[drivingpairs] Hearts for Haertleins...update

Many thanks to so many people that responded with such generousity and
kindness. Per requests I am reposting the address to send cards or donations
to to help with continuing costs of vet care, etc...
If you would like to contribute a monetary donation, you can send your
checks directly to "Hearts for Haertlein", c/o Skylands Bank, P.O. Box 17 ,
Baptistown, NJ 08803.

CArds and letters to:
Hearts for Haertlein
c/o P.O. Box 164
Baptistown, NJ 08803

 Below is an update from Barbara and Tricia that I am taking the liberty of
passing along...


 Well, Alex has recovered enough to leave his "port in a storm" at Fawn Run
Farm and is currently snuggled into a foaling stall at Mary & Frank Kocsis's
farm.  Last time I wrote we were a bit down because after such a remarkable
early recovery, we had a set-back with some infection under the skin causing
some nasty skin sloughing rather than just peeling, leaving him with some
rather raw spots.  Katrina met us at the barn Saturday AM and we spent the
morning sedating him and debriding the damaged area to remove anything loose
or damaged and see where we were.

As always, Alex was a real trooper through the whole thing though exhausted
when finished.  Add to that the flys brought in with the Indian Summer
weather and we had an unhappy pony by the time the evening treatment came
around.  But all this effort has paid off.  The raw areas aren't below skin
level and are seeming to start healing again.  We seem to have the infection
under control right now and things are looking up.  Katrina approved buying
him some new irish knit sheets to keep the flys off and help keep him clean
when he rolls (which he is doing more often now) and they are working well.
Of course we got some odd looks from the guy in the hospital supply place
when we came in asking "how big a non-stick pad can I get?"  By this evening
(3 treatments after debriding) he's looking pretty good.

We have a lot of peeling to go yet - his neck looks like a hairy rhino with
loads of vertical wrinkles and the skin is stiff.  We've been creaming it to
keep it softer and are awaiting a skin cream offered to us by a company
called Dermafas.  Its supposed to really help.  Should also mention we have
him on tons of vitamins to help keep his immune system going.  As per
Katrina and Sarah Ralston's suggestion he is on loads of Vitamin C, E, and B
complex.  as he improves we'll back off on the C a bit and shortly we should
be stopping the B complex.  E will continue to help the skin for a while.

Better than that he has a clean bill of health on his lungs and the
remaining eye injury is improving each time we see it.  Katrina thinks we
may be able to stop treating it in just a few days.  He has had an amazing
recovery so far and we are hoping he'll continue at this rapid pace.

Again, our thanks to all who have written, to the dinners from Shelly and
the Howards for Alex's tired nurses.  And thanks for all of you who have
been involved in any way with the Hearts for Haertleins  We are simply
overwhelmed by how much all this support has meant to us and to Alex you are
all such great friends.  Alex willing, we will start having a bit more time
to figure out where we are and where we are going shortly and can start
making plans for the future.

When all this first happened we realized we had the choice of being crushed
by saddness or celebrating the miracles that happened as we go through this.
Alex made it clear that celebrating and trying to stay positive was the way
to go.  When we think of Ned, we try to remember all the good times he
brought to us.  He was such a fun horse its not hard to do.  What's hard is
to realize he won't be here to share anymore.

Much love to all and keep those good thoughts coming for Alex's skin...
we're heading back up.  Talk to you soon.




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