A Brief History
Within three hours of our arrival in Columbia Missouri for the ALSA Grand National (November 2000), our farm sitters called to tell us that intruders had entered our barn and pastures and let six adult male llamas loose with our females and crias. All the gates were open, and our farm sitters had their hands full sorting out and separating the males.
Lewis, our blind gelding who lives with the females, was found down in the pasture and unable to rise. He had been injured either by the vandals themselves, or else the injury occurred when the large, aggressive males attacked and/or mounted him. He was transported to our vet, where X-rays proved a spiral fracture of the rear left femur. Our vet reported that surgery was required for any hope of repair. The difficulty and risk involved in the surgery made euthanizing Lewis a consideration that might be in his best interest.
Lewis when he was only a few days old: unable to see the warm, springtime sun, but still able to enjoy how good it feels!
See more photos of baby Lewis and read the story of Lewis' Early Days
Lewis News
Be sure and visit LewisSight for more about Lewis and friends!
Video
of Lewis (1.9 M)
(Requires Windows Media Player )
Thank you to all the staff at The Ohio State University for taking such great care of our beloved Lewis!
Lewis continues the long fight to recovery with the excellent care from the OSU veterinary staff. Three surgeries and over a year have passed since trespassers at our farm caused a mishap resulting in Lewis's broken leg. Continuous support from Lewis's international "fan club" via email tell us of the many prayers sent his way. These prayers and the skilled, courageous efforts from the doctors and staff at OSU are giving Lewis the chance to live. The loving day-to-day care from the veterinary staff and students has kept Lewis's spirits up so that he keeps fighting. This is no small task, and has been critical to his recovery! We can't thank you enough!
Thank you to the OSU Class of 2002 April rotation (pictured above) for the following photos. Click on the thumbnail photo for an enlarged version:
Lewis and his recent stall-mate, an alpaca fondly named Psycho
The external fixator; this is AWESOME!
Lewis enjoys the spring grass on his daily outings.
Lewis Video
The May rotation of students poses for photos with Lewis on the lawn.
Lewis with only one bar remaining!
August 19, Lewis reclining on private porch on a warm summer day.
Lewis getting a back scratch from Fred.
Lewis walking; still a very significant limp, but it doesn't slow him down much!
To learn more about betterment of health for all camelids, check these
links: Great articles on current topics! Llama
Research Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University
Education and Service to advance the well-being of camelids: The
International Camelid Institute
February 13, 2005
Lewis Looking forward to a Valentines Day Back Scratch
It has been nearly five years since Lewis' fateful injury. Lewis continues to do very well. Like his handlers he has grown over his target weight, but he continues to inspire and amaze us with his zest for living and his ability to overcome his disability (blindness).
Lewis is always the first to greet new visitors to our farm--often demanding a back scratch before they can proceed to visit the rest of the llamas.
Eventhough Lewis has his own barn and stall, he still insists on spending most of his time on the main barn porch--the area where he was allowed to recuperate after he returned from OSU. While we would like to keep the cleanup away from the main entrance, we just don't have the heart to lock Lewis out of this familiar turf.
January 1, 2002
A New Year and doing great!
Lewis has been home now since July, and it has been over a year since his initial injury. He still favors the leg and walks with a significant limp, but it does not curtail his activity as far as we can tell. We have added a walled windbreak to his sunny porch for the winter, and he seems snug and comfortable.
We often see Lewis "challenging" the "big boys" through the fence, or sniffing noses with the "little boys" who are adjacent to his barn yard. He even gets into grain stealing at feeding time; and occasionally spit battles through the fence! While his spirits seem very good, we feel he probably misses close contact with another camelid. We have decided to try to find an alpaca buddy for Lewis; stay tuned for future developments!
August 19, 2001
Every day a victory!
Lewis seems to be doing well; he enjoys his back scratches, occasionally visits other llama pals through the fence, and munches grass in his private barn yard. His digs include a shady porch sporting two fans for those hot days. Rubber mats covered by closed cell foam camping pads, with a surface of heavy indoor/outdoor carpet give him a firm but cushioned sleeping area. Now that the awful heat wave has finally broken, Lewis as well as his buddies are enjoying the last of summer!
Lewis is still stiff when he first gets up and is reluctant to put weight on his leg when he stands, but he still moves out well when he walks. Without X-ray vision we can only pray that the bone is healing, and his reluctance to fully use the leg will gradually dissipate with time and increased strength. For now, we do not want him to overload the leg anyway, so keeping him separate and avoiding too much exercise is the key.
Thank you to all his loyal fans; he still appreciates your thoughts and prayers, as at some point new radiographs will tell the story of how well he is healing. For now though, he seems content, comfortable, and our old happy Lewis again!
July 22, 2001 Lewis has been home now for about two weeks, and is doing well. The unseasonably cool weather we were having when he arrived home has been replaced by more typical, hot and humid July weather. Lewis enjoys two personal fans on his private, shady porch. He is happy to take short walks with me through his yard, and loves to have his neck and back scratched. Lewis is "talking" to us, something we have not heard since he left home. He has been the only llama to use his voice in short, grunt-like hums when he wants attention or is questioning where you are or what you are doing. It sure is nice to have the old Lewis back!
We are not seeing any change in Lewis's leg, as we are always alert for swelling or discomfort. His limp is still severe, but he gets around very well and even seems playful at times when we walk. We are hoping he is continuing to heal, and we feel he seems happy at home which should help his body to recover from the months of medications and treatments.
July 7th, 2001
Never saw a happier animal...than when Lewis realized he was home at last!
A three and 1/2 hour ride in the minivan ended Lewis' eight month absence from his own herd this afternoon. While Lewis cannot see, he still almost led me through the gate and to the fence separating his private "barn yard" from his herd mates. I literally had to hold him back, and the entire herd took turns greeting him across the fence. He almost jumped for joy and started to run; we kept him on a lead and kept control until the initial excitement of being home wore off, as the bone is not completely healed and we do not know how much action it can tolerate.
When we picked Lewis up at OSU this morning, we were impressed by how well and bright he looked, especially after being in the hospital for almost six months! When we called his name he strained to "see" who we were, and we felt sure he still recognized us. His enthusiasm seemed to show a sense that something exciting was going to happen, though I am sure he did not know he was going home. I could see the "good ole Lewis" there, which I thought might take awhile to return. The wonderful, caring hands that have taken care of him all these months at OSU kept his spirit intact as well as his body!
While he is very lame yet, he gets around very well and uses the leg to walk. He stood in the minivan until well past Dayton, and then finally lay down, which was a much safer traveling position. He napped, ate hay, and switched positions on the long trip home, but became very alert and stopped eating even his grain when we began the final two miles up our hill and to the farm. It seemed he may have known where we were; perhaps by smell as we had the windows open. Once out of the van he was sure he was home!
The doctors are fairly confident that Lewis still has some infection, though the drainage has stopped and he appears to be healed up. We anticipate returning him to OSU within a couple months for a checkup radiograph, however he will have to return sooner if and when the infection become apparent. More surgery will then have to be done, but hopefully his leg will have healed enough by then that his recovery at that point we be speedy and complete.
We again wish to thank all the staff at OSU for their terrific care and support. In particular, Dr. Silveria, who is leaving for a practice in his home country of Brazil. We understand it is the natural course of things for him to return to his homeland to practice, but we regret that he has to leave the Midwest. Lewis certainly owes his life to Dr. Silveria, who was willing to work so hard to save him. Lewis will continue his care in the good hands of Dr. Anderson, and again, we feel that Thank You will never be enough!
July 6th, 2001
Lewis comes home Saturday!
Lewis will be coming home tomorrow! We are worried about transporting Lewis, as his leg is still fragile, so the thoughts and prayers of his many friends that he has made over the internet will be needed and greatly appreciated tomorrow during our travel. We will update this page as soon as we are home.
Lewis' break is slowing healing, with the bone bridging the gap and callous formation, but more healing is still needed before the leg is back up to strength. Some outside exercise, fresh air and sunshine should help Lewis continue to recover. We will be watching Lewis closely and taking Lewis back for radiographs in a few weeks.
Lewis walking on his own!
June 21, 2001
Lewis has been walking now with the entire external fixator removed, and no internal plates or other support to the bone. The only foreign object in the bone is the remains of a broken screw from the original plate that was installed back November. The screw is embedded deeply enough that it is almost impossible to remove. He still is fighting the stubborn infection, and has drainage requiring flushing and antibiotics. The infection may finally improve on its own now that the pins have been removed, or may require further surgery if an operable sequestrum can be located. However, Dr. Silveria feels we can begin to think about bringing Lewis home and continue his treatment here! Perhaps by the July 4th holiday he will back on his own farm after a 6 month absence!
Dr. Silveria and I recalled the 10% chance he gave him when he arrived at OSU; Lewis has truly beaten the odds. Dr. Silveria and the staff and Ohio State have worked so hard for Lewis; and definitely performed nothing short of a miracle!
Stay tuned, we may be able to post scanned images of the "before and after" radiographs of Lewis' leg; a true appreciation can really be gained to see what the doctors had to work with when all this started!
May 17, 2001
Fixator is being removed!
I spoke with Dr. Silveira today, who confirmed that Lewis was still doing well. He also surprised me when he told me that they are beginning to remove the fixator! One bar had been removed the previous week, and he had just removed the second bar this morning. Only one bar and four pins remain supporting the leg. They felt it was time to introduce some stress to the bone, "micro-motion" that would help the bone callous and induce bone remodeling to complete the healing process. He said Lewis was using the leg but was a little more unstable after the bar removal. This was to be expected, and a limited amount of stress will help healing. Of course I am anxious that the bone does not break, but time has come to move to this new step!
They plan to remove the final bar in a week or so. At that time, Lewis will have not support for the leg other than his own bone. If all holds together, Dr. Silveria said we could talk about taking him HOME!
Your thoughts and prayers for Lewis are very appreciated now that he is in the final and critical stage of his healing. If the bone can mend and the infection gets cleared up, Lewis can come home!
April 29, 2001
A visit from home
Lewis had his radiographs, which showed improvement though not complete bone closure yet. When we visited Saturday night we were able to meet one of the students who is taking care of Lewis, and also met another of the students who visited us at the llama show we attended near Columbus. It is obvious what wonderful individuals these are who are helping Lewis cope with his difficulties and day to day trials!
Lewis seemed very well to us, much more like himself than on our previous visit. He is adapting quite well to his circumstances, and proving what a fighter he is. We are pleased that he seems comfortable and has an appetite, and is not losing his appetite for live despite his long confinement and daily injections and wound care. The infection is still ongoing and may not clear up until all the external pins are removed. In the meantime we feel Lewis is enjoying a quality of life that is remarkable given the circumstances; our thanks again to the staff at OSU for going the extra mile to make this little llama happy and comfortable!
April 20, 2001
Lewis did not get the radiographic exam that he was due to have earlier this week. The technicians felt they needed to manipulate the leg to accurately evaluate the condition of the bone, and the doctors felt that it might be too early to perform such manipulation. Since Lewis continues to walk on and use the leg, we are hoping that healing is occurring.The infection may be lessoning, with the drainage beginning to clear up. Lewis' spirits are such that he still wants to steal food from Psycho; so he has some of his original "gumption" still there! We are so pleased to hear that despite the long confinement and challenging process of healing, that Lewis is "still Lewis." We owe the staff at OSU more than they can imagine!
April 13, 2001
I must apologize for not making more frequent updates; and thank everyone for their emails about Lewis. The latest information is that Lewis' spirits are good, and he is being walked outside in the lovely spring weather we have finally been getting here in Indiana. He has a new stall mate, an alpaca nick-named "Psycho," who he tries to steal food from! Obviously his appetite is still good which is always a good sign. The circulation in his lower leg appeared to be affected after the surgery. Hydrotherapy and time have improved this and the leg seems warmer now and he is using it to walk; all good indications.
The fixator has been holding now for over two weeks, also a critical factor. However, there is still exudate and infection which is not responding completely to treatment. Lewis will have more radiographs next week to evaluate his progress. The continued infection is worrisome, but his general condition under the circumstances and willingness to keep fighting are encouraging.
The staff at OSU have taken some digital photos of Lewis and the gang, and we hope to put some of them on the site here as soon as we get them, so check back!
March 29, 2001
Surgery and After
Lewis has had his first day of recovery after surgery on March 28. He is reported in good spirits and eating, as well as standing. However his exercise will have to be limited due to the fear of putting too much stress on the fracture at this time.
The good news after the surgery was that it went well, with Dr. Silveira debriding considerable dead bone and tissue. He also removed the plate and all the screws, so these will not be able to cause any future problems or infection. An external fixator now supports the leg instead of the bone plate. The fixator can be much more easily removed once it is no longer needed. The bone was packed with antibiotic "beads" and a drain installed for twice daily flushing to prevent further infection. The doctor is optimistic that he has achieved the intended clean up of the bone and surrounding tissue.
The bad news is that the bone callous was not sufficient to supply any support for the leg. Considerable dead tissue was removed, so that the leg is essential broken again. Lewis' two greatest risks at this time are that the leg could collapse, or that he could become depressed and stop eating. Since everyone is reluctant to take him for his daily walks outdoors, depression is a real danger. However, exercise could stress the leg beyond what it might be able to handle. What a dilemma!
Lewis' previous stall mate, the beautiful female alpaca on loan from the university research program, is due to have a baby! Lewis now has another buddy, a male alpaca, who is keeping him company.
We appreciate the emails and calls we have received about Lewis. Your prayers are needed more than ever now, as Lewis' prognosis is guarded until significant bone growth can occur to support the leg safely. The staff at OSU continues to take the best of care of him, and they try to keep his spirits up during this long ordeal. We thank everyone more than you can know!
March 23, 2001
Ready for the next step!
We visited Lewis Friday afternoon, and were able to 
walk him out on the lawn outside the facility for
some sunshine and grass. The winter has been long in the Midwest this
year and the grass is just starting to green up and the air get comfortable. It
is hard to believe Lewis has been at OSU for two whole months! He underwent
some depression during the past few weeks that was relieved by daily walks
outside. He seemed pretty bright and although a little quiet, considering
what he has been through, it is obvious that the special care he is receiving
is keeping him in the fight back to health.
Dr. Silveira feels the radiographs show enough recovery of bone callous to make him able to tolerate the next surgery and debridement of last infected tissue. If he removes the bone plate, he will install an external fixator to stabilize the leg. Dr. Silveira will be making these judgment calls once he begins surgery and can see the current status of the bone. For the long term, the bone plate should come out, but whether this is the time to do that will be determined during surgery.
Surgery is slated for next Tuesday. Our prayers are with Lewis and with Dr. Silveira to guide him. Lewis will still have a long recovery ahead but perhaps this will be the last surgery, and he can begin a more speedy recovery after this!
February 24, 2001
A visit from home
We visited Lewis and went over the latest radiographs with Dr. Silveira. The doctor is encouraged that there is at least some noticeable bone growth and his infection seems to be under control. However a piece of dead bone will need to be surgically removed. As he had discussed with us earlier, this will have to wait several weeks until more growth makes the bone strong enough to operate on with some degree of safety. He also would like to remove the plate at some point, as another screw has broken. Once the bone has recovered fully, the plate will no longer be needed and will become a liability. For now, it is still what is holding the leg together.
Lewis continues to eat well, and will walk on the leg when he needs to. He had an opportunity to come home while we await the next evaluation. However, we felt that since the wound still needed daily flushing, and his condition was still guarded, that he was best left at the hospital under close care of trained professionals and staff. We reluctantly left Lewis, knowing he would have enjoyed a respite from the stall confinement, but feared the danger in moving him several hours in our van and caring for him at home were potentially more risky than leaving him in his safe environment. As long as he continues to cope with his situation, we feel he is better off there. We miss him and hope that he can continue to improve to the point where perhaps in a few more weeks, we can bring him home for good!
February 17, 2001
Not much progress but still trying
The latest progress report is that Lewis is running a bit of fever, and is on more antibiotics. The discharge from the wound is clearing, and he is using the leg. However, radiographs from earlier in the week did not show any appreciable bone re-growth. Some dead bone and another broken screw will need to be removed, but due to the possibility that the leg could still break, surgery for this will have to wait.
We are now praying that Lewis can keep fighting, and begin to see some bone re-growth. Once enough bone replacement has occurred, further debridement of the dead tissue will be required to completely clear the infection. We hope he can keep holding on during this painfully slow recovery.
February 9, 2001
Another visit and update
Lewis is still hanging tough, with antibiotics and flushing of the wound. His appetite is still good and although he is quiet, he did "answer" us and seemed happy to recognize us. He also seems to sense the direction of "home" when we walked him briefly. Dr. Silveira gave us encouraging words about the nature of the drainage, and feels maybe they are getting the infection under control. We are hoping that each passing day is bringing some increased bone replacement, although radiographs will have to wait awhile before they show the actual status.
We were happy to say hello to Dr. Toni Cotton, who's visit at OSU coincided with ours. She was going to also stop in and see Lewis while she was there to see how her famous patient was progressing. It has been through the skill and dedication of these veterinarians that Lewis has had a chance to overcome this terrible ordeal.
February 3, 2001
Lewis has Visitors from Home
We were able to visit Lewis Saturday at the OSU veterinary hospital. Lewis had succumbed to depression and loss of appetite over the last couple of days, and the staff brought Lewis an alpaca buddy from their research program to keep him company. Having another camelid friend in the stall definitely perked Lewis' spirits. When we visited he was alert and eating well. After his wound was flushed and he received his antibiotics, we were able to take a short walk down the hallway. Lewis was interested in the occupants of the other stalls, and seemed more than happy to continue down the hall; perhaps to where he hoped the van waited to take him home! He reluctantly returned to his stall, where he was fed and we shared lots of hugs and back scratches. He seemed happy and we are thankful that the staff at OSU has made his stay there welcome and comfortable; and especially for his new friend!
Lewis gets a hug during our visit at OSU
Antibiotic therapy and daily flushing will continue on Lewis and his progress closely monitored. Dr. Silveira is assisted by a team of veterinary students that have been giving Lewis the same special care that they would share with their own beloved pets. We hope he can keep his spirits up through all of this, and we know that their attention and care is a huge part of Lewis' recovery.
Again we thank everyone keeping up on the internet for their supporting thoughts, emails and prayers!
The long hall to recovery at The
Ohio State Veterinary Teaching Hospital
January 30, 2000
Another Hurdle Overcome!
Lewis underwent surgery today, which Dr. Silveira has reported to have gone well. They did not find the bone to be in any worse shape than the radiographs had predicted, much to our relief. The doctor removed a screw, some wire, did extensive debridement of the infected bone, and drained the large abscessed area. The plate is still holding at both ends of the femur and providing support. Lewis this afternoon is in his stall recovering and able to stand, putting some weight on the leg. Extensive follow up will now be done to keep the wound flushed and antibiotics to treat the infection. The next few days are critical to determine if the infection can be overcome. There is a risk that the bone could break in its weakened state. Fortunately, there were no splinters or fractures of the femur, so healing appears to have occurred before the infection set in.
Again thank you to everyone who is keeping up on Lewis' recovery; we truly feel your thoughts and prayers are what are making the difference! We continue to pray for guidance to the doctors and surgeons and Lewis' own resilience to keep fighting his way back to health!
January 29, 2000
Surgery postponed
We have been kept in suspense all day, however we finally linked up with Dr. Silveira this afternoon. Lewis did not have surgery today, as they took more radiographs and discussed his prognosis with other doctors at OSU. The good news is that there may be more good bone there than the original x-ray showed. However, the chance of saving the leg is still slim. The doctor feels we have a chance and will do surgery tomorrow to clean up the infection. Lewis is still eating well and seems to be feeling well over the course of the weekend. We are hoping and praying that the doctors can indeed work a miracle for Lewis. We are praying for him!
January 26, 2001
At OSU
This installment is difficult to report, as the news is not good. After fighting the bone infection for a month, we took Lewis to Ohio State in hopes that hospitalization and more aggressive treatment might help him. Their initial radiograph shocked us by showing that the majority of the femur was now badly infected. The plate appears to be the only thing holding the leg together. Lewis seems to feel good and walks quite well, so this extensive damage was unexpected. Lewis will undergo surgery on Monday to determine the true extent of the infection. The doctors feel that Lewis will indeed need a miracle to save the leg. Lewis' very life is in the balance, and we deeply appreciate all the thoughts and prayers of those of you have written to offer your support for our gentle, brave companion.
January 21, 2000
For the past month, Lewis has been on rotating antibiotics to combat a bone infection. Persistent snow coverage and cold weather has curtailed his outside walks. Confined to his stall, visits from other llamas and attention from us does not replace his previous freedom of the pasture. He knows our attention often includes needles (twice daily) and sometimes painful treatment of the incision. He still has the infection, although he is walking well on the days when we have been able to get him outside. The lingering snow has hidden the winter grass in all but a few places, which we have sought out to provide Lewis a welcome treat. We continue to support him and he keeps fighting, although his illness seems to be lasting as long as the cold winter weather. We keep praying to see a turn-around soon.
December 29, 2000
Lewis and all of us had a nasty surprise Christmas day when his incision, which had been healed for weeks, came open and oozed a white, ominous pus. Dr's Toni and Gary Cotton saw him in their office on December 27, and determined that the new callous growing around the break had an infection. Dr. Gary cleaned out the area and inserted a drain. Lewis is now back on antibiotics and has the area flushed twice daily. If we can get the infection cleared up he should continue to heal well. A photo showing the long incision and ends of a piece of surgical tubing inserted to keep the area open for drainage and twice-daily flushing. Not a pretty sight!
The good news was that radiographs taken on December 27 showed the bone plate still intact and holding! Other than the infection, the bone is healing and well and we are very hopeful of a good recovery.
December 23, 2000
A White Christmas
Lewis has been stall-bound for the last three weeks with our early snow fall. He still takes twice-daily walks about the garage, but there is no fresh grass to be found! He is reluctant to stand on his healing leg, though he walks easily. The callous forming around the bone appears to result in a difference to Lewis that makes him not want to stand on the leg. We don't believe he is in any pain at this time as pain killers do not alleviate his reluctance to use the leg. It is still a few weeks before complete healing can be assumed, so we will keep his activity confined until then. He enjoys visitors as a welcome stimulus to his long days of confinement. He also enjoys having his back, neck, belly and all four legs scratched vigorously, and this has become part of our daily ritual!
November 25, 2000
Fresh grass in the front yard
As the days have gone by, Lewis has been resting more comfortably, able to kush easily and his pain seems to be easing. The long 18 inch incision is healing well. Lewis has gotten to walk to the front yard and nibble some grass, which has been a welcome diversion from his hay! He has gotten excited by the "almost freedom," and tried to move more quickly on that leg than we would like, so we keep an eye on him to prevent any over-activity.
November 19, 2000
Lewis Comes Home!
Lewis came home this afternoon, though he enjoyed all the attention at the Cotton's farm, we are happy to have him back! He is not putting much weight on his leg and still needs medication and careful care, but his appetite is good and he seems to be very much like the ole Lewis that we remember!
November 14, 2000
Lewis undergoes complex surgery for broken femur
Lewis spent the weekend of November 10-12 at Dr. Justin Janssen's in Sheridan, Indiana. Dr. Janssen kept Lewis comfortable and on mild pain killers, while Lewis negotiated his surroundings on three legs. On November 13, we transported Lewis to Dr's Toni and Gary Cotton of Findley, Ohio. They examined the x-rays and felt that they could do a successful repair of the rear femur, using a human plate.
On the evening of November 14, Lewis underwent surgery. The break proved to be far more damaging than the x-rays showed. The bone was split longitudinally. Three veterinarians and assistance from the local hospital were called upon. Lewis weathered the surgery well, and as of morning of November 15, was reported to be able to stand. He is eating and accepting the affection of the veterinary clinic. His prognosis is currently very good. He will be moved later to Dr. Toni Cotton's farm for a more comfortable stay until we take him back home.
Thank you to everyone for their help and support during this crisis! Starting with our farm sitters, to the veterinarians and all the folks at the ALSA National, our heartfelt thank you for helping us and our llamas get through this ordeal!
Our farm sitters David and Colleen, upon finding the melee of several adult males mixed in with our females and crias, had to individually catch and coral the would-be studs. They lifted Lewis into their minivan for a ride to our vet, an hour away. They waited for our return from Missouri and had a long night that lasted into the wee hours of the morning, making sure all the llamas were safe and accounted for. We don't know what we would have done without their help at this most critical time!
Thank you to our long-time veterinarian, Dr. Justin Janssen for taking in Lewis during the late evening and caring for him all weekend until our return. We knew he was in the best of hands!
Thank you to all the folks at the ALSA Nationals who unselfishly acted to assist us when we had to rush home, a drive of several hours that could easily preclude our ability to either care for or show our llamas in Columbia. Our friends instantly chipped in to feed and care for our llamas, and made arrangements to groom them before the show and be sure that each llama had a handler to go into the show ring in the event that we could not return in time. Show management and people who found out about our situation all helped, and as we left Missouri to head for home, we knew our animals were in good hands! 4H youth had even been contacted to help out if necessary. We even had an offer to bring our llamas back home to us, in case we could not return that weekend. What a relief to not have to worry about them as we faced the long trip home to unknown damage.
When we returned to the show grounds Saturday morning after hours of driving and a sleepless night, our stalls were clean, and animals ready for the last minute touch ups to enter the show ring. We are truly indebted to the efforts of many people who jumped in to take care of our animals; some friends that we had known and others that we would make the acquaintance of that weekend! Thank you! When people say that llama folks are the greatest, they really mean it!
And lastly, thank you to Dr's Toni and Gary Cotton for doing the surgery on Lewis. Your willingness to undertake this difficult task in only matched by Lewis' courage through all he has been through. Our trust in your capabilities has been repaid many times over.
