At the young age of six years-old, Emily Somerville of Rockwall, Texas has already overcome challenges that many people never have to face during their lifetime. Born on May 21, 2007, Emily was diagnosed with Short Bowel Syndrome.
The doctors at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska recommended a life-saving multi-organ (small bowel, liver and pancreas) transplant. In 2009, her first transplant of an isolated bowel failed and Emily had to wait a few years before she was able to try the transplant again and this time received three new organs: a new bowel, liver, and pancreas.
“We hope and pray that Emily’s new organs will be fine but there is no guarantee and we have always been aware that this may not be a life saving procedure, but rather a life extending one,” says Emily’s adoptive mother who first met Emily when she worked in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit where Emily was a patient. “She lives each day with the possibility of organ rejection and will have to take many medications for her lifetime. Her exposure to infections and viruses is high. So in some respects, she lives on the edge each day.”
Her foster and now adoptive parents, Theresa and Dave Somerville, have been by Emily’s side every step of the way helping her recover from her transplant procedures. Emily also has been helped by a new equine companion, Freds Lucky Lady (Frederica) that helps her get through the challenging days. The 19 year-old sorrel mare by TNT Fluid Fred is a point earner in the western pleasure, and, the Somerville’s, with the help of Shelley Rystrom, found Fredrica from Jess Herd.
“When Emily saw Fredrica for the first time, we saw a connection between Emily and Fredrica that we hadn’t ever witnessed before,” her mother recalls. “Fredrica is the first horse that Emily has ever walked up to and hugged and kissed. At that point in time, she did not know we were there to look at a horse for her.”
Emily’s first experience on a horse was during her Make A Wish trip when she was almost four years-old. The facility where the family stayed was called, “Give Kids the World”, a place designed specifically for kids with chronic and/or terminal medical conditions. The facility was like a theme park and provided horseback riding twice a week.
“The first time Emily rode at Give Kids the World, she was giggling loudly and yelling and waving to us as she rode,” her mother fondly recalls. “All the staff was laughing and enjoying Em’s enthusiasm and happiness. Emily loved riding so much she went back again later in the week, and she reminded us every day about when was it going to be time to ride.”
When Emily started home-bound school in Texas, her teacher, Pam Crenshaw, told the family about Jake E’s Riding Round-Up in Kaufman, Texas, a facility for therapeutic horseback riding. In September of last year, Pam scheduled a date for Emily to go visit the facility.
“She showed no fear of any of the horses and listened intently to the instructions she was being given. After that ride, Emily became hooked. It became her motivation to get home following her transplant,” Theresa states. “In fact, while she and I were in Nebraska, she would tell Dave to go to Jake E’s on the weekend to make sure the horses had water! Ever since she came home in April, she has been riding twice each week. It has built her confidence, has helped with her balance, and has increased her core strength as well as the strength in her legs.”
Somerville continues, “If it has been a few days between rides she will ask, ‘when do I get to ride again.’ Emily thinks that horses are ‘beautiful and sweet’. We think that being out at the ranch is very calming and peaceful. We also believe that, to some degree, being able to ride and control the horse gives Emily a sense of control, because in this medical life that she has, she has had, very little, to no control.”
During Emily’s multiple hospital stays in Nebraska, they met several horse people including Cat Chall, Shelley and Scott Rystrom, and Crystal and her daughter, Adi Friesen. The Somerville family also visited some of these people at local nearby horse shows throughout the year. During a show in Iowa Falls, Adi also visited Emily in the hospital nearby.
“Adi (pictured left) had won a trophy at the Iowa Falls event and brought it to give to Emily when she visited her in the hospital, complete with a note saying, ‘Em you are a winner!’ on it, written by Adi. She thought that Emily deserved the trophy for all she had been through. This family is so sweet,” says Emily’s mother, who first met Adi at a show earlier in the year in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Shelley and Scott also presented Emily with a gift of a champion trophy buckle (see main image). Emily is so proud of this buckle–as she is with the trophy Adi gave her.”
As seen by Emily’s joy of riding, she is definitely one lucky girl! Fredrica is now at Jake E’s Riding Round Up where Emily does her therapeutic horseback riding. Fredrica will also become part of the therapeutic program, so that not only Emily can ride her but other riders can enjoy her through this awesome therapeutic program.
“We appreciate each milestone Emily reaches whether it is in everyday life or the medical side of things. We look forward to Emily enjoying each and everything she can experience while she is healthy and we strive to make sure she has a happy and balanced life,” Theresa states. “We have learned that there are so, so many good people out there and many follow Emily’s journey and help us to make sure her life is a happy one. We have also learned that horses are a very important part in Emily’s healing process.”
If you would like to learn more about Emily and her journey please visit www.cotaforemilygraces.com
