Through The Dirt and Fame (major revisions)

Chapter Seventeen

- Churchill Downs stables -

Jack, Nicole and I rushed to the stables to find out what's wrong with Emily, we saw Michael standing in front of Barn C and we hopped out of the truck and ran to him.

"How's she? Is the vet here? Is she still not standing?" I asked.

"Nathan, calm down, breath in an out. The vet ain't here yet, he's about 5 minute away. Emily was still in the same condition last I checked, she's not standing." I took everything Michael said, I breathed in and out slowly. He motioned us to follow him, and we did. We quietly walked to Emily's stall, where I saw her lying on her side, breathing fast, sweating and wheezing. I'd never had a problem like this with any horse of mine. So I didn't know what she had. She looked in pain. I felt my eyes swell with tears.

"When did you notice this?" I asked.

"Well, she'd been sitting in her stall for a while now, cause you said you guys were taking her back to the farm tomorrow. So to calm her a bit I walked her around the barn cause she looked uneasy, so we walked and she started wheezing, and sweating so we came back and then as soon as I let unclipped the lead, she went to the ground and hasn't gotten up since. So I called the vet, he said he'd be here in an hour, 45 minutes at the earliest. It's been about 50 minutes now." I looked to Emily again. 

It hurt to see her like this, I knew it was bad what she had, and I didn't know what it was. Then we heard hurried footsteps coming towards us. I turned to see the vet, and relief slightly came over me.

"Where's the filly?" He asked, and I nodded my head to the stall Emily was in. He walked into the stall and checked Emily. He turned to Michael. "What happen?" He asked, and Michael repeated the same story to me to the vet. "Well it's seems Emily has colic. Her heart rate has risen to 60 plus beats per minute, her increased attention to hind quarters, she was kicking, her sweating, change in activity level, and she has a pale gum color. We need to take Emily to Rood & Riddle, she has to under go surgery. She has a severe case of colic so help me get her up and follow me to the Equine Hospital." I nodded and Jack, Michael and I had to pull with all strength to get Emily up, she started kicking and pawing, but continued to groan and wheeze. We lead her to the Vets trailer and loaded her in and we got in the truck and follows them to Rood & Riddle.

-

We got to Rood & Riddle, and we hopped out of the truck and helped the vets get Emily out, as soon as we got her out, they took the lead and lead her inside for surgery. She was trying to nip and bite the vets, and you could hear her whinnies as they lead her in the hospital. We followed the vet inside but not where Emily was, and we sat outside waiting for news on her.

"What's the survival chance for her?" Nicole asked.

The vet turned to us. "I've seen cases like Emily's, I've seen horses walk away from it," Nicole sighed with relief. "but most don't make it. She's in severe pain. The chances of survival are about 44%." Nicole sharply breathed in. "I'd talk it over about what you might do. Most people put their horses out of their pain and suffering." I looked to Jack, he has tears streaming down his face, I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. This isn't how it's going to end. It's not going to end. Not today.

We waited, and waited, and waited I and waited. For news on Emily. Until a vet came out. We all stood up.

"How's she?" Nicole asked, the vet looked at her.

"She is fine for now. We have lowered her heart rate almost back to normal. Her activity level is better, she's walking around. She still hasn't eaten, the color in her gums is back. That's good. She has stopped sweating, biting and kicking. But she still looks to her hind quarters in pain, and wheezes. Emily is going to have to stay with us for a few months. If she improves. She could be out by Early March." I looked to Nicole and Jack.

"That's fine. Can we see her before we leave though?" Nicole said, the vet nodded. "Thank you-"

"It's Charles James." He said and Nicole smiled and we followed Charles to the stall Emily had. As soon as she saw us, Emily raised her head, and softly whinnied. I smiled and she slowly walked to us, her stall was quite big. I stopped in front of the door. She nuzzled my hand and I pet her big head. Nicole hugged her. I smiled and let Jack pet her.

"It's great she's owned by people who love her and care. I've been a fan since her maiden, honor to be caring for her." Charles said.

"Yeah, she's usually nice.  A Princess. Loves attention and racing."

"Colic, could slightly take an edge off her. Racehorses come in a lot, and go back to the races. But they don't show the spirit they use to have." I nodded, and a thought flashed in my mind of Emily losing every race after this. Never being as great as she was in her Juvenile career, and running in a low level claimer. I blocked the thought. I couldn't think about that right now.

Our original plans where scratched out for her, Early March. A Oaks prep that's before we could possibly go for is the Gazelle. But we'll have to see when he gets out of here. I hope she doesn't lose her love for the track...