Thursday, August 07, 2014

Dead Sheep

I went for a walk with Rory and the dogs this morning, and came across a dead sheep in the paddock near our driveway. It had died in labour and I could see the dead lamb's head and hooves poking out. The sight broke my heart.  Yes, it's just a sheep. Yes, this is a common occurrence during lambing season. But I felt for the poor creature. Then I thought about how glad I am to be human and to live at this point in time in Australia.

How are blessed are we to have medical intervention so easily available in this country! In this age of obstetricians, c-sections, epidurals, and foetal monitors we can forget that labour is still a risky process if you're an animal, or a person in a developing country. I had an emergency c-section and if I lived long ago, Rory and I may both well have died.

Personally I think too many women in Australia approach labour wanting a perfect birthing experience. We tend to get shocked and disappointed when things don't go to plan. Despite the advances in medical care, birth is still risky. We live in a fallen world where producing children is hard.

I feel so sad for that poor ewe and her lamb....but I am thankful.

2 comments:

Rodney Olsen said...

I am so thankful that we do have such great healthcare here in Australia.

I was reminded how good we have it when I met a couple with six month old triplets in Rwanda. If it wasn't for Compassion being there I think that mum and the three girls wouldn't have survived. Makes me so sad to think of the millions around the world who don't have access to even the most basic healthcare.

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, those poor lambs! Yes, we sure can be thankful to have a standard like this. My SIL´s eyes are at risk, still she wants a "normal birth", knowing her eyes can be fixed afterwards if really something happens.