AUGUST 16, 2007 SMOKEY UPDATE - EPM . . . pix below.

Smokey first showed acute symptoms of EPM on March 13, 2007. Please read previous posts about his treatment and what we thought was his full recovery by June 2007.

Smokey began to relapse June 30th with EPM symptoms (awkward hind leg movement, difficulty turning around in his stall, and acting like he didn't feel that chipper). We put him back on the olive leaf extract (OLE) powder and 2 grams of Bute everyday. We also put him on Rebalance on July 3rd. He seemed to be improving a little each day, but still not back to where he was in June, when he looked totally normal, except for old age stiffness and lack of exercise.

Smokey has been on colloidal silver for about two months as of August 16th. It is said to take a long time to finally kill all the EPM parasites. More about that later.

On August 2nd, we started Smokey back on the $800 Marquis (thanks to a very generous and unexpected donation from a very special, incredible person who is a believer and an inspiration).

On August 5th, Smokey seemed to be walking better, and my grandchildren came to visit him. Jessica, the 6-yr old, was very busy getting to know Smokey's newest granddaughter, Faviana. (pix below) McKenna wasn't so sure about the little filly and preferred to spend her time hand feeding and brushing Smokey.

Below are pictures of 3-yr old McKenna feeding Smokey purslane leaves and brushing him. Smokey loved it. He was so very gentle with little McKenna. Even when she dropped the leaves onto his shavings and had to pick them up, he did not do anything except watch her and patiently wait for her to gather up the leaves and try again to feed him.

Then little McKenna asked Smokey to follow her in a circle around the stall. He did, at a distance, very carefully. Little McKenna stopped, turned around, and asked Smokey over and over to come, using her hand to motion to him. He stayed still and lowered his head two feet from her. Smokey knew he should not come closer to her. It was so incredibly precious.

On August 15th, Smokey took a turn for the worse and was so off balance on the hind legs that we did not feel we could lead him out to the arena to walk around. And, for sure, I would not have let my little granddaughters near him if they had been there.

It was heartbreaking to see him like that. I kept holding back tears and not allowing any thoughts of Smokey on the ground unable to rise. I kept telling myself that it must be from the parasite "die off" from the Marquis. However, Don and I were both feeling extremely discouraged.

I think I prayed for at least 24 hours nonstop for Smokey to get better or to silently and peacefully go in his sleep. I was also praying so hard for an inner voice to give me guidance of what more to do to help Smokey. Then I got a call from a homeopathist who I had talked to two weeks prior and sent her some of Smokey's mane hairs with roots. She said she made a medicine for Smokey which even includes a "vaccination" from two EPM horses that she was able to heal and who fully recovered and now appear to be immune to EPM.

Justine, the homeopathist, was recommended to me by a person who recently lost her horse to an intense attack of EPM, after which she met Justine. She is an amazing person and a 3rd generation homeoapathist (in her sixties) who learned from her grandmother. I will write more about this later. Justine gave us a bottle of very tiny round "pills" that were about the size of those silver ball decorations for cakes.

The little pills are given 20 at a time, 4 times a day. We gave Smokey his first dose last night in a small amount of pureed homegrown, organic pears. When he lowered his head to gobble them up, he hesitated and acted like he was sensing something. Somehow, he knew there was something in the pears.

All twenty of the tiny pills only fill 1/8 of a teaspoon, and they have no odor. Justine said we cannot touch them with our hands because they are charged, and, if touched, would discharge their energy into the person touching them. When she said that, I thought, well, that could be possible, just like discharging electromagnetic energy your body has stored up when you touch something and feel a little shock.

I swear, I think Smokey felt the energy of those little tiny pills. Anyway, after only a few seconds, he decided that whatever it was he sensed, it was okay, and he proceeded to eat all of it and lick the bowl clean. Then he showed off a little for the mares and called to them (at least three of them were only about 15 feet away). I told Smokey how beautiful and how handsome he is, and how much all the mares adore him. I knew, without a doubt, that he is still totally enjoying his life here on earth.

Today, after receiving the first four of 120 doses, Smokey seems very much improved and in really good spirits. Our hearts are feeling a little less heavy.

If you believe in the power of prayer and/or sending the energies that are given to you, please do pray for Smokey's health and well being, and also for guidance for those of us who are devoted to helping him recover.

This morning, we received an email from a person who says that her horse has totally recovered from EPM as a result of her veterinarian injecting (IV) a diluted amount of heartworm medicine. I will check that out.

Thank you for your care and support. Every email we receive is so encouraging and appreciated.

Laura