25/6/07 Time to reflect

The remarkability of Connie’s recovery continues. 3.5 weeks on, she is now in a soft cast which will reduce in size with each re-application, so the leg is more weightbearing now. She looks a bit lame for the first time, since the hard cast saved her carrying much weight on it before.

However that had risks as the ‘good’ leg ends up taking all the strain, which on a bouncy foal is quite a lot. The vets are therefore balancing the risk of damaging the good leg and its growth plates with the chance of the break giving way around the plate and screws. And there are secondary issues of the tendons and ligaments not developing at the same rate as the other leg...

It is a very real lesson on complexity and systems thinking and I can only have humble respect for the knowledge and care that the vets, Andy Bathe and Sarah Stoneham are pouring into this little foal.

We were given the all clear to move her and Mouse just 10 miles down the road to a specialist mare and foal unit in Newmarket run by Sarah. It’s nerve-racking to transport such a delicate load when the vet keeps reminding you that it is an unstable fracture and could still collapse at any time. Charlie – what a wonderful friend - came with me and drove them in the trailer. Connie was good to load (well – she was virtually carried in !) and travelled quietly with Mouse.

In fact the surgeon - Andy Bathe - actually told Sarah that he was now ‘very bullish’ about her chances…that’s more positive than he is with me!! Every day achieved is good news towards increasing it from the current 60:40. As well as realising how obsessive I have been over these last few weeks (!) I have begun to think more widely around the lessons learned. More of which shortly.

Again many thanks for all your interest and support – keep willing her to heal well, for I am sure that this positive energy is a key part of her recovery, supporting the incredible veterinary care she has had. It really makes me wonder how science and positivity, or 'consciousness' could work together more easily rather than at variance as they seem to be.. Last year I had the experience of 'seeing with new eyes' as I watched new lenses being put into my eyes during two cataract operations. That made me feel just as humble as this, now I know there is a place for both mindsets to acknowledge each other. The question is how....