" A Strange Day " Warning: This Post Contains a Disturbing Image.

I have to start by saying that my nerves are shot. Today was definitely the topper but after having two major surgeries within five months, feeling so, so tired and dealing with a highly hormonal seventeen year old daughter, add to that a mega dose of cabin fever,

and you have a very tired, stressed woman.

I thought I was dealing with things pretty well. As well as I could be considering. Until a knock to my front door early this afternoon.

As usual my two dogs went crazy barking and circling in front of the door as I looked out the window to see who was there. It was one of our police officers.

My first thought, being that we live in the older part of town, was that he may be looking for someone who was running from the law, perhaps through my neighbors and our adjoining driveway which leads to the ally.

I opened the door and went out on the porch. The police officer proceeded to tell me a story that just made my mouth open and sort of, I guess put me in a bit of a state of shock or disbelief. Whatever it was, I was too dumbfounded to ask questions and just said "O.K.".

He told me that there was a deer in my yard on the side of my house where the central air conditioner sits. Most of my yard is fenced in so I wondered how the deer wandered back there. Did he jump the fence? Or did he come in through the ally and wander off to the side of the house?

Just beyond the A.C. unit is where the buck was found. Next to the chimney.

  

The officer spoke quickly as he told me there was a deer in my yard who's leg was broken off and they were going to put it down and get it out of my yard.

I have seen many, many deer over the years around town but never in thirteen years had I seen one on my street let alone in my yard. I made the mistake of looking out the window by the A.C. unit and I saw the young buck sitting with his back to me just trembling and shaking. My heart sank.

I walked away from the window and went back into the dining room and that's when I heard it.

I have heard gun shots before but never, ever had I heard one as loud as this. My house reverberated from the sound and I went into hysterics.

I was on the phone with my husband and just started sobbing. His words were not helping me even though he was trying very hard to calm me. I hung up on him. This all happened within about five minutes and I truly don't understand what happened to me.

The next thing I remember was seeing two officers taking the deer out to the ally. I vaguely remember the officer saying that someone would be picking it up.

In the meantime my husband kept trying to call me back. I didn't answer right away. I had to wait until I could process what was happening. Then my neighbor came to the door to ask if I was alright. He heard the shot and saw the police. He thought a stray dog may have wandered into my yard. I told him what happened and later saw him talking to the officer.

I wish I would have thought to ask how they knew that the buck got into my yard. Did a neighbor see it and report it? The police station is a block down the street, did an officer see it by chance? There are always patrol cars that drive down the street.

I guess I'm just very naive. This really upset me. I've been around death before, I used to work in a funeral home for crying out loud. Maybe I was so upset because it was an innocent animal. In any case I felt really silly for letting this get to me so much. We have deer hunters in our family. This shouldn't have been such a big deal.

But none the less it was. And it upset me deeply.

It took me a long time to get over it today. My nerves were shot and exhaustion overwhelmed me. I thought by posting what happened someone could explain why I was such a baby about this incident.

It made me question my mental stability. I've always considered myself to be very strong emotionally and physically. Am I just getting older and loosing that strength that I thought I possessed?

There has been things going on with my family members that has had me quite worried as well. I guess this incident could have been the one that pushed me over the edge. 

I am tired this evening. Like every night since the last surgery, I'm exhausted. Sleep has been pretty good. Yet during the day, I'm tired. It's getting better slowly. Maybe it just all hit me hard from being so tired. In any case, thank you for listening if you've come this far.