I was going to college, when not in class I was working in a Fortune 500 company's employee benefits department, training hunter/jumper equestrians & their mounts all while buying/training/showing & selling my own horses . I always at least 1 "made" (finished) champion & 2 or 3 "green" (not so made) horses of my own in training. I had a very busy life with no room for hospital visits.
I had no idea I was having a health challenge. Most of us don't until the day arrives that your body says "I can't keep up with your schedule any longer".
That day appeared while I was in the air on my Silver Lining grey mare. It was in a Gran Prix class. When she landed, I was passed out.. Hours of training "Blue" on what my childhood trainer called an "emergency dismount" worked! When she felt me lying on her neck, she slowed to a walk. She stopped at the arena wall. I have no clue how long a nap I had.
I still had no idea what was going on with my body. I didn't feel any different than before I entered the arena. I loaded up the horses & hugged my students as I congratulated them on another week of their winning ways.
Traditionally, Monday is the day most equestrian facilities are closed to the public. It's our day to wash all the dirty saddle pads, leg wraps & horse blankets or sheets we used over the prior week. I woke at the normal time. The last thing I remembered was sitting up on the side of the bed. It would be noon before I regained conscious. Surely someone was playing games with my clock!
The rest of the day was again "normal". But just in case - I made an appointment for the next week to get checked out by a local doctor. I didn't have a doctor so any one would do. Wrong!
The appointment was very short. The doctor did a cursory exam of my body - temperature, palpated glands, looked at my eyes - then sent me home with 30 days of antibiotics. I didn't like what he said - "I want you to come back in 30 days to run some tests. If I test you today it will show you have leukemia."
30 days later I was a "no show". I didn't want to face the answers to any tests. Besides I didn't have any more of those "naps". Those antibiotics must have done the trick. Well - or maybe not. Time would tell.
(Note to Self - Find photo of Silver Lining)
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