Admiration Society

I started this entry a couple of days ago - and my computer showed the blue screen of death . . . so I just closed it all down, got busy and didn't make it back.

My thoughts had turned all gooshy because I wanted to share with you some folks whom I admire - one of them is Miz Kitty. When I first began the post it looked like she had disappeared from our lives - her blog was closed down and a short note said simply that nothing was wrong, but all pics, etc. had been taken down. And I thought - well, shoot! I'm gonna miss her.

I have "known" or followed Kitty for quite some time. You know how it is when you first go online and you start looking for all of those free graphics? Well, hers was one of the first that I found and one of the first that I used. We found a commonality in motorcycles and that was an added benefit.

Anyway, we have a bit of history that I have enjoyed, and I hope someday that she and I will meet - either here or there or on the road somewhere. You will understand that I was pleased to see tonight that she has just changed the way she is doing her blog and that she is back. Yay! (Phew!)

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Someone else I admire is Faith. Usually I see her at her blog, but the first address is where I first ran into her. Yes, still stumping for those free graphics. Faith used to do buttons and such and I had some of those on one of my earlier websites. She likes to play with eyeballs. I put her puggie link up, though, because Boris is so important to her. Heya, Faith!
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My daughters . . . I can't show you Lessa's site because it is not a public site. But I admire her for her tenacity in the past few years as she has worked so hard to get a degree in her chosen field. She is very nearly done! Just a few short weeks and her tenure as college student extradordinairre will be completed. Good going, Lessa.

Ladybug is making a career change, herself. The woman at the state assistance office told her that she couldn't do that and Ladybug told her to take a flying leap . . . that one is her daddy's girl, all right!

She is taking a new look at being at home to raise her babies - and she is doing a fine job of it. Won't you go and check out her site - linked above - and then follow through? Thanks, friends. I'd do it for you, you know.

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Cancer Survivors
This weekend was the 6th annual Relay for Life on the Kenai Peninsula. I captained a team of participants from the 10,000 Step Program and had hoped to rack up some mileage on the track - and then got sidelined by my injury. But, I have friends who are survivors, among them Jenn who is training for the Avon 3-day walk. There are two ladies from my church family who are breast cancer survivors, one of whom is fighting still as it has now metastasized in her lungs. We also have a man in our family who losing a battle with an inoperable brain tumor, and another two who have had skin cancers removed. And, my Aunt Mickey died in 1972 from metastasized breast cancer.

I admire and respect each of them for their fight, their spunk, their joy of life. And, so I decided to go on over to the track and maybe walk around a couple of times. I used my cane and took it easy around the track - and I was joined by several friends from my church family who were there for some of the same reasons as I. They kept an eye on me and encouraged me greatly. The two ladies were there for the Survivor Lap and that was a blessing to me.

Last night I walked 8 laps over a period of 5 hours, before I came home to crash. One of my therapists was there and said she had watched me walking and told me I was doing fine, btw. She gave me a thumbs up. (She also gave a very interesting talk on lymphadema later)

This morning I went back to the track and walked three laps and then had to sit down (was rubbing a blister), but I got back up when I saw an inspiration to us all. A lady was pushed down onto the track by her husband - she was sitting in a chair made out of pvc pipe, mounted on wheels, with a blue sling seat. She sat in the high chair while he pushed her down onto the track, and then she struggled to stand upright (she had a plastic contraption bracing her right leg) and then she walked, holding onto and dragging that chair around the track. When she tired, she sat down a few minutes, but wouldn't let her husband push her - she rested, then stood and walked some more.

I thought to myself . . . there is a survivor. So I got back up and went back to the track and walked some more - for her - for my friends - for those who couldn't walk.

My therapist was there again today also and she encouraged me to go ahead - over a period of three hours I walked nine laps. And, then I came home and crashed for a couple of hours.

You know what? My ankles feel great (hips and knees are barking a bit, but the ankles feel fine) and I'm glad to have been able to do it. I was hoping that this was going to be my year to walk and walk and walk. Sometimes the Lord does a fine job of humbling us, doesn't He? If I had been healthy, I would not have had so many fine moments over the past two days.

I would have been power walking around the track, missing out on my friends and our neat conversations we were able to share - I would have missed seeing this woman and her courage and tenacity.

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Hope that you have a wonderful Sunday. 'night, friends

Posted by Purplemoose at June 6, 2004 11:16 PM