Day 16 - Making a Change
People laugh at me when I say that Facebook is a blessing. I know it can be a curse also. But, it has reunited me with so many amazing people. I truly feel like it is a little bit of a gift. The best part is to see people from your past and where they are in life, who they have become, what they have done, and to find out their story.
I had this friend in college that was really fun. We weren't best friends. We didn't sit in each other's dorm rooms and brush each other's hair or share our life dreams. But, we would occasionally run into each other at the bar and always have a really fun time together.
She was younger than me, so when I graduated, we went our separate ways and lost touch. About two years ago we reconnected on Facebook. It was one of those things where you get the friend request and you recognize the name, but once you see the face it all comes back to you. As many people will agree, she has this smile that is amazing. It was her smile that brought me back to our days at Loras. We reconnected, but didn't really get into details right away. We "Liked" each other's posts and wrote some stuff on each other's walls, but that was about it. I assumed, like so many other friends that I have reconnected with that her life was the same as everyone else.
Over the next few weeks I started seeing her posts pop up talking about her hair or her IV pole. I finally realized something was up, so I started paying closer attention. Sometimes I show up a little late to the game, if you know what I mean. We started emailing each other and talked on the phone. I remember being in TJ Maxx when we talked and she told me the whole story. In 2003, shortly after she had her son she started having health issues and thought it might be post partum. It ended up that she actually had brain cancer.
Jenny made a decision to run for her life. She had never been a runner before, but decided that she wasn't going to sit around...she was going to do something. And do something she did. She went on to raise money for brain cancer research by running. She was a member of Team McGraw (the Tug McGraw Foundation) and even hosted her own fun run each year in Palatine, Illinois called Joggin' for the Noggin'. She was named Saucony Woman of the Year, was in an Energizer Bunny Commercial and was featured on the Today's Show. BUT, the most amazing thing about her...that I still can't get over is that she ran all but 2 marathons on some sort of chemotherapy.
Jenny passed away last fall. I had the honor of attending her funeral. She was an amazing lady. Truly, an amazing lady. Last summer I had promised her that I would run with her sometime in 2011. I assumed that because she was so strong, that she would be around forever. I honestly thought she would out run brain cancer. I know she believed that too. Her enthusiasm and love for life was so contagious. She inspired me and continues to inspire me. But, I do kick myself that I promised to run with her this year and didn't just go run with her last year.
I know that this has nothing to do with nutrition or eating (directly), but my point and the reason that I have been thinking about Jenny and I have shared her story with you is that obviously, you only get one life. If you want to start eating healthier, make the change. If you want to start exercising, go out for a walk...today. Just go outside or push start on your treadmill and start walking. If you have been putting it off for weeks or months or years, choose to make that change.
I have put it off for 2 years (maybe more). I wasn't unhealthy, as I was always working out, but I reminded myself daily that I needed to eat healthier, start taking vitamins, stop drinking so much Diet Coke. Every day I thought about all of these things and every day I told myself I would start being healthier tomorrow or "on Monday". I can't say that it has been easy to break my habits, but it does feel good to take control and do something good for myself. But, one of my new year's resolutions was to stop getting ready to do stuff and follow through.
So, if you want to get truly inspired, go to Jenny's website at http://www.jogginforthenoggin.com/ and watch her interview on the Today's Show. I promise that you will love her. You can also find out more about the Tug McGraw Foundation and brain cancer research. I know I didn't do Jenny justice with my story about her, but she is so worth sharing. Especially if you are in need of a hero or inspiration.
I had this friend in college that was really fun. We weren't best friends. We didn't sit in each other's dorm rooms and brush each other's hair or share our life dreams. But, we would occasionally run into each other at the bar and always have a really fun time together.
She was younger than me, so when I graduated, we went our separate ways and lost touch. About two years ago we reconnected on Facebook. It was one of those things where you get the friend request and you recognize the name, but once you see the face it all comes back to you. As many people will agree, she has this smile that is amazing. It was her smile that brought me back to our days at Loras. We reconnected, but didn't really get into details right away. We "Liked" each other's posts and wrote some stuff on each other's walls, but that was about it. I assumed, like so many other friends that I have reconnected with that her life was the same as everyone else.
Over the next few weeks I started seeing her posts pop up talking about her hair or her IV pole. I finally realized something was up, so I started paying closer attention. Sometimes I show up a little late to the game, if you know what I mean. We started emailing each other and talked on the phone. I remember being in TJ Maxx when we talked and she told me the whole story. In 2003, shortly after she had her son she started having health issues and thought it might be post partum. It ended up that she actually had brain cancer.
Jenny made a decision to run for her life. She had never been a runner before, but decided that she wasn't going to sit around...she was going to do something. And do something she did. She went on to raise money for brain cancer research by running. She was a member of Team McGraw (the Tug McGraw Foundation) and even hosted her own fun run each year in Palatine, Illinois called Joggin' for the Noggin'. She was named Saucony Woman of the Year, was in an Energizer Bunny Commercial and was featured on the Today's Show. BUT, the most amazing thing about her...that I still can't get over is that she ran all but 2 marathons on some sort of chemotherapy.
Jenny passed away last fall. I had the honor of attending her funeral. She was an amazing lady. Truly, an amazing lady. Last summer I had promised her that I would run with her sometime in 2011. I assumed that because she was so strong, that she would be around forever. I honestly thought she would out run brain cancer. I know she believed that too. Her enthusiasm and love for life was so contagious. She inspired me and continues to inspire me. But, I do kick myself that I promised to run with her this year and didn't just go run with her last year.
I know that this has nothing to do with nutrition or eating (directly), but my point and the reason that I have been thinking about Jenny and I have shared her story with you is that obviously, you only get one life. If you want to start eating healthier, make the change. If you want to start exercising, go out for a walk...today. Just go outside or push start on your treadmill and start walking. If you have been putting it off for weeks or months or years, choose to make that change.
I have put it off for 2 years (maybe more). I wasn't unhealthy, as I was always working out, but I reminded myself daily that I needed to eat healthier, start taking vitamins, stop drinking so much Diet Coke. Every day I thought about all of these things and every day I told myself I would start being healthier tomorrow or "on Monday". I can't say that it has been easy to break my habits, but it does feel good to take control and do something good for myself. But, one of my new year's resolutions was to stop getting ready to do stuff and follow through.
So, if you want to get truly inspired, go to Jenny's website at http://www.jogginforthenoggin.com/ and watch her interview on the Today's Show. I promise that you will love her. You can also find out more about the Tug McGraw Foundation and brain cancer research. I know I didn't do Jenny justice with my story about her, but she is so worth sharing. Especially if you are in need of a hero or inspiration.
posted by cathyjmarxen@gmail.com at
8:24 PM
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