Rebecca Howard

Hello Hello.  It is me now!

I am graduating from my blackberry to the laptop so I can now play on my blog.  Huge thank you’s to Sinead for keeping everyone updated on how I was doing early on… and to my mom for providing updates.  I have to say they are pretty darn good “bloggers” …. and have set a very high entertainment standard for me to follow… I’ll do my best!!

The Garden

As someone who completely depends on physical health for my career and do what I love to do, it is a huge setback when I find myself broken.  Nothing could have prepared me for the caring and support I have received from so many.  The response has been overwhelming … and I am not sure I can adequately express how I feel about the amazing people around me.   What I have experienced over the past two weeks demonstrated the quality people in my life… you are an amazing group…let me tell ya!

Of course my family is the best… my parents have put their life on hold and are here in NC from BC.  My mom has been by my side since the moment she got here last Monday.  My dad is here now and his support and wisdom is so great to have around.  I am also getting a great visit in with my parents as opposed to the regular “work camp” theme. They report that this is quite different from the usual “visit the spot where Rebecca was last seen”/ moving target thing that is common with competition visits!  There is also nothing better than Dad’s eggs…I have not had a very big appetite…but I still seem to have room for his eggs!

I am so grateful that my USA parents – Jim and Bernadette Cogdell, were at Pine Top that day.   No one could be wiser or more knowledgeable about hospital selection than Jim.    Apparently he is also a candidate for NASCAR, arriving in Charlotte to greet me off the helicopter.   Bernadette stayed with me through til my mom’s arrival the next day, and managed all the home prep for my return home to the Fork.  I am always so touched by their tremendous caring.

As acknowledged in previous blog posts, my barn kept functioning because of the tremendous effort from key people.  Rebecca VonSchweintz (or Little R as we call her) has gone above and beyond…. She is keeping everyone in line and so much has been able to keep in order because of her.

To the working students, I am sure this in not quite how they saw their month looking, but they are working hard and I appreciate their commitment and positive spirit.

Thanks and appreciation must go out as well to Charlie Cooper and the Fork Staff for filling the gaps and helping me to “breathe easier” !

Sinead Halpin, Lynn Symansky and Susan BeeBee are such dear dear friends and have stepped in where ever needed with my horses, students and clients.

David O’Connor did not hesitate for a moment in offering to keep Rupert in work.  I so appreciate this and reports are that

The Terrace

all is going well.   The David/Rupert duo will now provide the Dressage Test ride at the Fork CCI… I’m almost as excited about that as Ruppie is !!!

To everyone from far and near sending me well wishes, texting, emails, blogs, facebook, flowers and phone calls – I offer my heartfelt thank you.  Your kindness has been simply awesome and has meant a great deal to me.  I can only say that on a scale of 1 to 10…..there isn’t a number high enough to describe the support that has been shown to me.

Tears and Laughter from Rebec