An update on our fearless leader....

From our members in Stillwater, OK
Neal Werts had open heart surgery on April 3. The surgery lasted 4 - 4 1/2 hours and was very difficult as the doctor found a lot of scar tissue sticking to the heart and also the right lung to the sternum. Everything looks to be working out except there was a hole in the lung from having to remove it fron the sternum.

Neal is coming along from the surgery, but his breathing has suffered. He had a light bout with pneumonia but the lung doctor has things under control (we hope). Neal has been able to walk with the walker and is eating better. Two of their kids have been around to lend a helping hand. He was scheduled to go home from the hospital on April 9.

Keep Neal and Pat in your thoughts and wish Neal a speedy recovery. More updates as they become available.

An update from the President - Mary Winter

As many of you know, I broke a corner bone behind my left kneee in a fall on the ice in January.  My appointment March 12 with the orthopedic surgeon was very good. He was dazzled that I could do what he had asked me to do (DUH!) bending my knee to less then 90 degrees, return the leg to straight (which still hurts but is getting better) and while seated, lift the straight leg up to higher than parallel with the floor. The x-ray shows that the crack is healing well, with no shift in the bone. Gee, there still is arthritis in the kneecap. He seemed surprised about that. Did he expect my break to take care of that!

Partial weight bearing began Monday (25 pounds he says) and I can lose the immobilizer brace while sleeping (yay!), full weight bearing in 12 weeks, which is April 14. Can I drive a horse this year? Whenever I want to. Will I need a brace? No. This was my good leg...how will I get into the carriage? Oh, right, not a question he can answer. We'll figure something out.

Physical therapy? No, I'm doing so well, I will not need appointments (RATS, screwed that up by doing so much on my own...I was looking forward to PT).

So I'm on track for healing, 4 more weeks in the living room and of being waited on (I'm kinda getting into that, although Earl is definitely not....(for 8 years, while he was in Minnesota, I cared for the horses. At one time, there were 31...don't ask...he figures he has paid in FULL for that time, and I hafta agree with him!) But I should be able to have a driving lesson with Robin in April, and slide back into regular lessons with Camie then, as well.  YES!!!

Thanks to everybody for your cards of encouragement, emails annd telephone calls to cheer me up, DVDs, videotapes, books and FOOD. It has been appreciated fare more than I can tell you.  I'll keep you posted.

BITS IN THE NEWS

Be sure to check out the latest edition of The Whip, March 2008, Volume 35, Number 1. The front cover shows the wonderful Robin Groves winning the USEF National Singles Championship at Fair Hill in October. She is driving Lana Wright's Thor's Toy Truck. Look at that smile! Robin comes to 3G Farms 4 times a year so don't miss the chance to take a lesson with one of the best!

And our very own beloved Earl Morris is shown on page 32, navigating for Mark Dahlberg. Bess and Rowdy helped Mark claim the Preliminary Pony Tandem ribbon.

The Spring 2008 issue of Apples 'N Oats features an article by Steve Stillions detailing their trip to the National Drive in October. Jada Neubauer is also featured in this issue.

Kathy Johnson is the proud owner of Reidar, featured on the front cover of the recent Driving Digest (#151). This lovely stallion is driven by Linda Syverson-Kerr and was shown at the 2007 Skunk River by Michael Scott.