1.22.2012
Once again it is Sunday. It has been unseasonably
warm this winter, with no exception thus far today. However, I hear it is suppose to start freezing rain this afternoon; now there's the Minnesota Winter I know. Life has continued to be well, busy but well. I feel like I've come into 2012 looking through a different lens so to speak. For the first time in my life I decided to make resolutions. Let me preface this that I don't necessarily believe in New Years Resolutions, but as I enter into the three and half year mark of my battle I have come into some new revelations and I'm ready to make some changes and clean house along the way.
Let me begin by prefacing that I have only made two resolutions. You're now thinking, "Oh just two resolutions? That can't be so hard to stick to." Well think again because I think I've picked some pretty tough ones. First and foremost I decided I am going to get healthy. I'm not talking about losing weight to fulfill some traumatic high school experience that would lead me to having a make over on the Maury Povich show, I'm talking about getting healthy. Being overweight is one if the highest and most common risk factors to developing cancer in the body. I've been on a slow roller coaster of weight gain since my late 20's thanks to a variety of factors. Well guess what? I'm done. I've joined a gym and have been working out at least three times per week since the end of December. They say if you can keep it going for more then three weeks you'll make it a part of your routine and guess what? So far so good. I feel so much better when I go and as corny as this sounds, every time I lace up my running shoes and my feet hit the running track in my mind I can see the word cancer chasing me but because I'm there and I'm doing something about it can't catch me. And do you know what? That visualization makes it all worth it.
My second resolution: I'm done fearing my disease. It is no secret that this disease has done a number on me psychologically. Although I've made great strides I've had to accept the fact that my health includes panic attacks (yep they are definitely real) with high levels of anxiety at times. I will never get to a point that I'm not 100% not fearful, but I can be in control of it instead of it being in control of me. Exercise helps greatly with this so that first resolution has come in handy, which brings me to the newest adventure I am putting into motion this spring: the 1st annual Lymphomathon.
I was introduced to the Lymphoma Research Foundation by my doc, who is on their board. I wish I had been made aware of this website from day one. They are an organization that is dedicated to bringing forth information on all types of Lymphoma cancer and researching how to cure them 100% of they time. In fact, they just launched a new website that is solely about Hodgkin Lymphoma. Their annual fundraising walk/run, a.k.a. the lymphomathon (which is non competitive) will be June 2nd, 2012. I am captaining a team, which has been named (drum roll please...) Team Tumor Miles (get it tumor = two more!). Although I only put in a goal of raising $100 I am hoping to raise several times that amount. I'm looking for team members so if you are up to walking around Lake Nokomis June 2nd, let me know! I won't be asking any of my teammates to do any fundraising, I'm taking that responsibility on myself. This is something that I'm very excited to be a part of. I can't tell you how many times I have been told I have the best cancer to get if I'm going to get one. Well guess what? I don't see people lining up to take my place. There is no best cancer to get. What I will say is this, I'm grateful to have a form of this disease that is so highly treatable thanks to organizations and those involved in them like the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). So do me a favor? Lace up those sneakers and come walk with me around beautiful Lake Nokomis and don't be surprised if I hit you up for a donation. Without this research I would not be alive today. I'll see you at the gym!
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