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Blood cancers often present special challenges to patients and their doctors. Treatments sometimes hurt as much as they help, leaving patients vulnerable to infections and pneumonia. Kaye, one of my Team Honorees, is in that place right now – struggling with a stubborn MRSA infection. While my life marches on at a normal pace, hers is crawling in slow motion, waiting for improvement.
I’m riding more miles and climbing more mountains in preparation for my Team in Training event at Lake Tahoe. I was reminded last weekend that I need to take in enough calories to support the longer rides. It was humbling to get off my bike most of the way up a 3 mile climb in Craig County because my legs felt like lead weights! Time to be more mindful of the balancing act of life…trusting my coach with words of wisdom…keep a food journal, a log of your activities, and get enough rest. Words to live by! If these simple things would only work for Kaye…
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This is Holy Week, a week in which we read familiar biblical texts and recall the events of Jesus’ final days. The Lenten season has provided a time to tune up our disciplines of body, mind, and spirit, to become more mindful and discerning about all aspects of our lives. Holy Week is a reminder that we will experience uncertainty on the way to clarity, suffering on the way to healing and wholeness, grief on the way to new life. It is about transformation.
This week, I attended an auction. My friend Cheri Houston has sold her house, sold her belongings, and will begin a new chapter in her life in Vancouver, BC. Her husband Mike was on our TNT cycle team last year. He was strong and lean…and motivated. We could see his symptoms appearing again…and in July, he lost his battle with leukemia. So many emotions…so much grief…on the way to new beginnings. Cheri is my role model. She transformed her suffering into something positive. New challenges and new beginnings are the stuff of real life.
Training for a century ride involves a transformation of body, mind, and spirit. Raising funds in a sagging economy takes twice the effort. But YOU can cheer me on with your words of encouragement and your contributions to the cause.
A Blessed Easter to you!
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We never tire of April Fool’s Day, do we? Our son Josh made a fool out of me and it was good for 15 min. of animated conversation between Mike and me. I responded to Josh by e-mail, “Really?” He responded, “Do you know what day this is?” April Fool!!!! In spite of dire diagnoses, docs who feel like dingbats when they can’t find cures, dashed dreams of a normal life, our friends with blood cancers are often the ones keeping us in stitches, saying, “April Fool!” Laughter is healing and beneficial. Keep a list of funny movies close at hand. Watch one with a friend who needs to laugh, and you’ll double the healing properties of laughter. Life has been hectic but good! The weather only occasionally cooperates for long training rides, and that’s when I am grateful for spin classes…I can’t wait to watch the spring season unfold on these long rides. Nothing compares to riding the roads in six counties as we prepare for the big ride in June. It is positively life-giving to be out there…and it gives me time to think of more ways to engage you in raising awareness and funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Every little bit helps…it all adds up to more effective treatments and cures. Peace be with you this day! Jan