You have a transplant and ride a horse....

[Brightsky69]

Hello......
I know there are some transplant patients who actually own horses. I also know that being around horses and being a transplant patient can be a problem....infection wise. Horses can carry stuff like any other animal.

I went on a nice relaxing trail ride this morning and some people in my family freaked on me a little bit. They figured I was going to get some horrible infection from the horse. Shoot....I could get some horrible infection just being out in public. Am I supposed to stay in a bubble?? I can see if they were afraid I'd fall off and hurt the kidney but I have many, many years of riding expierence. I can't remember the last time I fell off a horse.

I am not gonna stop getting out there and living my life because I "might" get sick again.  Thanks for listening. 

[rsudock]

Totally agree....life is about living!!! Besides no one is getting out of here alive!!!   

xo,
R

[Brightsky69]

   Plus...I am more afraid of getting a horrible infection from people instead of animals.   

[Chris]

When I was taking classes for vet tech after my transplant, I was around a lot of different types of animals and didn't have a problem. I was pretty healthy working with animals. I had to work with horses and we went over the diffeent typpes of bacteria and infections. I had to have rabbies prevention injections prior to working on animals, but working with the horse did not make me sick. I had to clean their hoofs, trim their nails, give injections, take blood. We didn't handle the manure tho, but that wouldn't be your problem either. Just wash shoes before and after leaving the barn or place before going home. Horses are 99.8% I'd say taken care of and groomed, so I wouldn't worry about it and enjoy riding. It is something I want to do again this summer as soon as I find a place close.
 
Funny how people freak out with little knowledge they base their thinking on. It's like we are little kids again and we need a parents note to the teacher saying we can. 

[rsudock]

  Plus...I am more afraid of getting a horrible infection from people instead of animals.   

no joke sexy time is dangerous!!!

xo,
R

[Chris]

  Plus...I am more afraid of getting a horrible infection from people instead of animals.   

no joke sexy time is dangerous!!!

xo,
R

Nooo comment, sooo wrong 

[Brightsky69]

sexy time is dangerous!!!

xo,
R
[/quote


funny.....   if I were having sexy time.   

[jbeany]

Ummm....oh dear.  Well, glove up everybody!

[Brightsky69]

Funny how people freak out with little knowledge they base their thinking on. It's like we are little kids again and we need a parents note to the teacher saying we can. 

So true Chris. She knew a guy who had a lung transplant and got some lung infection from mucking his horses stall.  So I guess because of that I am not allowed to go around horses. Unless I can get u to forge a permission slip for me. 

[Chris]

Since we do not know the full story and probably she doesn't either, lung transplants have a different assortment of risk and if he wasn't wearing proper protection such as a good mask, then that was his fault. He could still be with horses if he takes proper preventive care. Even we need to when changing cat litter (which I avoid unless everyone else is sick, then I suit up and then clean up and shower afterwards).
 
 
To Whom It May Concern:
Brightsky is allowed to be be around and ride horses, but not to clean up stalls unless properly protected from airborne dust.
 
So please be respectfull and get off her 
 
Sincerily,
Dr. Confucious 

[Chris]

I couldn't come up or think of comedic doctor names and I know there are some out here from movies.

[Sax-O-Trix]

I have three horses (on site), but don't ride them.  Two are cart horses and the third is a lawn ornament because I don't trust him enough to ride.  I think the guy who got an infection most likely got his infection from spores in the hay/straw/feed ...  I have read you shouldn't be in old barns or silos because of the airborne contaminants such as mold and the like.

[Chris]

thought of swapping spit and other bodily fluids    I have become a certified germ-a-phobe 

The saxaphone just makes me go    when you said swapping spit. Reminds me of grade school band classes when they would sell used equipment and I did not want part of that. I have an ewww factor going on now now that you mentioned that.
 
Spores was what I was trying to think of, glad you knew Sax,  my memory sucks at times. I know something, but can't remember the parts I need to convey correctly.

[Brightsky69]

It's not like I'd be riding a horse everyday. My sciatic nerve wouldn't let me.    the nerve might let me ride maybe once a month or so.   

[monrein]

I was advised at the time of my first transplant NOT to ride horses (I used to own a horse as a kid and ride here occasionally, and am a fairly good rider), boutbecause of too much jiggling of the kidney which sits pretty loosely in the lower abdominal area.  Nothing was ever mentioned about germs.  It might be fine if you only walked while on horseback but I preferred more action, cantering, galloping and so on.

[Chris]

I always wanted to ride a horse that way, more action and speed than trails. To me that woulld seem more fun. Don't think I'd try bareback, I'd probably fall off. I'll have to look up cantering, I forgot what that is. I think it is when the horse travels sideways, but also thinking that is wrong.

[monrein]

Cantering is the gait between a trot (very jiggly the trot) and a gallop (fast but can be quite smooth).  I grew up on a farm in Jamaica and had my own horse, an old retired creature who was first a racehorse, then a polo pony, then used for cattle herding then given to me.  Her name was Mae West and I mostly rode her bareback since she had a nasty habit of trying to bite my back when I used to tighten the girth around her belly.  She also liked to extend her belly so the saddle wouldn't be tight and then when she let out her breath the saddle was too loose to ride.  It was easier to just hop on and go rather than trick and cajole her into getting ready.  We liked to jump small canals but I never jumped anything higher with her and I'd hang on to her mane for stability.
I took lessons at boarding school but never much liked the formal riding and jumping we did...much preferred Mae West's tricks which I knew inside out and could anticipate. 

[Brightsky69]

The only thing my back will allow is a nice walk. No trotting for me.  Plus riding for more than an hour and I am so sore

[Chris]

Have you tried Liderm patches and or pain meds to help tolerate doing things longer Brightsky?

[Brightsky69]

Chris - my back doesn't usually bother me unless I do things to aggravate it....like riding a horse. Even then I just felt a tiny twinge in my back and it went away by the time i got home.
What are Liderm  patches? My doc gave me flexeril once for my back....good stuff. 

[paris]

I think Monrein is on the right track.  The new kidney isn't as protected as the native ones are.   Poor little thing is in there thinking "bump, bump, bump --is she done riding yet? I'm getting beat up in here!".      

[Chris]

I have to look at the sample I have, but I think it is Flexeril. I can't use it because it interacts with my arthritis med. The Lidoderm is a pain patch that contains lidocain.
 
My back becomes very bothersome when riding a bus in the city or riding the train depending on te seat. As with yours, it subsides till I am in a certain position. and there is a small knot in the back that goes down over time if I do not wear a patch.. I only use them on days I know what is going to bother me.

[Brightsky69]

No bumpy/jumpy activities?  So, no jumping rope? I was gonna try that for some exercise. No joging? I am gonna have to asks the doc's "What can I do?"

[cariad]

Whoa! What??

I rode a horse for years - galloping, cantering, jumping - loved it. I even applied to a prep school that many of my friends went to where you are assigned a horse and must take care of it for a full year (mucking stalls at 5AM before classes, riding it every single day, that sort of thing). I got in, but decided to go with the eastern prep school instead. The only horse-related comment I've heard from a doctor was to watch out walking behind a horse, because it would be bad if one kicked me in the kidney. For anyone who has spent more than ten minutes around a horse, this was a major 'duh' comment to make.

I was never, ever told to not do these things. I remember being in middle school and we were being introduced to a new sport every week. During the American Football portion, I was assigned to be in that position next to the quarterback - forget what it is called, but your primary job is to block everyone else - and in the same position on the opposing team was Will Ferguson, this extraordinarily tall celt with the freckles and fiery ginger hair to match. He literally ran over me. The whistle blew and I flew back a few feet and landed on the grass, totally flat. These were less litigious times so Will (who was a great friend of mine, no hard feelings) told the kids who were questioning his actions that I was in his way and he was just playing the game. I think the coach may have changed a few things so there would not be such an unequal matchup again, but I was fine and still look back and laugh.

Don't live your life in fear! Ride a horse if you want to. Play sports if you want to. Just be a little careful and you'll be fine. Freaking out over a gentle stroll just because it is on a horse? Madness.

[Chris]

I saw a new ad in the paper today for a place to ride horses and have an urge to do that, friends I have are chicken to do or have no interest. Gonna have to go alone on this one, but after having a carriage ride through Chicago, I want to ride a horse more.