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06 September ~ 2007
Maybe our hard trails in the Rockies have taken its toll, or maybe its just bad luck, but Ben fractured his right foot yesterday.
I don't know how it happened. I left at 8:30 pm, and when I returned at 10:30 he was limping. It probably had someting to do with the raccoons who come into the yard after dark this time of year, to eat the apples, and pears and plums and peaches on my fruit trees. I can imagine Ben and Maggie running out to chase them off. Maybe Ben caught up with one.
Raccoons are fierce fighters, and can weigh as much as 30 pounds - nearly as much as a Coyote.
I took Ben to the vet, had his foot xrayed, and Dr. Landin confirmed the break. She put a splint on his leg that needs to stay on six to eight weeks.
It looks like we will be setting up the tent closer to the truck this fall than I had anticipated.
At the vet Ben was scared, but didn't growl at the doctor or any of the Lady vet technicians. He must have known they were trying to help them. He was awful glad to get back to me though, and hopped up onto the waiting room couch splint and all, so he could rest his head on my lap.
The appointment was at 10:30, and before that me and Maggie went on a walk down to the greenbelt. I carried my heavy pack, like I always do. I want to be in shape to go backpacking with Ben when he is better. It wouldn't do us any good for me to get soft.
I put Ben in the back, as he was in no condition to climb down the north hill. He figured out me and Maggie were going, and it broke my heart to hear him crying at the back door.
This comes after he just recovered from a torn pad on his left paw.
It may be that Ben being seven is starting to make a difference. He is not as resilient as he used to be.
The next four years are going to bring big changes in Ben and Maggie's lives, but I don't need to be thinking about that too much yet. Ben will recover, and we have a lot of high country trails ahead of us.
And there will be many nights when us three will lie on the shoulders of mountains to rest from our active days, with the peace of knowing our lifelong friends are beside us.
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