In Herriot's Shadow by Bill Stork

Author:Bill Stork [Stork, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little Creek Press
Published: 2014-11-06T06:00:00+00:00

Bambi

Though the judge was kind, she stood dead last in her class at the Jefferson County Fair. She presented well, her condition was good, but her conformation left much to be desired: a bit post-legged, and not necessarily symmetrical.

Always gracious, and never one to beg favors, my daughter nodded politely and smiled. If the judge only knew…

There was no blue ribbon, but victory is not always defined by trophies and titles. Were it not for the tenacity of a young girl, the will of a stubborn little Jersey and a bit of divine intervention, she would never have stood at all.

The first call of the day was one you hope to never hear. A cow had calved the night before. As mom stood to lick and allow her to nurse, she stepped on her right rear leg.

The fracture was complete and the prognosis was poor; the decision was made to put her down. I walked at a glacial pace to the truck and back. Avoiding her big brown eyes, I placed the needle in her vein and raised my thumb to end her pain. Then pulled it back out.

The cost to treat a calf with a shattered femur is prohibitive to a farm. The chance to save a life is beyond measure, for a father and his daughter. Until we knew her final fate, Paige chose not to name her. Three months, six radiographs and five casts later, we helped her up and she staggered across the yard. With time she gained strength, and learned to use all four legs.

When asked how I know there is a God, I will often answer… Bambi.

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