Wai The Armadillo Pig and I are getting into a rhythm of procedures three times a day and a walk around the field three times a day. He is getting to learn a few Sheila commands “Go to Bed”, “Off for a walk”, “Where’s your bowl”. Though he ignores them all. But stands absolutely still, making little squeaking noises, as I gently trim him, bit by bit, to freedom. He still shuffles along in his old man way, with a little bit of a limp, sniffing his way around the field. He still cannot see. I do not see his eyes open at all. (That helmet on his head does not help). But he does hear that is for sure. And pigs have a great sense of smell.
I have a call in with the first vet that saw him. We need to get to the bottom of these injuries. I hate not knowing what started this. 
Today I go to get more supplies for him. Although he arrived with a runny bottom he has not pooed since Monday, so my vet, who thinks he is a Burn Victim – maybe a massive sunburn? if he passed out from overeating? – has recommended an enema before the bowel problem gets out of hand. (The things we talk about here!) The vet thinks all the antibiotics and medications and overeating of grain, then lack of eating and fright have bound him up. He needs to get all his insides balanced or we will be in even more trouble.
However after studying the pig’s photos in shocked silence, the pig vet thinks we are on the right track treatment wise. Though it will be a long, long time before he enjoys a sunny day again. If he can shed all this hardened skin without trouble then we will be winning.
The good news is that he smells a bit better!
A BIG, BIG THANK YOU from Wai and I to all those of you who have donated towards his care. This is simply wonderful and such a big help with all his expenses. There is a lot of work ahead of Wai and I (and BooBoo) and it is a wonderful feeling to know you all are there with me, whether with good wishes, great advice, pressing the paypal button, mailing donations or goods. I am so grateful. You are all part of my wonderful team. 
And on to other news – or lack thereof:
It did not rain yesterday afternoon!
And my replacement phone still has not arrived. It is inconvenient but not too dramatic to be without my phone. At least that is what I am telling myself.
Look at Alex. See her inflated udder pressed out below her. Maybe a calf within the next week or so.
Aunty Anna does not like her private parts being discussed in public so we will return to her another day when she is not watching me over her shoulder.
Our beautiful Rosy and her chick. Rosy is a startling and competent young woman, I am so lucky to have her on this week of all weeks. In fact I would be happy to have her any week.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
Weather Forecast: Maybe Not Dry.
Friday 06/23 30% / 0.01 in
Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then skies turning partly cloudy late. High 83F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Friday Night 06/23 10% / 0 in
A few clouds. Low near 60F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
The Kitchen's Garden 
61 responses to “The farm adjusts”
Me and mom were talking about Armadillo last night. Mom even said it looked like a horrible sunburn on him. Such a horrible experience he has been through. I know he has to feel your love and know that he is with the right person to get better. ❤ XOXO – Bacon
He must have been in such pain – poor fellow.. But he hates me at the moment and probably always will as I am the one doing the messy fixing.. c
I don’t think so sweet friend. I think he will learn to love you because you are making him better. Us piggies feel the love and you got it ❤ XOXO – Bacon
Good to hear you have great help with the pig – best of luck to him.
I have wonderful help – very lucky.. c
everyday Wai is a bit better thanks to you….he’s a lucky pig and so are all the animals ( and people ) who are with you . Rosie sounds like such
a great person to be working with you- big big hugs to all!
Big hugs straight back to you!! c
Yes Rosie is riveting and Alex is expecting and, though Aunty Anna seems annoyed, our Wai is winning (with careful coaching and cheers from the stands). A very fulsome Friday!
Such music in that sentence, Albert. Lovely.. c
Well many, many thanks to Rosy for being with you for this very intense week. Wish she could stay longer and can she come again? Wai looks better in the photos from all your efforts so far. Does he go out in the rain?
As for indignities we had to take a very sick kitty to the vet in May as she got totally blocked up from eating too many voles. After fluids, laxatives and yes, an enema she did recover.
All the other animals look wonderful and healthy and no doubt very clean after the downpour.
Wai wandered about n the dark rain for much of the morning – it was good for him!!
That Rosy is beautiful outside as well as inside. Amazing woman! And Wei is looking better every day. Something about his posture.
He is moving with a little more spring too though he moans and carries on the whole time – walking is pretty important though it will make all the difference being able to move about.. c
I’ve been wondering about sunburn as well. I wonder if Wai would eat pumpkin puree. I used it to unbind a kitten that I had adopted from under a car years ago. His little paws were burned from running up and down the muffler….hard as rock, but they peeled eventually and he is fine. Poor little fellow. I do hope that he will be able to see one day. So both Alex and Aunty Ana are with calf? That is good news. Is Carlos the prospective contributor of genetic material? Hello to Rosy and all things farmy.
That sounds exactly like what Wai has. Poor cat. Glad he got better.. c
Wai does look better, even with the bits of skin peeling off. Animals are interesting, once my bunny figured out that the terrible cherry-flavoured child’s medicine for gas helped her, she could hardly get enough of it, I had no trouble feeding it to her! Hopefully, Wai will figure it out soon. Have you tried adding honey to the yogurt? The prunes are quite tasty so hopefully, it will help.
Your photos of the animals are awesome, you should sell them to Getty Images.
He hates the yoghurt and hates the prunes too!! Wont drink milk out of a bowl. He is tough to feed. and tough to help with food. c
Well, Mom, figure it out!! [Sorry, laughter!!!] Most ‘kids’ do not like yogurt nor prunes 🙂 !! Look, if that character has decided to ‘live; he’ll pick and choose and be, oh so lucky!! Methinks he has decided to stay 🙂 🙂 😉 !!!!
Ha ha ha, who would’ve ever thought it’d be hard to feed a pig? I do hope you get to the bottom of Wai’s history, he surely does look like a burn victim though if it were sunburn you’d think it’d be one side or the other. I do think once he’s recovered he’ll begin to see you as ‘she from whom all good things flow’.
I agree about the side to side thing and this makes me think that his TREATMENT at the University vet clinic caused his skin to turn to rubber.. c
Omg!! Perhaps there’s more than one villain in his past then? (Surely it would’ve been done inadvertently!?! ):
Good for Auntie Anna; most ladies don’t.
Pooor Wai. I feel his pain, quite literally. I looked at all your pictures of him today, and it does remind me of a sunburn. In fact, it specifically reminds me of a sunburn *I* got over the course of 3 violently sunny days last year that resulted in huge amounts of boiling, blistered tissue all over my shoulders. I had hard scabs instead of skin on my shoulders for weeks and they shed, but not like sunburns usually do with the sloughing but in seeping, oozing, chunks that were hard but wet and raw underneath. My treatment was some advil and neosporin for weeks, twice daily. I suspect the vetrycin spray acts similarly. You might want to consider some anti-inflammatories for him, even if they are just light, natural ones, to help prevent scarring, and just watch watch watch for infection. He will always be a scarred pig (my shoulders still look “textured”) and will have a high cancer risk, but I do think you can bring him around if you can only bring his tummy under control. What about some simple probiotic powder over his food? I use Probios for my rabbits and chickens and it’s good for pretty much all animals. The powder is sweet and soft tasting. It might suit his palette if you just sprinkle some on his food. it’s also pretty inexpensive.