2009 APPALOOSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ... what happened
After working to get all my horses qualified for the World Show, which the cut off was August 31, I started really concentrating on training for classes I knew I could be good in... mainly the over fences classes on my bay gelding The One. Working on taking lessons 2 to 3 times a week, I thought I'd never ridden better and was confident in letting my horse take care of me over a course. The week of Oct.11, I volunteered to put down 500 sq.' of floor tile in my neighbors' apartment conversion...plus grout it. Also did her floor and wall tile in the new bathroom. It came out beautiful. I'd also never felt better in my life.
Matt, my barn help, decided to give notice a few days before we were to leave... so I asked Nancy, my other help, to come help out w/ taking care of the horses and some of the easy driving across to Ft. Worth. I saw my primary care physician for a pneumonia shot on Wednesday, before I left. Had done normal yearly blood tests (thyroid check), and other than me mentioning that when I was down on the floor tiling, my bladder seemed a little full. Did a pee test, said I had a bladder infection, so put on one med. But that night, I felt like I'd done when I had pneumonia...so called Dr. and he switched medication to cover both.
Nancy and I started for Ft. Worth on Sunday the 18th. All went well, got into Flagstaff in plenty of time and horses travelled fine. Left Monday to go to Amarillo.... noticed during that part of the drive, my feet/ankles swollen more than normal. Also noticed swelling around abdomen...not bad, just uncomfortable. Left to go down to Pilot Point TX and stay with the King's at their ranch until move in day at Ft. Worth. By the time I drove the 6-7 hours to there on Tuesday, I felt like a tick... blown up from the inside out. I called my Dr. he said to go see someone immediately. I dropped off my trailer and horses and used the GPS to find Denton Regional Hospital. There they did a CAT scan and said the fluid was "ascities" fluid... fluid made from the liver. The cat scan showed scarring on the liver (cirrosis) and some "suspect" areas around. They admitted me and did a periosentisis (belly tap), and pulled 4 liters of fluid off. I felt human again. Still had the sloshing belly to deal with, but at least I was feeling better. We moved the horses down to Ft. Worth on Thursday. I felt good enough on Thursday night to ride the practice hunter hack, and on Friday, showed the Sr. Hunter Hack n The One and got 10th. I used vet wrap to wrap my belly to keep it from hurting. Saturday night though, I felt a different kind of pain in a different area and so used my GPS to find that Baylor All Saints Hospital is only 1.5 miles from the showgrounds. I went there... they admitted me, did a chest xray and found fre air under the abdomen. They didn't do anything other than observation that night, and since my big day was Sunday (roping day), I was able to talk them into letting me out. I ended up placing in the judged Heading and judged heeling. I saw that the fluid build up was continuing, so started cancelling my classes, since there wasn't a way for me to do them... I did ride the keyhole class, but felt a horrible ripping sound when Cactus stopped and a ton of pain. I'd asked Kris Keeler to ride my horses for me and she was Reserve Working Hunter on The One and 3rd on Cactus. Next day I saw Christy King show my black and white stud Back To Black and win the Hunter In Hand Stallions. Thursday late afternoon, I felt really bad. I went to Baylor, they kept me waiting for about 5 hours before seeing anyone. By that time, I was looking to die it hurt so bad. They did another belly tap, pulled of 7.5 liters of fluid this time and at about 5:15 PM, a gaggle of doctors decended... they said something was perforated and I had peritonitis, and needed an emergency laparectomy (explore). I called Nancy, who was supposed to have Cactus ready for the rope race (very important to me, this class)... she was still at the apartment (only a block and half from grounds).. I was frantic, since I'd asked Kris to ride him if I couldn't). At 5:30 pm, I remember dr.s asking when I last ate (lunch) and all, and after signing on the dotted line, that's the last I recall.
Don't know what all hapened after that... woke up in ICU w/ tubes everywhere..a NG tube up my nose (can't swallow), a PIC line, catheter... and aweful pain. I had a midline incision starting just under my ribs, all the way down to the nether regions...100+ staples. Over the next few days, got out of ICU to a private room. My trainers, friends at the horse show, came to see me and told me not to worry about the horses, they'd take care of them. When I was able to talk to the surgeon he'd told me there was an area that may have been like a perforated ulcer that had broken loose due to the pressure inside of the belly. there was one in the small bowel as well. Had nothing to do with the gastric bypass surgery I'd had 3 years ago. He also told me they took a wedge biopsy of the endrometrium, part of liver, and a few other samples. By Tuesday, labs came back... cancer. Type and extent would have to be determined w/ follow up tests.
One of my best friends up here and my jumping partner, Lynn, is a respiratory therepist and has had breast cancer 15 years ago. She has been the rock when I had questions and everything. She got me an appointment with her oncologist for Friday, Nov. 6. Peter flew to TX and we flew home. With a belly full of staples, sitting 3 hours in a plane is rough. Saw the oncologist on Friday... figured a course of action, tentatively. Monday morning came around, I got up and about a cup of bloody fluid came out the bottom staples.... and it HURT. I'd had a name of a surgeon to next see, but hadn't met him. Saw him ASAP on Monday morning...he thought the outer layer had a tear and maybe would need redoing... so he sent me to the new Carson Tahoe Hospital here in Carson City. They did a CBC and chest x ray. We drove home, only to get a call to go back. It was a blood clot this time. Since this fluid buildup was a major issue (I added 20 pounds of weight, all around the middle and legs), everyone agreed that the best thing to do is keep me there, try to get the fluid build up under control, plus manage the blood clots. So I stayed in the hospital in Carson until last Saturday. I had a PET scan and mammogram test for Thursday, and follow up w/ oncologist. A PET scan shows everywhere there is cancer. So the worst news came on Thursday...stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer. Oncologist still wants to do chemo, as is is "palative care", not curative. Which means it'll keep you going until you get you stuff in order, and eventually, it wont work. Even the best cases of this, you don't last a year...so I'm told.
I'm really sorry to have to write this all down and send to you guys...but sometimes I can't even talk about it...just blubber on and cry alot. I've learned alot these past few weeks... how many friends I have that would drop everything to help me out. It's hard for me... normally the "rock" to even admit I need help sometimes. As most of the horse show people know...news spread like wildfire. The one thing I do not want to do, is saddle Peter with a bunch of bills that are mine (I have paid to play alot, but then, have probably lived a fuller life than many). I currently have pneumonia as well, but there is a plan to start a few rounds of chemo and see how it goes... then see where we are.
As you can guess.... horses are going fast... people I've alreay contacted to have my breeding stock that I wanted them to go to have picked up horses, and about 12 left last week. It is a fire sale, I can not hold any horses/tack for payments, first come basis. I have just enough energy to update one page of sale horses...not their individual pages.
Karen Grimm
Black Horse Ranch
775-267-2708
Back To Black (2 xNat'l Ch., World Ch.)
