Last night I watched a documentary on TV about an incredible woman in USA who had her face and hands ripped off in a horrific attack by a pet chimpanzee. The programme followed this lady's amazing progress as she battled for survival then as she recovered and overcame her atrocious injuries, with a face transplant. Years previous to the attack she was a rodeo rider. She loved horses. After her face transplant she said that she sometimes dreams she is riding horses and she exerted her conviction that she would one day ride again.
My sister was a very keen rider. She was as a young teenager. Every birthday, all she wanted as her birthday treat, was to go pony trekking. She dreamed of one day having a horse of her own. Less than a year before she died her dreams came true. Katy had been competing at horse shows for the last few years - very successfully so - winning trophies and ribbons. She initially leased her horse, Charlie and right from the start they were a match made in heaven. Charlie was a naughty boy for most other riders, but he and Katy formed a special bond right away. They both learned under their trainer, Matthew, both developing and honing their skills.
During Katy's treatment for her brain tumour, she visited the barn where she kept Charlie as often as she could. Just to see Charlie and the other horses and visit with her friends at the barn. After her surgery in October 2011 when I flew out to help look after her, I drove her to the barn so she could see Charlie. The barn hands had Charlie all ready so Katy could groom him, give him his favourite treat of mints and just love him and pet him. She was so overjoyed to see him and he looked overjoyed to see her. He was a massive horse - as tall as I am i had to stretch my arm fully to brush his back. But he stood there as gentle as a lamb for Katy, as if he knew that he had to be careful not to bump her head.
It all got too overwhelming for Katy and she laid her head on her arms, resting on Charlie's beautiful belly and just broke her heart. She was so upset not to be able to ride her beautiful boy. But it made her all the more determined that she would do so again.
So she fought like fuck. She endured over 20 sessions of radiotherapy and received a standing ovation from the other patients on leaving the clinic after her last session. And as soon as the Surgeon gave her the thumbs up, she was back on Charlie. She told me once that the only time she forgot that she was ill was when she was riding. Charlie was her therapy that worked. That helped her to forget what she was going through and gave her sheer bliss and happiness.
Katy did manage to compete again after her treatment. She worked so hard with her occupational therapy to regain enough strength in her hands to enable her to ride again.
A tree was planted at the barn where Katy spent so many happy hours, in her memory. A tribute to her strength and determination.
My sister was an amazing inspiration to me. She reinforced to me that life is so precious and that when we are strong, despite life's adversities, we can accomplish so much.
I like to think that Katy is somewhere now on a horse, galloping across a green field, filled with joy and peace.
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