Sassafras Gold "Sassy" ~1999 Palomino Quarter Horse

Sassy is a 8 yr old palomino Quarter Horse. She is a miracle horse and has been through so much since I rescued her in November 2005. She was pregnant and very sick with what we thought at the time to be cancer. I hoped she would live to have the baby and then nurse it. She not only had a healthy, beautiful palomino filly, Bailey, on Feb 19, 2006 but Sassy continued to fight to live so I fought with her. In March 2006 she was diagnosed with a disease known as Amylodious. It caused tumors in her eyes and nasal cavities. This disease was so rare that the University of TN had never seen a case and there were only a few ever reported in the US and a few in Europe. The nasal tumors finally got to the point where it was becoming increasingly diffucult for Sassy to breath. It was at that point I knew we had to take some drastic measures to save her life. I could see that Sassy still had fight in her and was giving it her all so I kept on going for her. There was no known treatment for this disease so the University of TN's best solution was to do a temporary tracheotomy and start her on high doses of steroids to see if it would help reduce the tumors in her eyes and nose. The steroids did help quite a bit but it wasn't enough to have them disappear altogether. It was then that I decided to go ahead with a permanent tracheotomy (click on link to see the actual surgery). I had always said I would never go that far with her treatment but when it came down to either doing the tracheotomy or euthanize her then I knew I had to at least try. The thoughts of euthanasia at that point was just more then I could live with and I knew Sassy was still up for the fight. At no point through all of this did she ever give up or loose her high spirits. I nor Sassy have ever regretted my decision to do the permanent tracheotomy. Anyone that knew her back then and sees her now are amazed at how wonderful she looks. She gallops to me anytime I call her to me. She now runs and bucks and acts like a filly these days. She is fat, healthy and loving life. About a month after her tracheotomy I decided to take her for a ride. She had so much fun she even gave me a little 'feel good' buck. Now we enjoy trail riding together. I have never had a connection with a horse the way I do with Sassy. It is hard to explain but we understand each other. We completely trust each other and I swear she knows what I am thinking before I ever do anything. If it is possible to have a horsey soulmate then Sassy was destined to me mine. Everyday when I look at her  I thank God for letting me keep Sassy in my life. I know it is only with God's love and guidance that I was able to save Sassy. She is truly one of God's miracles.

Sassy August 2006, about 1 month following her permanent tracheotomy.

Sassy's tracheotomy

Sassy February 2006, this was 2 weeks after foaling. You can see Bailey's legs under Sassy.

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