses are pretty good at being de wormed. We are going to be doing that today. With this spring time weather, everything is messed up.

I hope you enjoy your classes. Saturday shoulds like a long day!

FjordWoman said...

Congrats to you on all the small victories. Going back to school can be daunting, but so worth it in the long run. You will meet interesting folks, and maybe make some great new friends!
Best of luck to you!

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

It's good the doctor caught that deficiency. You are brave to give your horse's shots. I tried it once to save money, and when I picked up the discarded syringe, it stabbed me right through my finger. I lost feeling in it for days.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I'm not sure I'll ever be brave eough to give a needle to my horse. Yikes. Good for you. How's Annie today?

Silly Scout. I'd wager a guess that it's a gelding thing. Mares seem to be more independant and respectful of space while geldings want to be in your face. They always want to be in the middle of stuff and usually more curious, more of a pest. I think that's why I prefer mares. Even though geldings are fun and make me laugh.
Oh and there is that 'sheath cleaning' issue, too...ewww.

I'm glad that the Dr discovered your Vit. D deficiency. That should be fairly easy to keep up with.

Gosh. Your school schedule makes my eyes cross. You're going to have a heavy load this semester. But you're such a focused, goal driven person I know you'll do really well.
You're getting closer to the end :)

~Rapunzle

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Annie is fine now, thankfully!
I really need to have Scout's teeth floated and I'd like to get his sheath cleaned at the same time.