Hoosier - contemplating a getaway!
Upon awaking, Nancy informed Pam that Hoosier, (the black sheep of the family) was lying down in the field and could not get up. Pam called me to inform me that we were going to put Hoosier in the back of the Subaru and take him to Ken and Susan at Farmstead Veterinary Services on the south side of Bloomington.
I backed up the Subaru and Kevin loaded the 300 pound plus sheep into the back of the car.
Hoosier stayed down the entire trip, occasionally letting out a bellowing baaaaaaaa! every few minutes. Pam climbed in the back seat - singing to Hoosier in an attempt to comfort him. This made for a relatively peaceful trip to the vet.
When we arrived at Farmstead, Ken and Susan opened the hatchback to examine Hoosier. Ken had, earlier in the day, put down an older mare of his. His decision was based on the condition of the mare and the fact that it was a beautiful sunny day. His decision seemed fitting.
The vets offered us the option of medicating Hoosier for a case of some pretty severe arthritis, or of putting him down. Pam was stroking Hoosier's head and decided that if we took Hoosier out of the car and he couldn't walk, that we would have him put down and allow him to go to heaven. If Hoosier could walk, then we would try medication and see if it helped.
Pam and the vets pulled Hoosier out of the back of Subaru and onto the floor of the clinic. Hoosier wobbled around for a few seconds and then took off running for the barn. Ken quickly closed the gates to the highway While we chased down the sheep to put a dog leash around his neck.
Ken laughed, "I guess Hoosier didn't want to go to heaven today!"
Hoosier was given a shot of cortisone, a tube of medication to take daily for the next few days, and instructions to give him aspirin twice a day. Ken and I created a sling with our arms and loaded him back into the car. Pam sat in the back seat so that she could talk to him on the way home. We were relieved that we didn't have to make the decision that day to end Hoosier's life, although we were both fully aware that his time was limited .
With prom time nearing, I pulled into the CVS in Ellettsville to pick up Hoosier's aspirin. While pulling out of the parking lot, Hoosier decides that he is done with the car ride. With the cortisone kicking in, he stood up and tried to exit the car through the back rear window. BAAAAAAAAAAA! Pam was now on her knees, trying to get Hoosier to lie back down.
"He is ruining your headliner!" she screamed.
With Hoosier's head pushing against the top of the car, his shifting weight rocking the car from side to side, his bellowing BAAAAA, and Pam screaming in the background, I shoved the pedal to the metal and sped for home.
With less than a mile to home, I glanced in my rearview mirror to see a police car's flashing light.
"Pam, " I said, "we are being stopped by the police."
I pulled over and a police officer came to the window.
"Do you realize that you were going 45 mph in a 30 mph zone?" he asked.
"No, I was just trying to get this crazy sheep home from the vet." I replied.
"Officer, Barb is a good person. You can check, she has never even gotten a speeding ticket in her life!" Pam yelled from the backseat while attempting to hold her seatbelt on.
The police officer stuck his head in the window and took a look at Hoosier. Hoosier stared back at the officer. BAAAAAAAAA!
"Wow!" the officer exclaimed. "Let me see your driver's license and I will be right back."
He checked out my license, handed it back to me, and told me to be careful driving the sheep home.
"Thank you very much!" I said as I pulled off.
"Honey, have you ever gotten a ticket before?" Pam asked me.
We arrived at the farm, pulled a wobbly, wide eyed Hoosier from the back of the Subaru, watched him tentatively walk across the field to greet his mate then drove home to shower and headed out to the prom.
Just another day on the farm!
Hoosier and Pam - happy to be home!
