A friend's pygmy doe was visiting our maternity ward when late that evening she had three beautiful (long earred?) bucksand....
Unlike his big healthy brothers, Pedro slipped out very tiny and motionless
Once stimulated we noticed he was fully formed and eyes were open!
He could not raise his head but appeared to move his mouth to nurse..when held to his mother he latched on!
Unable to stand or even hold his little tiny head up, he came home to a warm heating pad in my bed. Every hour he would squeek and get fed from his bottle. We were afraid he would never survive. The next day he began to twitch his head, seizures we thought..poor little baby we loved him already and he had let us know that first night his name was to be Pedro
Not even as big as a shoe
Pedro came out a fighter his legs were bent, his head was too big to hold up and he was only upright if propped up
Lots of therapy trying to strenthen his neck and stretch those legs!
Finally he could hold himself upright
What a beauty!
At 1 week he weighed 8 oz
He could only get the back half up that week
Two weeks
weighing in at 1 pound he was up!
3 Months..
not a lot of ear control yet
Pedro's vision is limited he was very blind for the first few months
He had to wear a bell so I didn't loose him in the house
He would walk behind furniture and get stuck
He soon learned to run and play but has never been told he was a goat (shhhhhhhhhhhh)
Pedro 3 months &
1 wk old Pygmy kid
He has plenty of other friends
Sadie & Pedro play but he can't find her when she jumps on top of a house (he doesn't jump)
hoping she would teach him to drink from something OTHER than a bottle!
Finally just before Christmas (9 mos) he did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he loved his hay way before then
but water he couldn't figure out
Mainly he's just a mamma's boy
Pedro started going to the Farmers Market his first week (since he was on a bottle every hour!)
but then he made friends (and fans) and he was expected to show up
He has made lots of friends and has had his picture taken with people from all over the world (lots of gave him kisses too!)
(see my pretty license plate #1 Pedro)
Yes
he still sleeps with his mamma!
a miracle boy
#1 PEDRO
Pedro turned 3 years old!!
April 1, 2006!!
he is still his mammas baby
still sleeps in the house
and is up to all sorts of new tricks..
Almost three days and Pedro could hold his head up..now he wanted to stand!
takin on the dog..
Pedroshowing his friend Handsome his handstand..
he can walk about 12 feet or more on his front hooves
Well, he can't walk ON water but
he's the only goat I know that enjoys standing in it!
Pedro has had quite a year.. proving for sure he is God's special goat.
In October (2005) we found a small lump that turned out to be a staph infection on his bony little chest. The infection had moved quickly up into his ribs (thank God, not the lung).. but our Pedro fought through months of treatment which resulted finally in a surgery to remove the lump..We were very worried about the possible risks of surgery but felt he should get the best chance at a happy healthy life that we could give him.
And.. while being evaluated for the infection, xray's showed that somehow our silly boy (who has very poor vision) had somehow swallowed a two inch long T shaped pin!
Treatment for cows (who often do this sort of thing) involves administering a magnet, the size of a shotgun shell.. that will stay in the digestive system, attach to the hardware and keep it from migrating toward the heart, which is deadly..
Of course Pedro had something wierd! We searched for weeks to find a suitable magnet, one that was non toxic and of appropriate size.. that first magnet did not attach! Finally, the second magnet, and last hope.. did :) we found it on the xray just prior to his surgery on April 5th. We were a very happy crowd that day and took that indeed as a good sign.. and he did make it through surgery with flying colors.. never has there been a happier mom carrying her boy out of the recovery room to a waiting room full of friends and family..
Since then Pedro has been recovering well, slowly, still battling possible infection while the wound heals.. he is not happy wearing his bandage in the Arizona heat! It is amazing the change in his energy level, his attitude and his appetite :) He is a very independant young man these days and when trying to hide from mom (still on some oral medications and getting twice daily bandage changes) he will sneak out of the barn area and run home!
here are some photos of his surgical site with the drains in place
Pedro must take a nap every day to heal
somtimes he sleeps in his grandma's princess bed..
Pedro is healing well and hopefully on the road to a full recovery (he just wants this danged bandage off)
update: Feb 28,2007..
Pedro still needs your prayers..
Since his surgery last April, Pedro has had a pocket of sorts forming near where his drain tubes were seated, it appeared to be a soft area of maybe scar tissue but then it abscessed and at a recent checkup it was found to be his icky old staph infection raging again,
and again it is in his rib bone, but thankfully not his lung or chest..
he is back on medication and trying some natural remedies to kill off his 'buggies' including packing the pocket of skin with raw honey, royal jelly and propolis..
We are praying for yet another miracle for our boy!
He is doing well, eating great and has quite a frisky little attitude..
he has no fever and his coat looks soft and shiny..
so we are hopeful, even tho so far his veterinarian says she has never seen one of these situations actually "cured" ..
but we can hope for more right..
after all he is Pedro The Miracle Goat
and he has many more stories to tell..
We would like to say thank you to all of you who sent prayers for Pedro during his illness and surgery and who have always had good thoughts and encouragement for him
and a special Thanks to Pedro's angel.. Roy
our friends at HomeDairyGoats
and Potbellied Pigs 4 ever
and of course our wonderful caring veterinary team
Dr. Barbara Page & Leann, at Adobe Vet Center, Tucson Arizona
Update..
as of March 20...
see photos and progress...
keep prayin'
he is doing great, quite frisky really!
the icky new lump the day of the vet ck,
after it ruptured..Feb 28
both lumps March 7
a week after the vet ck
after another week
mid March
Lookin' good!!
Acts 3:16
It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
NIV
UPDATE MARCH 28!
Look at our boy!!!
Pedro will be 4 on Sunday and this is the first time
he has jumped and played like a goat!
he was doing typical baby goat moves,
spins and jumps tonite!!
Praise the Lord
June update:
Pedro is doing great.. we still have no signs of that second icky lump.. the old lump we are still working on however, so he still needs prayers and well wishes..
Very fat and sassy these days, he is quite frisky, actually he is the only goat we have ever had that seems to head butt for the pure pleasure of it.. most are not that 'rude' ha ha..
Pedro fans.. Pedro prayers..
Please visit his guestbook
he'd love to hear from you!
Happy Birthday to Pedro!
April 1st, 2008
our Pedro is FIVE years old!
he is doing well,
except for Franklin stealing his birthday treats..
he still has a ways to go to get rid of that old lump but it does not appear infected
We lost our dear baby on December 12, 2008, at around 1:30 a.m.
My heart aches and my home is so empty but I felt I should try and update as I know he has fans and friends and family who loved him too.
Pedro has had a miraculous life and has lived a far longer time than I think it was "planned" when he came to be here I am sure all because of love and because of his strong spirit & soul.
I have always promised I would not be bitter that I was blessed for each day I had with him and I do feel that way, though I miss him so very much.
Pedro is a part of my soul. Born as a gift, into my very hands and with me every moment from then on.. I have certainly been blessed.
He had a few rough days and his little crooked knees were bothering him, more bent and weak than ever before.. assuming it was some arthritis and misalignment he had a visit from a chiropractor on Wednesday. Then he seemed to feel much better even that night, he rested better than he had in days.
The next morning he seemed good, unsteady at first but wanting up and out to eat breakfast on the patio .. he soon tired. He mainly seemed frustrated that his legs were bending and he was tripping himself yet he wanted up! He wouldn't just lay down and rest. He had stayed a few days all barricaded in our bedroom with pillows and blankets in case he fell, or was resting and struggling to get up. I took my laptop and phone and spent most of my days there with him. I was afraid to leave him even for an hour. I so enjoyed just being with him as well.. he didn't like to be too cooped up. He would rest and cuddle with me and then when he needed to stand, we splinted his knees for stability.
His appetite was great.. he was in love with Craisins.. first thing I knew him to be able to find and eat from my hand.. so I mixed those into his super goat mix and also gave him extras as treats. He drank water from a little bowl I held for him since he couldn't get to his pool very well.. his attitude, as usual was always that of strength and good spirit. He even woke up in the night a few times and wanted to eat! my silly little guy, was always making me giggle. He knew how to step around the sleeping dog in the dark!
Thursday night we were trying to fit him for a little sling we had constructed out of pvc pipe and cloth. Hoping to help hold him up a bit so he could come out to the yard again. While trying to fit him just right that night, he looked at me and told me he was just so tired.. I let him rest but feared in my heart that I knew what he really meant.
I left him to go milk the cows and goats for the evening and as soon as I could finish, I came home. I found him struggling and thought he was trying to stand except he couldn't stand this time. He was really uncomfortable but I couldn't figure out exactly why. I was thinking maybe a tummy ache.. So, I put him to bed and tried to soothe him. I tried to help but it didn't get better, though it would come and go .. he was so uncomfortable and everything that crossed my mind to do for him seemed to be just too much to put him through. He suddenly had a fever and didn't seem to really be "with me" I feared the worst and as usual prayed to help him and then finally at some point, my heart ached so much for him that I just prayed that he not be in pain anymore. Soon, he rested for a moment around 1:30 and with him being quiet, I guess I dosed off, only to wake around 2:00 to initially feel relief that he was resting but when I reached next to me, I knew he was gone.
I still can't believe it and feel barely alive myself. I do try to remember our brave boy and how many obstacles he overcame and how he stayed with me for so much longer than we ever could have imagined.. yet we knew it would always feel too soon.
I am so grateful he is not suffering. Our doc feels that dang staph in his ribs must have gone into the spine and created a meningitis, I just hope he hasn't been in pain all along.. he seemed happy even that last day, to be up, eating his breakfast on the patio for a few minutes.. so I do feel he fought as hard as he could and he was, as he said, just tired..
Odd thing is as long as we've been telling his story we say he was "writing his memoirs".. and well suddenly this last month I felt a sense of urgency to get it done, we started by Pedro telling his story and some of the others and I finished up with some who have passed through.. little did I know.. although I had a sense of dread in my heart.. but our first copy arrived the day before he passed. Almost like Pedro was urging me to get it done so I'd have it here to hold and to read after he passed.
I do have many many happy memories and our dear book.. of course I wear a Pedro T-shirt almost daily now, just trying to feel him next to me somehow..
Thank you so much, to all of you who have prayed for him and cheered him on through the years.. We are all blessed by him and his little book will be ever so special now.. hopefully we can continue to tell his story, give others the hope & inspiration that he was.
You have all truely been my strength and the emails I have rec'd and the phone calls.. heck people who are reading and cherishing his book and wearing his shirts.. it is my greatest source of comfort.. thank you so very much..
I will add some of his last days photos here.. I hope you enjoy them and find comfort in them as I do.
I am leaving his guestbook as it was..
please feel free to visit us here and share your Pedro stories.. they are very much appreciated..
last day in the yard, crooked little legs & a cute tshirt..
sleepy boy..
sharing his favorite water trough with the big guys
I am going to have a large print of this one on the wall on his side of the bed.. he was so sacked out that nite..
last breakfast on the patio,
he felt good that morning
Our rainy Thanksgiving afternoon at Grandma's ..we cuddled all afternoon together
My favorite view.. all sleepy boy next to me.
Pedro The Miracle Goat
on earth April 1st 2003 - December 12, 2008
in our hearts forever
and ya never know, maybe this was only a chapter in his story..
You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again
And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
Lyrics to "Homesick"
by
Mercy Me
Pedro's book (our first copy) arrived just the day before..
if you want a Pedro TShirt, a copy of our book or even a Pedro Calendar..
I have worn out all my Pedro shirts and made more and it certainly has given me comfort to be able to work on various "Pedro related" projects since he isn't here in the flesh with me..
I hope you enjoy them as much as I have, and as always..
