Memories of a CF Kid

  With it being the holidays and all that crazy stuff, I’ve been thinking a lot of my past.  Almost none of this is related to running.  I do have one running story, which I’ll get to soon.

Butter and Sugar

  As a CF Kid, I didn’t really know I was sick.  In fact, I didn’t realize my sister Judy with sick.  Trust me, I know now that she was sick.  I remember many a night sitting with my mom in her recliner, just cuddling with her.  Probably one of my most fond memories to this day.  It’s funny, because my son and daughter are great cuddlers.  I remember that Judy and I had a favorite snack.  We would take a stick of butter and a bowl of sugar, dip the butter in the sugar and eat is straight.  Now, you may say ‘yuck!’ but it’s actually very good.  And, as CF Patients we were told to gain weight.  Let me tell you Butter and Sugar will do it.  I still think back to those days and realize that I was sick, even though I never felt it.

Apples and Apricots

  Until I was about 6 or 7 I couldn’t swallow pills.  So, all of my enzymes were sprinkled in baby food.  The only one that wouldn’t immediately turn to liquid was Apples and Apricots.  I never realized I was taking enzymes.  I don’t remember the flavor, but I do remember Apples and Apricots.  I also remember the first time I tried to show my family that I could swallow meds.  Let’s just say, my gag reflex worked really well.  Note, I can take about 10 – 12 pills now without water if needed.  No problem.

The Sandwich Incident

  When I was about 12 or so, I remember being home sick with my sister Judy.  By this point, she was on permanent oxygen.  She had a 100 ft tube that was basically a leash.  In fact, she always had to retrace her steps to get back from where she went.  Well, it was lunch time and she made a sandwich and soup and set it down on the coffee table, almost in front of me.  Then, she started retracing her steps while picking up her drink.  I, being the kid I was, thought that my sister made me lunch since I didn’t feel good.  So, I started eating.  Now, Judy by this time only had two speeds, slow and stopped.  Well, by the time she got back to the family room, I had eaten about half of the sandwich and some of the soup.  She turned the corner and saw me and yelled “What in the Hell are you doing?”  I felt really bad, in fact I think I started crying.  I felt like a heel. 

The Christmas Tree Incident

  I also remember Christmas one year.  We put up the tree about a week before Christmas.  Our house was huge and about 100 years old.  We had 10 ft ceilings in the house, which allowed us to have big Christmas trees.  It was just before bed and I was looking at my favorite ornament.  It hung above a light and the hot air would cause the ornament to spin.  Well, it wasn’t spinning, so I tapped it.  And it started to spin.  Well, I saw the tree start to move.  I told my family, “I think the tree is falling!”  They didn’t listen.  I ran up the stairs to the landing and watched slowly as the tree crashed to the ground.  It was a huge mess and I just kept saying “I didn’t do it!”  Turns out, we didn’t tighten the tree stand down when we put it up.

I’m Not Stubborn

  I was in fourth grade, I remember it well.  My brothers Nick and Pete were going out for a run.  I begged them to let me go.  They wouldn’t, they said I’d never make it.  Well, being the determined child I was (and still am as an adult), I followed them.  I couldn’t keep up, but I did run the full route that they did.  I think it was 5 miles or so.  I was going to complete that run, it didn’t matter how tired I was or if it hurt.  My brothers were pretty impressed that I did it.  They still never let me run with them.

  I guess that’s how I got started running.  And I guess that’s why I like running now, and probably why I like the distance vs. the speed.  I’ve said it before, a marathon is easy.  Getting to this point in my life has been the challenge.  I think I’ve handled the challenge fairly well.

  If I don’t post again before the holidays.  Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanza, or just a good new year.  It doesn’t matter what you celebrate, just do it with friends and family!

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New for 2009

  I’ve finally updated the look at feel of my blog.  I really thought it was time to not only change the title but the look also.  You’ll notice that the new tile is 52.4 – Running Marathons with Cystic Fibrosis.  And, I have a new tag, “Three Weeks, Two Marathons, One Chronic Illness.”  Ok, it may be hokey, but I like it.

  It’s time to start working on this marathon thing again.  I’m really starting to pick back up on my running.  This week has been tough, since it’s been raining or snowing all week so far.  The rest of the week looks ok.  I’m not really that motivated to run alone at 5:15 AM in freezing temps, but I’ll do what I have to do.

  I’m hoping to send out my first 150 or so letters tomorrow or Thursday.  Ok, they aren’t letters, they are emails to people I know at work.  I’m asking for $10 from each person, but hoping that I get more like $20.  If so, that would cover all of my fund raising for Boston.  Being the realist that I am, I’m not going to count on everyone giving from those 150.  If you work with me and are reading this because you received my email, please donate.  I, as well as the other 29,999 CF Patients in the US , would really appreciate it.

  It’s not a coincidence that I’m sending out the email the week before Christmas.  It’s bonus time at work, and I hope that the extra cash (even though it might not be a lot) will spur people to give me a few bucks.  I’m crazy, but I’m not stupid. 

  The new look of the blog needs some work.  For some reason I can’t add all of my widgets in the right hand column.  I’ve asked WordPress support to fix it, but they won’t get back to me until tomorrow.  Please bare with me as I resolve the technical difficulties beyond my control.

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