Why Cycle Wednesday:Because I Can

Four years ago this week, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.  My stomach had been screwed up for 15 years leading up to that Wednesday in May, 2003.  I'd been on different medications, but just got progressively worse over the years.  Finally, one night when I was hauling stuff down to the curb for our dump day, I really hurt myself and the next morning I was still in pain.  I thought I had an appendicitis, so I left work early and went to the doctor.  He immediately sent me to the hospital.

I was there for almost a week - and was out of work for almost two weeks.  During my busiest time of the year.  According to Article 3 Section 2 of the Connecticut Constitution, odd-numbered years mean my job is crazy busy through the whole month of May into June.  (same thing is true this year, which is why I haven't been able to post much lately.  It sure was a tough way to get an unofficial "vacation"!!)

I'd been feeling bad for so long, an actual diagnosis was some relief.  At least now we'd know what we had to deal with.  Problem is, there's no cure for Crohn's.  Basically, if you can't be put into remission with medication, you have surgery to remove the damaged part(s) of the intestine.  You try to outlive the amount of guts you have to have removed.  I got a real dose of reality from my roommate in the hospital that week - he had had Crohn's for a while and was just about out of intestine.  He was considered a "frequent flier" in the hospital - being admitted 4-6 times per year for many years.

But I was blessed - not only with a fantastic doctor, but with a great drug.  After the normal course of prednisone and other tests (all of which we won't, ahem, go into...), we discovered that I responded well to mercaptopurine (6MP) - a cancer-fighting drug that's been used with some success in Crohn's patients.

The drug alone wasn't enough though, and I had surgery in November, 2003.  Thankfully, they didn' t have to remove much and since the surgery - and along with the 6MP - I've been in remission nearly the entire time since then.

That whole period certainly gave me a new perspective on my life and how I'd been taking my body and health for granted.  It's amazing what you'll put up with - how feeling bad all the time can somehow become the new norm.  It can be a dangerous attitude to have.  We've all heard stories of folks that waited until it was too late to have something checked out.  So I realized I needed to take care of myself better.  I also realized that I was not getting any younger and needed to do some of the things I'd always wanted to try.

That change in attitude culminated in my getting into bike riding and racing.  I've posted more about that journey here (and all over this blog for that matter!)  After almost four years of riding my bike for me and my health, I now have a chance to show my support for others with Crohn's and to raise awareness - and well as much-needed funds - for those with this disease.

So June 8-10, I'll be riding my bike 210 miles from Manhattan/NYC to Saratoga Springs, NY as part of the Get Your Guts in Gear (GYGIG) ride.  I've already started training (I posted about a GYGIG training ride here) as well as fundraising.  While it's been getting tougher to train during these busy times at work, the fundraising has been going very well.  My initial goal was $2000 (you have to raise at least $1900 to even get to ride), but I'm happy to report that I'm currently at $2,498!!!  A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have donated (you know who you are).  You've made it possible for me not only to raise my goal even higher (twice!), but have also provided more funds to support organizations that serve Crohn's patients.

If you're interested in learning more about my ride and/or interested in sponsoring me and supporting these great folks, please click here.  You'll be taken to my fundraising page which will give you more information - as well as a link to a map of the route.  There's also a "Get Your Guts in Gear" button in the upper left part of this site.

While I can't promise anything (I dunno what the electric situation will be), I hope to be able to post while on the road so that you can experience the ride a little vicarously!  In any event, I expect to have lots of things to post about when I get back.

I know this edition of Why Cycle Wednesday is a little untraditional, but I hope you found it inspirational and encouraging - especially if you or someone you know suffers from Crohns.  If you're in that category, be sure to leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you.

(the pic above was taken after my first ride with the new bike - my new way to overcome Crohns' isolation and lethargy - and now my means for raising funds and awareness for Crohns patients)

Comments

[Debby]

We are very proud of you for going after your dreams!

[pelotonjim]

Thanks for the post. Keep pedaling!