Snoring, Snot, and Feeling Better
Warning: This blog post contains more boring health-related info about me—and my animals. But it just might help you, so it's worth your while to keep reading.
On Saturday, I had Ruth Mitchell, a myofascial release specialist, work her magic on a few of my critters and me. A bunch of us had been feeling poorly. Thanks to her efforts, we're all much better. (To learn more about what she does, visit Ruth's website: here.)
While most folks know Ruth primarily as an equine therapist, she also works on people and pets. I first met her when she needed someone to edit her book.
She's done therapy on me and the two mares before, but this was the first time she'd worked on any of my cats. Usually I visit her at her office (she works on people on Mondays in Moneta), but—since she was going to be at my place for a while—she brought her table here.
She started with Melody, my big TWH mare, who had recently recovered from a hoof abcess. I knew Melody had some alignment issues; I'd watched her trying to correct herself by leaning her neck or her butt against the edge of the shed.
Sure enough, Melody had a shear both front and rear. Ruth worked on her the longest.
Melody enjoyed the attention and the feeling of relief. By the time Ruth worked on her shoulder, Melody was dozing off. While Melody watched Cupcake's adjustment from the other side of the gate, she soon fell so fast asleep that she was snoring.
Cupcake still had some issues as a result of the stroke she had last fall. Although Cupcake eats much better than she did a few months ago (I don't have to soak her pellets into soup anymore) and her floppy ear has self-corrected and regained its ability to hear, her face is still asymmetrical. Ruth figured she could help the old mare feel better. Plus Cupcake always enjoys what Ruth does.
Check the relaxed look in Cupcake's eyes below:
Before long, Cupcake's nose started running. And running. The snot was clear, but it was obvious that she'd been clogged up for a while. As Ruth continued to work, Cupcake hung out her tongue:
When Cupcake was done and I'd returned her to the pasture, she ran up the hill to graze. Apparently, for a 28-year-old horse, she felt pretty good.
Jim-Bob, Olivia's kitten, is only six weeks old, but I was worried that his birth injury might be a problem. It doesn't seem to bother him that he's missing a foot (the afterbirth that was wrapped around his leg cut off the circulation), but I figured it would hurt to have Ruth take a look. She did some body work in case he had phantom pain from the missing foot and also helped his flexibility.
At first Jim-Bob was a little surprised, but he appeared to like what she did. (Note: Jim-bob's handicap doesn't seem to handicap him; that kitten can run and jump and climb!)
His mama was the next to be treated. I knew Olivia had some neck problems because she couldn't raise her head as high as she should and she sometimes made extra jaw motions when she ate.
Olivia was a bit skeptical and put up a struggle at first, so I wrapped her in a blanket to keep her still. After Ruth had worked with her a bit, Olivia relaxed. In the picture below, Ruth isn't really smoshing Olivia's head:
It didn't take Olivia long to figure out that whatever was happening felt really good.
Before long she was purring.
Then it was my turn. I'd been having trouble with my left leg for a couple of weeks, and it had gotten progressively worse. I was limping a lot, my leg hurt from hip to below the knee, and I had no stamina. During a 40-minute car ride to Roanoke on Friday, I couldn't sit comfortably. It was clear that something needed to be done.
Fortunately, Ruth did it. I'm not completely healed, but I'm about 85% better than I was. I'll need another treatment or two to get me back to normal, but we'll wait until after my toe surgery. Anyhow, what was pain a few days ago is now a mild ache. And I have a lot more stamina. And I don't limp.
It was a challenge to climb onto Ruth's table. While she worked on my back, my spinal column felt like a snake writhing back and forth. I could feel the aches moving down my leg and away from me. Myofascial release is sort of hard to describe—maybe a blend of massage and chiro work with a little something else? It works on the body's connective tissue which, of course, hold the bones and muscles in place. It doesn't hurt, but there are a few teeth-gritting moments here and there. And like the horses, I relaxed and wanted to doze off.
When I fed the horses Saturday night, I noticed Cupcake ate a lot faster and Melody stood more squarely. I noticed I was way more mobile than I'd been for a long time. I could even sleep comfortably Saturday night—and I did way more housework today than I'd done for a while.
This morning, when Olivia pitched a fit to come in and eat breakfast with Foxy the senior cat and me, I noticed she could hold her head back and meow a lot louder.
As for Jim-Bob, he climbed to the top of the cat tower this morning and smacked his sisters when they tried to join him.
Thanks to Ruth, we're all feeling a lot better.
On Saturday, I had Ruth Mitchell, a myofascial release specialist, work her magic on a few of my critters and me. A bunch of us had been feeling poorly. Thanks to her efforts, we're all much better. (To learn more about what she does, visit Ruth's website: here.)
While most folks know Ruth primarily as an equine therapist, she also works on people and pets. I first met her when she needed someone to edit her book.
She's done therapy on me and the two mares before, but this was the first time she'd worked on any of my cats. Usually I visit her at her office (she works on people on Mondays in Moneta), but—since she was going to be at my place for a while—she brought her table here.
She started with Melody, my big TWH mare, who had recently recovered from a hoof abcess. I knew Melody had some alignment issues; I'd watched her trying to correct herself by leaning her neck or her butt against the edge of the shed.
Sure enough, Melody had a shear both front and rear. Ruth worked on her the longest.
Melody enjoyed the attention and the feeling of relief. By the time Ruth worked on her shoulder, Melody was dozing off. While Melody watched Cupcake's adjustment from the other side of the gate, she soon fell so fast asleep that she was snoring.
Cupcake still had some issues as a result of the stroke she had last fall. Although Cupcake eats much better than she did a few months ago (I don't have to soak her pellets into soup anymore) and her floppy ear has self-corrected and regained its ability to hear, her face is still asymmetrical. Ruth figured she could help the old mare feel better. Plus Cupcake always enjoys what Ruth does.
Check the relaxed look in Cupcake's eyes below:
Before long, Cupcake's nose started running. And running. The snot was clear, but it was obvious that she'd been clogged up for a while. As Ruth continued to work, Cupcake hung out her tongue:
When Cupcake was done and I'd returned her to the pasture, she ran up the hill to graze. Apparently, for a 28-year-old horse, she felt pretty good.
Jim-Bob, Olivia's kitten, is only six weeks old, but I was worried that his birth injury might be a problem. It doesn't seem to bother him that he's missing a foot (the afterbirth that was wrapped around his leg cut off the circulation), but I figured it would hurt to have Ruth take a look. She did some body work in case he had phantom pain from the missing foot and also helped his flexibility.
At first Jim-Bob was a little surprised, but he appeared to like what she did. (Note: Jim-bob's handicap doesn't seem to handicap him; that kitten can run and jump and climb!)
His mama was the next to be treated. I knew Olivia had some neck problems because she couldn't raise her head as high as she should and she sometimes made extra jaw motions when she ate.
Olivia was a bit skeptical and put up a struggle at first, so I wrapped her in a blanket to keep her still. After Ruth had worked with her a bit, Olivia relaxed. In the picture below, Ruth isn't really smoshing Olivia's head:
It didn't take Olivia long to figure out that whatever was happening felt really good.
Before long she was purring.
Then it was my turn. I'd been having trouble with my left leg for a couple of weeks, and it had gotten progressively worse. I was limping a lot, my leg hurt from hip to below the knee, and I had no stamina. During a 40-minute car ride to Roanoke on Friday, I couldn't sit comfortably. It was clear that something needed to be done.
Fortunately, Ruth did it. I'm not completely healed, but I'm about 85% better than I was. I'll need another treatment or two to get me back to normal, but we'll wait until after my toe surgery. Anyhow, what was pain a few days ago is now a mild ache. And I have a lot more stamina. And I don't limp.
It was a challenge to climb onto Ruth's table. While she worked on my back, my spinal column felt like a snake writhing back and forth. I could feel the aches moving down my leg and away from me. Myofascial release is sort of hard to describe—maybe a blend of massage and chiro work with a little something else? It works on the body's connective tissue which, of course, hold the bones and muscles in place. It doesn't hurt, but there are a few teeth-gritting moments here and there. And like the horses, I relaxed and wanted to doze off.
When I fed the horses Saturday night, I noticed Cupcake ate a lot faster and Melody stood more squarely. I noticed I was way more mobile than I'd been for a long time. I could even sleep comfortably Saturday night—and I did way more housework today than I'd done for a while.
This morning, when Olivia pitched a fit to come in and eat breakfast with Foxy the senior cat and me, I noticed she could hold her head back and meow a lot louder.
As for Jim-Bob, he climbed to the top of the cat tower this morning and smacked his sisters when they tried to join him.
Thanks to Ruth, we're all feeling a lot better.
~
posted by Becky Mushko | 10:20 PM
11 Comments:
Sounds very soothing... maybe that's what my feet need. Thanks for sharing this info, Becky.
DI
Oh how I wish she'd come to my house! I'm still hobbling to the bathroom and back to my recliner. Glad your household is feeling better! What about John? Did he get any therapy?
Good for you all! I'm glad the brood is feeling better.
Amy—John didn't get therapy.He was out doing farm stuff. Ruth could probably help you a lot. She's fixed me a couple of times in the past.
I think I need to get that done!
Sounds like a good visit! The kind of wellness work we all need, instead of the pills the doctors foist upon us.
Oh, I didn't know Jim-Bob was missing a foot!
Poor Cupcake, old girl. What happened to her tongue?
www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com
The missing foot doesn't slow him down a bit. He doesn't know it's missing.
Cupcake had been eating grass before the treatment started, but her tongue does look unusually wrinkled. Of course, at 28, she should have a few wrinkles. . . .
It looks like it has an old cut right down the middle. It's never been cut? I've heard some stories about some cruel things people put in their mouths and call them bits... I'm going to look at Doc's tongue today and see if there are any wrinkles.
www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com
Cupcake's tongue is fine. No cuts—the lines have just deepened with age.
She's never had a cruel bit—usually just a mild snaffle and for the last dozen years, only an English hackamore the few times she's been ridden. Even during her show days, she usually only wore a curb (the mildest I could find) when she was in the ring. Other times she was in a D-ring snaffle or the hackamore.
I knew YOU didn't ever use a severe bit on her!
www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com
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