Monday night's swim is reserved for the beginners in our group, so I figured I would get a swim in on my own and I went to the pool where we used to play inner tube water polo, the Wavehouse. I swam 2250 yards and was supposed to focus on my breathing. I typically breathe every 4th stroke on my right side and really suck at breathing on my left side, but that is why I keep practicing. Anyways I made it through the workout and hit the showers. I typically like to dry off in the sauna cause I hate leaving super wet. Anyways while in the sauna I struck up a conversation with a friendly looking woman who I noticed was in a wheelchair and was doing aqua-therapy in the pool. We got to talking and I asked her how she got injured. Turns out she has hodgkins-lymphoma, and due to too much radiation lost her ability to move her leg. I asked how her cancer was doing now, and she told me that it had spread to her ovaries and she was due for surgery to remove them. She was hoping that they could remove it all, so that she can buy some more time, and put off a bone marrow transplant for as long as possible.She was only 41, and her own daughter was 21, which was about the same age that I started that journey with my mother. I told her about my training and fundraising and she thanked me so sincerely. She really feels like she "will see a cure" in her lifetime. I told her that I wouldn't give up what I was doing, as long as she didn't give up the hope of also finding a cure. It is these moments that I am reminded why I do this year after year. As I told her "I never want to meet another you in the future...no offense of course!" She understood and we parted ways.
My friend Julie's (whom I met running my first boston marathon) mother is also in need of some thoughts and prayers right now. Her mother, Connie or "ma" has been plugging away with multiple myeloma for many years now and is experiencing a slight "set back" right now. I pretty much live for the fact that she is surviving and thriving with the same disease that took my own mothers life so quickly. She is a reminder to me about how just a few months to a year really can make all the difference. You just never know when a breakthrough will be made. And you just never know if it was your donation that helped to see that through. So please donate to my cause now more than ever!
Bri and I spent about 3 hours making chocolate lollipops for St. Patrick's Day. I thought I could sell them at work to help with my fundraising, but they put the kabosh on that so I am going to try to sell some to my teammates. It was quite a throwback doing this and it brought back great memories of sitting with my mom in the kitchen at kingston rd, melting chocolate, and pouring them into the candy molds for all the various holidays. Good times, especially licking the spoon!!!
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