We’d be hard pressed if we didn’t have walkie-talkies for the farm. The way we go in different directions to do the chores, up one hill down another, go to different barns, the walkie-talkies are definite step savers and easier on the toncils than just running back and forth and yelling information.

They became even more important after I had my knee replaced two weeks ago. Now you would think that all Lee had to do was plant me in the bed and leave me and go on about the business of doing chores. Why bother with walkie-talkies? What trouble could I get into? But, when that knee was done and they sent me home three days later, I discovered a very odd thing. I couldn’t lift my leg off the bed with that new knee.

It was beyond comprehension. I could lift that leg before surgery, why not now? All I know was that I had this distinct impression that if I simply lifted that leg up off the bed, that I was going to die.

All newly replaced knees people must go through the same thing. The nurses in the hospital never even asked me to move the leg by myself, they simply walked in and gently lifted it themselves to where it needed to go. Seeming totally use to hearing my whimperings of, “Oh, oh, oh. Careful, oh please be careful. I think I’m going to dieeeeeee!”

So, three days later finds me at home, propped up in bed with my Ice Man. I hope that whoever invented the Ice Man is a wealthy happy person. People finding themselves with hugely swollen limbs really appreciate the Ice Man. It’s a contraption sent home with knee replacements that looks like a small cooler that hooks into the electric and a long hose that is hooked to a big flat pad where you can see cool water flowing through one side and the upper side is velveteen with straps that wrap around the swollen limb.

You fill the Ice Man up with ice and water and the pad is wrapped around the swollen limb, and it tends to stay cool for up to 8 hours. Now, buying all that ice can get expensive, so many people buy the tiny bottles of pop, drink them, fill them up with water, freeze them, and then put them in the cooler of the Ice Man with some water. This is what we did.

Now propped up in bed with the Ice Man cooler on the floor, the cooling pad covering the wounded and unhappy knee, TV remote in hand, a dishpan full of drinks and snacks beside me. All this should have keep me out of Lee’s way so he could get the goat chores done, all by his lonesome.

But no help for it. The bathroom called. I grabbed up my walkie-talkie and, “Breaker breaker there goat farmer, I need you to help me take my leg off the bed.”

I hear this very kind, tired, patient voice say, “I’ll be right there.” In minutes he was up the hill from the barn and very gently lifting my leg up off the bed and placing the foot on the floor. All the time listening to my scared little squeals, “Careful, careful, oh, please be careful.” Lee helped line up my walker so I could struggle upward and make it to the bathroom. When I came back, he carefully picked up the leg and put it back on the bed, listening to a low whining sound that I suddenly realized was coming from me.

After many more trips coming up from the barn to lift my leg off the bed and then put it back on the bed, the next three days were very busy for both of us. And then I discovered the easy chair in the living room. I discovered that if I cautiously approached it, lined my walker up just right, carefully let the injured leg’s foot slide forward, clutch the chair’s arms in a death grip, I could then slowly lower myself and put pillows behind my legs, get hold of the chair’s lever and lift my legs up. I could now get up and down by myself without running Lee to death to help me move my very sensitive leg. Wonderful!

The walkie-talkie gets a bit of a rest now and it doesn’t take quit as long for Lee to do the goat chores. Instead he gets to hear comments like, “How’s my bodacious goats doing?” Bodacious in CB lingo means awesome. “Did you remember to hug Lolly today? She and Wendy need a hug every day if they are to grow right.”

Most people do not realize this, there are some goats that need a hug a day for their goat maintenance. Now other goats would definitely go down hill in their growth if they even thought that you considered hugging them. They would be absolutely horrified over the notion. And, you have to consider your own growth as a goat farmer, sometimes you are the one that needs to hug a goat and then all feels right with your goat world. If you find a goat that needs this hug and you need to give a hug, then things work out very well.

People who do not feel the need to hug their goats, then you try to make sure they get the goats who would be horrified of being hugged. Things work out just fine that way.

Wait a minute, I’ve got to give Lee some more advice now that I have to wait for this knee to heal. “Breaker, breaker, there big goat farmer, got your ears on? Don’t forget to pat T Red on the head. She doesn’t like hugging, but expects a pat every day. We got to keep them healthy and happy.”

I am sure Lee is thankful for these walkie-talkies and this easy chair, as much as I am, and can’t wait for my next bit of advice.