Determination

Chapter 18

The snow is gone and May has begun. It's been six months since me and my dad moved in with my grandparents up in Eli, Minnesota. It's also been seven months since I've been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Chemotherapy is working, I have'nt had an attack since I started the chemo, I feel like its all been a dream, the fainting, needles, pains, doctors etc... the only downfall to the chemo is that Im bald, I lost my long, wavy blond locks a month into chemotherapy. I started school again and made some new friends. Me and Lady are ready for the show season, Artisto the gelding, that we got a couple months ago is going to start training, he just turned three but he's still a crazy boy, and very energetic but he's a fast learner. My dad and mom are officially divorced, dad's met someone new and Im happy for him. My birthday is coming up and I cant wait to celebrate it with my grandparents this year!

After school I head over to the hospital, ready for my weekly dose of posion. Parking my car I head into the hospital, following the well known route, I find my way easily to my chair next to the two old ladies, Edith chuckles as I plop down in my chair "Your still alive I see, but your looking like crap each time I see you" I smile at her and say "I will beat this Edith, I won't give up" she laughs at me and replies "What are you and your mare Lady going to make It to the Olympics?" she pauses to cough "Wohoo the girl with Acute myeloid leukimia wins the gold, I doubt cancer will let you kid, you dont get it" I interrupt her "Edith I do get it, cancer is an obstacle, a jump that we need to canter over to win the race. I am not ready to head up to heaven yet, if you want to spend your days moaning and groaning go ahead but Im not, so please stop giving me crap about how Im going to die! " Fran laughs and Edith turns to stare out the window. I spend the next four hours reading, signing up for competitions and doing homework.

It's around 8:30 PM by the time I get home, driving into the driveway I see the arena lights on, I kill the engine and hop out, heading over to the arena, I enter the arena and glance through the old, foggy viewing window to see my grandpa with Artisto, working on the lungeline. Artisto is going crazy, its the first time on the lungeline and he hates it. I push open the arena door and yell over to grandpa "Hey, need any help?" he laughs and yells back "No its fine Valory, he's just acting up" Artisto starts to buck and grandpa starts to loose control of the lungeline, i race over and grab a hold of it. Grandpa yells "Let it go, before he drags you around" I let go of the line and so does grandpa he swears at the horse loudly, then he turns around, glancing at me and makes his way out of the arena. I look up to see Artisto looking at me over in the corner of the arena, sighing I walk towards him, grabbing the lunge line I whisper to him "Artisto really, you'll have to learn sometime!" he neighs and walks proudly like he accomplished something. I laugh leading him into the washstall, hosing his sweaty body off and putting him back into his stall, then I head up to the house. Im about to head into the living room where grandma and grandpa are sitting when I hear what they are talking about grandpa is telling grandma "That horse is just to crazy for my age, the whole time I was training him he would'nt calm down!" grandpa pauses and grandma says "Well why dont we just sell him, if you cant put up with the horse?" she continues "I dont even understand why you bought him Frank, the barn is old and nobody comes here anymore, why do we need a showing prospect anymore?" grandpa sighs "I dont know honey, I just thought maybe, oh nevermind I'll sell him" its quiet in the living room, Im shocked, why would they sell him? He just needs a patient person to put up with him! I burst into the living room and yell to grandpa "NO, we are not getting rid of him. He just needs a patient trainer" grandpa responds "Valory, I cant put up with him." replying "Grandpa give me the end of summer to turn him around before you sell him" he sputters "Valory..." I interrupt "Grandpa I get until the end of summer, thats that" Ileave the room and head up to my bedroom and start writing in my new journal (Early birthday present) dreams, and hopes for my future.