Wow! As of today, I have received just over 50% of the minimum amount of funds I need to participate in my race in January!
To go to Phoenix, I need to raise at least $3650. Of that amount, 25% goes toward my travel, lodging and registration and the remaining 75% goes to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fund research and patient services. Anything that comes in beyond that minimum goes 100% to the Society! I have chosen a goal of $5000, above and beyond my required minimum. That would mean a total of $4087.50 going toward the goal of finding a cure for thousands of current and countless future cancer patients. I hope to reach that goal and even to surpass it!
A great big THANK YOU to everyone who has donated and become part of my team! You all ROCK!
If you are interested in joining my team by helping me raise the remainder of my goal, please check out the link to the right that says Contribute On Line. Or contact me at jamn3kids@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
"Cheek" This Out
Last spring I organized a drive through my kids’ school to encourage parents, teachers and friends to join the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. This event was a success resulting in a number of people joining and awareness of the program itself being raised among countless others.
Each year, more than 30,000 patients are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or another life-threatening disease treatable by a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Of those patients, seventy percent are unable to find a matching donor within their family and must turn to the National Marrow Donor Program to find a suitable donor. The process for joining the registry is quick and painless and the potential risks for being a donor are minimal.
My mom was a recipient of a stem cell transplant in March 2007 which did cure the leukemia. Unfortunately because of the advanced stage of her disease, it was the recovery from the procedure, the repeated infections and complications that were too much for her to overcome. When faced with the decision to go ahead with the risky transplant, my mom said, “I have to fight for life!” I don’t even know his name, but I thank God for the man who was willing to take the time to give of himself in order to give my mom a chance at life.
I joined the National Marrow Donor Program through our local hospital, St. Luke’s, completed the entire process through the mail and it cost me nothing but a few minutes of my time. Reader’s Digest version - I filled out a questionnaire, swabbed the inside of my cheeks with a big Q-Tip and POOF! That was it!
I highly recommend checking out the NMDP and considering becoming a potential donor. You could be the one, a hero to save a life!
Complete information is available at www.marrow.org or you can call 1-800-MARROW-2.
Each year, more than 30,000 patients are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or another life-threatening disease treatable by a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Of those patients, seventy percent are unable to find a matching donor within their family and must turn to the National Marrow Donor Program to find a suitable donor. The process for joining the registry is quick and painless and the potential risks for being a donor are minimal.
My mom was a recipient of a stem cell transplant in March 2007 which did cure the leukemia. Unfortunately because of the advanced stage of her disease, it was the recovery from the procedure, the repeated infections and complications that were too much for her to overcome. When faced with the decision to go ahead with the risky transplant, my mom said, “I have to fight for life!” I don’t even know his name, but I thank God for the man who was willing to take the time to give of himself in order to give my mom a chance at life.
I joined the National Marrow Donor Program through our local hospital, St. Luke’s, completed the entire process through the mail and it cost me nothing but a few minutes of my time. Reader’s Digest version - I filled out a questionnaire, swabbed the inside of my cheeks with a big Q-Tip and POOF! That was it!
I highly recommend checking out the NMDP and considering becoming a potential donor. You could be the one, a hero to save a life!
Complete information is available at www.marrow.org or you can call 1-800-MARROW-2.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
New Plan of Attack
One of my biggest obstacles to overcome in this adventure with Team in Training has been and continues to be balancing all the training time with my role as a mother.
I am a single mom with three kids attending two different private school campuses, both of which are nowhere near where I live or work. Just the challenge of getting them all to and from school, working a job, preparing decent meals and keeping up with a home is enough to keep me up to my eyeballs. Add to that the fact that each of my children are involved in extracurricular activities – Gabe is currently in cross country, Math Counts, youth group and running for student government, Carson is in karate and Hailey is taking tap/jazz dance class. There is the ongoing battle of keeping up with the mountains of homework as well – a real sore spot for a former homeschooling family. We attend church regularly and are involved with our “family” there. And somewhere in there we do try to spend time with friends and with each other as a family. Needless to say the recent events with my mom and all the traveling and stress involved have not helped matters.
Now add to that a rigorous training schedule with TNT.
After yet another somewhat grueling and discouraging time running and doing drills and sprints with Gabe's cross country team yesterday afternoon, I finally came to a conclusion. I need to be a morning runner. I’ve adamantly avoided early morning ANYTHING in the past, not being a morning person (note serious understatement here). Of course, I never wanted to be a runner person either (once again, major understatement). Now I’m finding those two things go over much better when they go together. By the afternoon, having had a full day of kid shuttling and work, it’s hard to get into a good run. Also, up until now it has been hot in the afternoons – anywhere from the upper 80s to nearly 100. The last few runs I’ve done in the morning, however, have been satisfying and even exhilarating.
So today, I was up at 5:00 am and outside my house stretching with my dear friend and neighbor, Alicia, at 5:15 am. She volunteered to run with me today even though she is neither a morning person nor a runner person. That girl was a serious trooper on this quite chilly morning in the dark! We ran 4 and 2 minute intervals for 35 minutes or so then cooled down a little with a walk around the block. My energy level, attitude and endurance ability were tremendously better than any afternoon run of comparable time or distance. What a difference!
And now I’m done for the day. I’m looking forward to picking my kids up from school then taking Carson to karate and actually sticking around to watch him rather than running off (literally). The afternoon and evening are our own. (Insert contented sigh here.)
I am a single mom with three kids attending two different private school campuses, both of which are nowhere near where I live or work. Just the challenge of getting them all to and from school, working a job, preparing decent meals and keeping up with a home is enough to keep me up to my eyeballs. Add to that the fact that each of my children are involved in extracurricular activities – Gabe is currently in cross country, Math Counts, youth group and running for student government, Carson is in karate and Hailey is taking tap/jazz dance class. There is the ongoing battle of keeping up with the mountains of homework as well – a real sore spot for a former homeschooling family. We attend church regularly and are involved with our “family” there. And somewhere in there we do try to spend time with friends and with each other as a family. Needless to say the recent events with my mom and all the traveling and stress involved have not helped matters.
Now add to that a rigorous training schedule with TNT.
After yet another somewhat grueling and discouraging time running and doing drills and sprints with Gabe's cross country team yesterday afternoon, I finally came to a conclusion. I need to be a morning runner. I’ve adamantly avoided early morning ANYTHING in the past, not being a morning person (note serious understatement here). Of course, I never wanted to be a runner person either (once again, major understatement). Now I’m finding those two things go over much better when they go together. By the afternoon, having had a full day of kid shuttling and work, it’s hard to get into a good run. Also, up until now it has been hot in the afternoons – anywhere from the upper 80s to nearly 100. The last few runs I’ve done in the morning, however, have been satisfying and even exhilarating.
So today, I was up at 5:00 am and outside my house stretching with my dear friend and neighbor, Alicia, at 5:15 am. She volunteered to run with me today even though she is neither a morning person nor a runner person. That girl was a serious trooper on this quite chilly morning in the dark! We ran 4 and 2 minute intervals for 35 minutes or so then cooled down a little with a walk around the block. My energy level, attitude and endurance ability were tremendously better than any afternoon run of comparable time or distance. What a difference!
And now I’m done for the day. I’m looking forward to picking my kids up from school then taking Carson to karate and actually sticking around to watch him rather than running off (literally). The afternoon and evening are our own. (Insert contented sigh here.)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Now Here's A First!
I actually was excited BEFORE running yesterday. Usually I’m pretty pumped up when I’m done, but apprehensive before. I still have my doubts about if I can even DO this!
So Sunday morning we all planned to head home again after spending the weekend with family for my mom’s service. I had taken Saturday off from running and needed to get in a good run in the morning before we left.
Just down the hill from my brother’s house is a nearly 900 acre preserve called Minto Brown Island Park. In 1990 I taught Outdoor School at this same park. I got to take 3rd and 4th grade kids on long walks and teach them about the environment, habitats, wildlife and conservation. It was such a fun job!
So I arrived with the kids before 7:00 am at the park entrance. Literally everywhere in this park are mountains of blackberry bushes! We pulled over and the kids and I enjoyed an early first breakfast of blackberries before we headed into the park! Julie and Keisha met us there and Keisha tackled the job of wrangling Carson and Hailey at the playground. Julie strapped on her roller blades and pads and came along with Gabe and me.
I can’t even begin to tell you how absolutely beautiful this park is. It has about 7 miles of paved trails and even more soft trails winding in and out of lush undergrowth and numerous types of trees. Some trails run alongside the Willamette River and others follow open fields. I did 3 miles running my new intervals of 4 minutes with 2 minutes walking. The watch I had was not great, so I think I did a couple 5 minute running stretches in there. It was a perfectly temperate, overcast morning and the scenery was gorgeous! What a great run!
So Sunday morning we all planned to head home again after spending the weekend with family for my mom’s service. I had taken Saturday off from running and needed to get in a good run in the morning before we left.
Just down the hill from my brother’s house is a nearly 900 acre preserve called Minto Brown Island Park. In 1990 I taught Outdoor School at this same park. I got to take 3rd and 4th grade kids on long walks and teach them about the environment, habitats, wildlife and conservation. It was such a fun job!
So I arrived with the kids before 7:00 am at the park entrance. Literally everywhere in this park are mountains of blackberry bushes! We pulled over and the kids and I enjoyed an early first breakfast of blackberries before we headed into the park! Julie and Keisha met us there and Keisha tackled the job of wrangling Carson and Hailey at the playground. Julie strapped on her roller blades and pads and came along with Gabe and me.
I can’t even begin to tell you how absolutely beautiful this park is. It has about 7 miles of paved trails and even more soft trails winding in and out of lush undergrowth and numerous types of trees. Some trails run alongside the Willamette River and others follow open fields. I did 3 miles running my new intervals of 4 minutes with 2 minutes walking. The watch I had was not great, so I think I did a couple 5 minute running stretches in there. It was a perfectly temperate, overcast morning and the scenery was gorgeous! What a great run!
Precious Memories
Last week I received a box of flowers from my teammates at Team in Training. It had been a hard day and it was a very timely encouragement. I’m so grateful for my team and I know I couldn’t do this without them. So if any of my teammates are reading this – THANK YOU!!My mom’s memorial service on Saturday was a beautiful time. The church was packed and so many people shared the ways my mom had touched their lives over the years. Many of the guests I had never even met.
Most of all, my mom was remembered for being willing to help and encourage anyone in need regardless of their circumstances. She was full of grace and acceptance. Particularly during her illness, she could always build up those around her and quell their fears and worries. Much was shared about her love of music and how that was passed on to her kids. Her faith was the single most important thing to her and it made her the woman that she was – a fiercely dedicated, precious wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. After the service, someone told me I was strong like my mother. I think that is the highest compliment anyone has ever paid me. I can only hope to be half the woman my mom was.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Still Going . . .
Here’s my Friday Teammates, Keisha, Julie, Jill and me, in front of Jill’s ‘65 Pontiac.This has been a different kind of week with my training. Monday I ran with my oldest son, Gabe. He is in Cross Country at school, so I go hook up with him on Monday afternoons and run with his small team. Gabe is not quite 13 and actually likes that I come and run with him. I’ll hang on to that as long as I can!
So in Cross Country we did some sprints which I have not done before. I had some pretty good muscle soreness going on after that.
Then Tuesday I ran while my middle son, Carson, was at karate. Typically I take my daughter Hailey with me and she rides her little bike. This week it was nearly 90, so I thought I’d let her try out riding in a stroller. She has been such a trooper riding her bike with me on other hot days, I figured it was time to let her have a break. Well, I didn’t count the cost ahead of time! Pushing a six year old girl in a heavy stroller that really is for strolling, definitely not for running – no wonder I was feeling it within a couple blocks! Yikes. But I still did my typical 2.5 miles or so in the half hour window during Carson’s karate class. So then I was REALLY sore.
Wednesday I took a cycling class at the gym. That was a fun change of scenery and a serious workout. It was also air conditioned as I’d had enough of the running in the heat. But I feel like my buns are bruised now!
Thursday I spent all day on my hiney at work, then all afternoon and evening on my hiney driving to Bend, Oregon. My mom’s memorial service is this Saturday, so we all piled in the van with my two friends, Julie and Keisha, caravaning behind us. We stopped at my friend Jill’s house in Bend and spent the night.
Friday morning was my day for the distance run. Normally I would have run Saturday with the team, but knowing I was going to miss that, I planned to make it up Friday morning while I was in Bend. Jill and Julie rode Pee-Wee Herman-like cruiser bicycles alongside me as I did my 6 miles. It was a beautiful, sunny, chilly morning. Up until now I have been running 3 minutes, then walking 2 minutes for my distance runs. This time I did 4 minutes and 2 minutes, plus did the longest distance yet AND it was hilly! Needless to say, the soreness is still around, but MAN it was a great run!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Runner Girl
This is me after my very first run with my team. We started off "slow" with a three mile run. But I was still smiling when it was over!
The best runs I have are those I run with my team Saturday mornings. I typically run with two ladies, Summer and Shelli. We three have comparable paces and enjoy talking and encouraging one another to pass the miles.
My neighbor was stunned to hear me use the words "great" and "run" in the same sentence after completing 5 miles with my team yesterday.
Going Home
No chilly wind, no poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore
Where sickness, sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and feared no more
Monday evening, September 3rd, my mom went home to be with the Lord. Thanks to the tremendous help of numerous friends, I was able to be on a plane to Portland within about three hours of receiving the call from my dad. My dad, brother and I all were there with my mom when she passed away. I am so thankful I was able to be there and am overwhelmed by the generosity of such fantastic friends.
I spent two days in Portland and Salem with my dad and brother getting some arrangements made and details taken care of. Tying things back into my training schedule, I got to go for a run/walk Tuesday morning in Salem while my dad rode his bike alongside me. He was even able to keep his bike upright with the tremendously slow pace at which I run! It was nice to have his company and I think he enjoyed that bit of involvement with what I’m doing.
I would so appreciate your prayers and thoughts for our family. My parents were married for 44 years and I know it will be a huge adjustment for my dad.
Can reach that healthful shore
Where sickness, sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and feared no more
Monday evening, September 3rd, my mom went home to be with the Lord. Thanks to the tremendous help of numerous friends, I was able to be on a plane to Portland within about three hours of receiving the call from my dad. My dad, brother and I all were there with my mom when she passed away. I am so thankful I was able to be there and am overwhelmed by the generosity of such fantastic friends.
I spent two days in Portland and Salem with my dad and brother getting some arrangements made and details taken care of. Tying things back into my training schedule, I got to go for a run/walk Tuesday morning in Salem while my dad rode his bike alongside me. He was even able to keep his bike upright with the tremendously slow pace at which I run! It was nice to have his company and I think he enjoyed that bit of involvement with what I’m doing.
I would so appreciate your prayers and thoughts for our family. My parents were married for 44 years and I know it will be a huge adjustment for my dad.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
My New Adventure
Today marks one week since I began with Team in Training. For anyone who knows me very well, this is truly a remarkable event that I would participate in anything involving running. And after today’s run, I would even use the words awesome and run in the same sentence.
Let me back up a little. I am one of those people some love to hate. I have been able to maintain a reasonably slim figure without ever being one of “those” people who work out. In fact, I am embarrassed now to recall some of my comments regarding hapless victims I’ve seen running on the road or plodding away on treadmills.
Now I’ve chosen to dive in with both feet and join Team in Training, the largest endurance training program in the world. In addition to endurance training, Team in Training is primarily a fundraising program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over the next 4 ½ months I will be physically training for a marathon in January while raising money to fund research in the hopes of there being a cure one day for blood cancers.
My motivation for beginning with Team in Training has been my fantastic mom. She was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in June of 2004. She underwent numerous types of chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant in March. Because of the advanced stage and aggressive form of her disease and her age and physical condition at the time of the transplant, she has not recovered as we had hoped. She is currently in intensive care at OHSU in Portland. Her prognosis is not good. With me being over 400 miles away, I have felt so helpless in this out of control situation. Although I do know that ultimately God is in control and my mom is in His hands, I am the type of personality that feels better having something tangible to do to help in difficult circumstances. Through Team in Training I have found a way to grab ahold of this situation and feel like I’m doing something that matters. I may not be able to directly help my mom, but I pray that the work I’m doing here, the money that is raised through my team and teams like mine, will be the key to help someone else’s mom, sister, cousin, child or friend.
Having never run a step, this is all just a little terrifying. However, I cannot say enough about the Team in Training program and my fellow teammates. In one short week, I’ve gone from a dread of running and gasping like Jack Bauer on 24 to feeling tired after a 4 mile run/walk, but feeling so positive that I think I might actually be able to do this!
Please take the time to visit my fundraising site and consider making a donation. By financially supporting my efforts and benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, you will become an irreplaceable part of the team.
www.active.com/donate/tntidmo/jam
I would also very much appreciate your prayers and thoughts as I’m out running and most importantly for my mom as she continues to fight for her life.
Let me back up a little. I am one of those people some love to hate. I have been able to maintain a reasonably slim figure without ever being one of “those” people who work out. In fact, I am embarrassed now to recall some of my comments regarding hapless victims I’ve seen running on the road or plodding away on treadmills.
Now I’ve chosen to dive in with both feet and join Team in Training, the largest endurance training program in the world. In addition to endurance training, Team in Training is primarily a fundraising program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over the next 4 ½ months I will be physically training for a marathon in January while raising money to fund research in the hopes of there being a cure one day for blood cancers.
My motivation for beginning with Team in Training has been my fantastic mom. She was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in June of 2004. She underwent numerous types of chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant in March. Because of the advanced stage and aggressive form of her disease and her age and physical condition at the time of the transplant, she has not recovered as we had hoped. She is currently in intensive care at OHSU in Portland. Her prognosis is not good. With me being over 400 miles away, I have felt so helpless in this out of control situation. Although I do know that ultimately God is in control and my mom is in His hands, I am the type of personality that feels better having something tangible to do to help in difficult circumstances. Through Team in Training I have found a way to grab ahold of this situation and feel like I’m doing something that matters. I may not be able to directly help my mom, but I pray that the work I’m doing here, the money that is raised through my team and teams like mine, will be the key to help someone else’s mom, sister, cousin, child or friend.
Having never run a step, this is all just a little terrifying. However, I cannot say enough about the Team in Training program and my fellow teammates. In one short week, I’ve gone from a dread of running and gasping like Jack Bauer on 24 to feeling tired after a 4 mile run/walk, but feeling so positive that I think I might actually be able to do this!
Please take the time to visit my fundraising site and consider making a donation. By financially supporting my efforts and benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, you will become an irreplaceable part of the team.
www.active.com/donate/tntidmo/jam
I would also very much appreciate your prayers and thoughts as I’m out running and most importantly for my mom as she continues to fight for her life.
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