Annnnddddd... We're Back!

Our Maker's Acres Family Farm has continued to operate (slowly), but Tricia and I have been on hiatus for over a week now.  A year and a half into this pandemic, we both tested positive for Covid-19, possibly the Delta Variant, although they're not really sure.  We both signed up for a free drive through test at our local Walgreens.  We drove up, got the test, shoved the stick deep into our nose and wiggled it until our eyes watered and gave it back.  In thirty minutes we checked our email account and got the results:

We both had different symptoms.  I had a splitting headache, but no fever or difficulty breathing - a feeling of light-headedness.  I just wanted to sleep all day - for days.  Tricia had a headache, fever, body aches and some shortness of breath.  

Now, I'll show you what we did.  As soon as symptoms showed up, we acted quickly.  We used the protocol by FLCCC Alliance (Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care):

• Ivermectin (0.4 mg/kg one dose daily)
• Vitamin D3 (4,000 IU/day)
• Vitamin C (1,000 mg twice a day
• Quercetin (250 mg twice a day)
• Zinc (100 mg/day)
• Aspirin (325 mg/day)

My preparedness-minded wife had stocked up on the Ivermectin from our local feed store.  You measure out the dosage into a spoon and choke the paste down - like a horse.  It doesn't taste good, but it doesn't taste bad either - just kind of strange.

Over 5-6 days of dosages, we went through a lot of it.  I tell people I have a craving for alfalfa and a desire to gallop around the house and winnie.  I assume those side effects will pass in time.

We feel like the protocol kept this thing at bay.  The other thing we did was the use of Nebulized Hydrogen Peroxide Tricia learned from Dr. Mercola.  We purchased a nebulizer and administered a solution of 0.1% hydrogen peroxide for 10-15 minutes hourly, breathing it deeply into our lungs through the nose.

We monitored our temperature, heart rate, and most importantly pulse ox to ensure we weren't getting into trouble.

There was a day (Day 6 for me and Day 8 for Tricia) we went to the local hospital out-patient room for an infusion (Regeneron).  I woke up with pleurisy and didn't want things to progress.  The doctor felt the infusion would bind the virus replication and not allow things to get any worse.  Tricia did the same thing two days later.

We will be on Day 10 of this thing tomorrow and feel mostly recovered.  Glad to have this behind us and blessed to have antibodies and T-cells that will give us immunity from Covid-19.

An Update on Luna

Luna, our youngest Jersey just lost her baby calf last week.  Its head was positioned in a way that made it impossible for Luna to go into labor and deliver.  Our veterinarian made a farm call and pulled the calf.  Luna was in bad shape too - just utterly exhausted.  Dr. Fontenot didn't think she was going to make it, but so far she had defied the odds.

She is eating each day, but is moving real slow.  She's also lost a lot of weight.  Last night we smelled a foul odor and we think she has an infection inside of her.  We took her temperature and it was 103.5.  101 for a cow is normal.  So the fever confirmed our suspicions that Luna has an infection.  The discharge on her tail is also evidence of this.  I would assume this is normal.  The dead calf, the invasive pulling of the calf, bacteria getting inside of her...  All of this could cause her to get sick. 

Tricia went to the vet today and got 5 syringes of antibiotic that we are to give Luna subcutaneously for the next 5 days.  Tricia also did some internet research and came up with an idea to try to help Luna out.  if successful, this procedure should help clean some of the infection out.  Tricia purchased an enema bag and mixed 1 teaspoon of salt for every liter of warm water and mixed it in the bag.  She took petroleum jelly and lubricated the end of the tubing.

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Then for the uncomfortable part, she inserted the tube into Luna's vagina.  I know this is not pleasant talk, but we're trying to save poor little Luna.  I'll admit I cringed a little watching this.

Then by holding the bag over Luna (at about eye-level), you let gravity do its thing.  Pretty soon, all the contents of the bag are emptied into Luna.

After just a little while, a thick, blood tinged discharge began pouring out.  It did not look pretty.  It did not smell nice.  We'll repeat the syringe of antibiotic tomorrow evening and will repeat the vaginal enema and check Luna's temperature again.  Hopefully, we'll have a good progress report to give you in a few days.