My brother Terry broke his leg yesterday morning.
Well, actually, a cow broke it for him. An event, which we refer to as, "it got a little western!" Terry runs all the cattle operation since Daddy died. Terry and Khaki were working a pen of cows, worming them. The process we use now is to apply a liquid to the backs of the cows, which is absorbed through the skin. This particular group of cows are as we say, "bad." This term means they display tendencies desired in rodeo stock, they will fight you, so to speak. A little on the wild side. Well, Terry and Khaki (16 year old daughter) had the cows in the pen (a sucker-rod fence) and were just about finished working them. They had 3 cows in the chute. Terry was standing on the outside of the chute, leaning over attempting to apply the liquid wormer to the backs of the cows. When a cow kicks, she does not kick straight back, but rather, kind of sideways. Well, one of the cows kicks. How she got her leg through the fence without getting hung is a mystery. She caught Terry on his right leg just above the knee. Her leg came down Terry's leg and just below his knee, she had full extension and broke both bones about 4 inches below his knee. The force of the kick knocked him off the fence and he landed on his backside. He knew immediately that his leg was broken and that it was pretty bad. It was 20 years ago when he was rodeoing that a bull step on the same leg, down closer to the ankle, and shattered both bones. Remember I said he was standing on the outside of the chute, but he was on the inside of the main pen - where a couple more of the cows were located. And remember what I said about the cows being "bad" cows. Well, the 2 cows that were in the main pen where still there because they were fighting so that Terry and Khaki could not get them in the chute earlier. Well, the story just seems to get a little better. The event is unfolding about 11:00 AM yesterday morning (Thursday). If any of you get outside you will know that yesterday morning around 11:00 it was pretty hot. Well, here Terry lies on his back with his right leg broken, he knows this for sure because of the intense pain and also the fact that his foot is lying sideways on the ground. Ok, get this picture in your mind, you just got kicked in the leg by a cow, really hot, lot of pain, lying on your back in a cow pen and you know that there are 2 cows in the pen with you, one has large horns, which would just about as soon stomp on you as to look at you. Khaki remains fairly calm - this is her dad, remember. Terry says, "It's broke, that hussy broke my leg." "Khaki, open the gate and let these cows out." Well, just one little, small detail here. Terry is lying right next to the gate and the cows would just about have to step on him or jump over him to get out. He told Khaki, "Just open the gate, they will jump over me." Khaki did as he told her and the cows blew and snorted as they ran by him, jumping over his sideways leg. Khaki called 911 on her cell phone to get an ambulance. Terry was turning very pale, partly from the heat and partly from the pain. Khaki had a bottle of cold water she got out of the truck for him. He really could not move. Then he said he had a "tingling" sensation on his back. He thought maybe he was paralyzed or something. They he realized it was fire ants. The story kind of slows down now, as far as the action and excitement. The ambulance arrived at the cow pen. And as luck would have it, one of the ambulance guys was a cowboy and his leg had been broken in a similar accident many years ago. They took Terry to Longview where they did X-rays. The doctor told Terry, Debbie and Khaki that he could not do surgery yet because of all the swelling. They would have to wait until Monday or so. They stabilized his leg and sent him back home to Delray. Sue and I went over late yesterday evening to see him. He was pretty upset for allowing himself to be "stupid" and put himself in a position that allowed that to happen. He said he knew how bad those cows were and he was always very careful with them. He was doing pretty good, was not in too much pain. Remember, he rodeoed, riding bulls professionally for 20 years, his pain tolerance is a little different than most. So when I say he was "not in much pain," you and I would probably be screaming! Well, the doctor told him that with a brace and the plate that they will have to install to hold the bones together, that he could be in his tractor within a couple of weeks - which is where he will most likely be. Mother was pretty upset too, even though she would not let on that much.
Terry's address is:1500 CR 225Carthage, TX 75633
Things are always exciting on the ranch.
Have a good day!
Tim
Well, actually, a cow broke it for him. An event, which we refer to as, "it got a little western!" Terry runs all the cattle operation since Daddy died. Terry and Khaki were working a pen of cows, worming them. The process we use now is to apply a liquid to the backs of the cows, which is absorbed through the skin. This particular group of cows are as we say, "bad." This term means they display tendencies desired in rodeo stock, they will fight you, so to speak. A little on the wild side. Well, Terry and Khaki (16 year old daughter) had the cows in the pen (a sucker-rod fence) and were just about finished working them. They had 3 cows in the chute. Terry was standing on the outside of the chute, leaning over attempting to apply the liquid wormer to the backs of the cows. When a cow kicks, she does not kick straight back, but rather, kind of sideways. Well, one of the cows kicks. How she got her leg through the fence without getting hung is a mystery. She caught Terry on his right leg just above the knee. Her leg came down Terry's leg and just below his knee, she had full extension and broke both bones about 4 inches below his knee. The force of the kick knocked him off the fence and he landed on his backside. He knew immediately that his leg was broken and that it was pretty bad. It was 20 years ago when he was rodeoing that a bull step on the same leg, down closer to the ankle, and shattered both bones. Remember I said he was standing on the outside of the chute, but he was on the inside of the main pen - where a couple more of the cows were located. And remember what I said about the cows being "bad" cows. Well, the 2 cows that were in the main pen where still there because they were fighting so that Terry and Khaki could not get them in the chute earlier. Well, the story just seems to get a little better. The event is unfolding about 11:00 AM yesterday morning (Thursday). If any of you get outside you will know that yesterday morning around 11:00 it was pretty hot. Well, here Terry lies on his back with his right leg broken, he knows this for sure because of the intense pain and also the fact that his foot is lying sideways on the ground. Ok, get this picture in your mind, you just got kicked in the leg by a cow, really hot, lot of pain, lying on your back in a cow pen and you know that there are 2 cows in the pen with you, one has large horns, which would just about as soon stomp on you as to look at you. Khaki remains fairly calm - this is her dad, remember. Terry says, "It's broke, that hussy broke my leg." "Khaki, open the gate and let these cows out." Well, just one little, small detail here. Terry is lying right next to the gate and the cows would just about have to step on him or jump over him to get out. He told Khaki, "Just open the gate, they will jump over me." Khaki did as he told her and the cows blew and snorted as they ran by him, jumping over his sideways leg. Khaki called 911 on her cell phone to get an ambulance. Terry was turning very pale, partly from the heat and partly from the pain. Khaki had a bottle of cold water she got out of the truck for him. He really could not move. Then he said he had a "tingling" sensation on his back. He thought maybe he was paralyzed or something. They he realized it was fire ants. The story kind of slows down now, as far as the action and excitement. The ambulance arrived at the cow pen. And as luck would have it, one of the ambulance guys was a cowboy and his leg had been broken in a similar accident many years ago. They took Terry to Longview where they did X-rays. The doctor told Terry, Debbie and Khaki that he could not do surgery yet because of all the swelling. They would have to wait until Monday or so. They stabilized his leg and sent him back home to Delray. Sue and I went over late yesterday evening to see him. He was pretty upset for allowing himself to be "stupid" and put himself in a position that allowed that to happen. He said he knew how bad those cows were and he was always very careful with them. He was doing pretty good, was not in too much pain. Remember, he rodeoed, riding bulls professionally for 20 years, his pain tolerance is a little different than most. So when I say he was "not in much pain," you and I would probably be screaming! Well, the doctor told him that with a brace and the plate that they will have to install to hold the bones together, that he could be in his tractor within a couple of weeks - which is where he will most likely be. Mother was pretty upset too, even though she would not let on that much.
Terry's address is:1500 CR 225Carthage, TX 75633
Things are always exciting on the ranch.
Have a good day!
Tim
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