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| HOME || TRAVIS UPDATES || UPCOMING DRIVES || HOW TO HELP || LINKS |
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Marrow, Marathon and Closure -- Travis and Family Update |
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June 10, 2000 |
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Dear Everyone, |
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Two years ago, I would have never imagined sitting down to write this particular update. We are SO very blessed that Travis continues to thrive. The scare a few weeks ago was only that -- a scare. The boys are both moving on with life -- with a tremendous sensitivity to people with cancer -- and with full intent to live energetic, fun and exciting days as healthy kids. For the boys, cancer/leukemia and bone marrow transplant is part of the past. The enormity of this just fills me up. |
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To fill my emotion bucket even further, I'm thrilled and proud to report that I am now a real marathoner! (No more saying it to myself to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's now a reality!) Yes, last Saturday, June 3, 2000 after 5 hours and 24 minutes of running through the streets of gorgeous Stockholm, Sweden, I rounded the corner into the 1912 Olympic Stadium, under the tunnel arch and onto the finishing track. GULP. What an amazing experience! I met all my goals -- to finish with strength, sense of humor and a big smile! Joe was there -- met me four times on the course, with encouragement, water and whatever else I might need. And he was there at the finish, videotaping and shooting pictures to record this unbelievable milestone (during Travis' transplant, I was 33 lbs. heavier -- aside from the weight of all the emotional baggage-- and could only run for one minute at a time at the start of training in January). Joe, THANK YOU for being such an incredible supporter. I have to write some details so I never forget how enormous this marathon experience was for me. |
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First, our journey started off with a surprise -- a wonderful American Airlines gate agent noticed my TNT hospital bracelet and asked if I was feeling ok. I explained about the cause and the upcoming marathon. Shortly afterwards, she paged me up to the counter and told me that the plane was oversold, and that since I'd secured our tickets by frequent flyer miles she wasn't supposed to upgrade? and then told me that she volunteered at Children's Hospital in Chicago? and wanted to be sure I got my rest on the plane ride to Sweden. So in a whisper, she said, "Here are your new boarding passes -- for Business Class. Get your rest and run well and God bless your children.". TEARS everywhere -- me, the woman, Joe? oh man. The flight was pure decadence. |
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While the boys were home here in Illinois with my parents, they were with me in spirit all 26.2 miles of the run. They had traced their handprints on the back of my hot pink shorts and wrote their names and "Go, Mom!". Believe me, there were many times during the run that I "asked" the boys to push me up a hill or nudge me further when I wanted to walk awhile (it was also VERY windy, which made things extra challenging). Also, I'd been wearing my LSA TNT hospital bracelet with Travis and Spencer's name on it for the past 5 months to remind me (as if I needed reminding) of my honored heroes in this run. The day before, I stuck little picture stickers of the boys on my bracelet, and it proved to be a Godsend. At the start of the race, with some 10,000 people in front (I started with my team towards the back of the pack -- took us 5 minutes after the shotgun to cross the start line!) and about 2,500 behind me, I looked down at my bracelet pictures and well, just lost it with tears. All that I'd been fundraising for -- all that I'd been training for was looking up at me from my bracelet with huge healthy smiles -- and encouraging me ahead, with "Go, Mom, Go!" in my head (and pushing my butt!). What a time to cry -- at the start! But I had a few minutes to compose myself -- and get into the blasting of Ricky Martin's "Here we go, allay allay allay" as we began the LOOOOONG run. |
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I didn't even feel myself flying over the first 6 miles. I've NEVER felt such an adrenaline rush in my life. Was I really running? Apparently so. I finally settled into my normal pace (as you've likely figured out -- slooow) and kept going. I'd separated from my training buddies and for the most part, enjoyed the beauty around me and the solitude of running alone and thinking of all that this meant to me. But several times, I needed company! The three most remarkable occasions of running partners were: |
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Meeting up with 2 women from Finland. Neither spoke English, but they "adopted me" and we ran (sometimes all three holding hands and even doing the wave for the Swedes) with me speaking Swedish and Pia translating to Finnish to Ulla and then translating back to Swedish to me. To listen to the three of us would have likely been a hoot. Those women got me through several miles -- with lots of laughing and smiling. |
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I will never forget the incredible presence of my Team In Training coaches. Not only did they run the marathon, they also positioned themselves at various hilly parts of the race, and repeatedly ran up the hills with each of us -- reminding us to keep up good form and that we could do it! Once I thought, "Just go away and let me walk." -- but damn, if that coach didn't get me up the hill, running all the way -- and onto the last stretch to the Olympic Stadium. |
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And lastly, towards the end of the race, I came upon a man sporting a T-shirt that said he'd run marathons in all 50 U.S. states. As we were running, I told him how much I now appreciated that incredible feat and how I admired his perseverance. Then I launched into explaining the purpose of Team In Training -- to fight cancer. To which he then dejectedly told me he knew too well the cause. He had just been diagnosed with bladder cancer 5 months before and had just completed 3 months of chemo (and surgery) during that time. And he was RUNNING the marathon! I was so choked up I could barely see as we ran together. I finished about 10 minutes before this man -- likely in his late 50's. As he crossed over the finish line I cheered for him with all my might. |
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A few other things of note (there are SO many): This was the first time LSA's TNT program had participated in the Stockholm Marathon and all the participants were from our Illinois team! There were 50 of us -- all from the Chicagoland area. Together, we'd raised $250,000 to fight leukemia and lymphoma. (Our entire Illinois Chapter team that went to various marathons raised over $1.5 million dollars!) Because this was the largest team in the marathon (and there were some 50 countries represented here!), the race organizers treated us like royalty. They even changed the race course to run right in front of our hotel so our family and friends could easily cheer us on! Unbelievable. The race director came to speak to us at the pasta party the night before and again at our victory party on Sunday night. He so touched us with his humor, charm and hospitality. The Swedes truly rolled out the red carpet for us. I sure hope TNT continues to send runners to this marathon. It's challenging, to be sure (oh man, if I ever see Vasterbron bridge again, it will be too soon!), but absolutely stunning. If you want to see my proud finish, go to: http://www.marathon.se/stockholm/resultat2000/chiptider.cfm?startnr=21887 |
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and click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the page that says se malgangen? and it will show you a 1 1/2 minute video! I come on after about 35 seconds -- with the pink shorts, smiling and waving madly. (-: |
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I was so lucky, as two of my best friends (from when I'd lived and worked in Sweden 18 years ago) from southern Sweden and their children came up to Stockholm to cheer me on. Also, one of my "sweet little skaters" that I'd coached so many years before (Cecilia, who had been 9 at the time -- and of course, now is a grown, gorgeous young woman!) also came up to hug and laugh and cheer me on. You can't imagine how incredible that felt to hear "Heja Mel!" as I came up on these incredible old friends during the run. Thank you so much, Rita, Mia, Lina, Simon, Cecilia, Martin, Jonas, wife & baby-to-be! |
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After the marathon, I was in pretty good shape. Our team even got together and walked downtown and ate at a "Taste of Stockholm" type outdoor festival! The next day I could even walk down stairs -- forward -- thank you very much. Though, truth be told, sitting down and standing up were not fun movements! |
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The preparation for this marathon was such a fulfilling experience. At the pasta party, the LSA TNT staff asked me to speak to our group about our family's experience with fighting cancer. It was such an honor to "bring Travis and Spencer into the room" for these people -- to bring home the tremendous importance of what we all had done -- raised money to save people like my own son. I was so touched after the marathon, when so many of my teammates thanked me for sharing our story. One guy brought me to tears by saying I'd made his race -- that he'd never felt tired, he'd never "hit the wall" (neither did I!), and that our story gave him tremendous strength to run. What an honor. |
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Also, we were given black ribbons to pin to our race numbers and our Team In Training shirts. It's still an emotional picture for me, as I held my ribbon -- to honor the memories of those whose lives have been lost from leukemia. I thought of the other little Travis, of Teddy, of John and of so many people who touched our lives during their struggle -- and then died. My ribbon was flapping throughout my run. (And Teddy, wherever you are, I thought of you as I ran past the Grona Lund amusement park! I felt your presence and energy there -- and sent you a smile as I ran!). |
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The last part of our trip in Sweden was equally amazing -- for different reasons. Joe and I rented a car and drove the 7 hours (actually, we took the long way and made it much longer!) to my "hometown" of Osby. We visited and stayed with close friends (whom we hadn't seen in 11 years since our honeymoon -- and then 7 years before that when I'd left to move back to the U.S.) and felt immediately "at home." The second night, "my girls" (my skaters) and their families all held a dinner party for us. These families have been so loving and supportive over all these years, including these last two years, with our fight against cancer. And now, here they were, my "little girls", now in their late 20's and early 30's -- and a few with their own children there! I felt like a proud (young) grandmother! I was SO overwhelmed -- after the emotion and physical strain of the race and then this amazing reunion. They'd even had a local newspaper reporter come to do pictures and a story (don't know if it's come out yet.). The most incredible moment was when one of my girls came into the room -- and I hadn't expected to see her, as she'd just had a baby 4 days before, in a town about an hour away. And yet, here she was, tired and proud, with her new baby in the car (with daddy) waiting to meet me. In fact, Malin had just been released from the hospital -- and rather than drive home, she said she'd wanted to see me first -- and to have me meet her four-day-old sweet baby girl. Malin, nothing could have touched my heart more. I exploded with tears? It was a beautifully abundant evening -- and once again, a memory I will treasure for life. Thank you, my wonderful friends in Osby. Girls, I'm SO proud of you all. |
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So that's it, everyone. I feel like I'm FINALLY at a place of closure. Maybe not journey closure, but chapter closure. I know our fight against Leukemia will always be present. At the same time, I hope the only updates I post from here on in are short, thrilling newsbites on milestone dates (years after BMT and/or diagnosis.) or other particularly meaningful events. In the meantime, I do plan to turn this saga in to a book -- maybe it will be of help to others facing similar challenges, and many of you have encouraged me to do so. Also, Joe begins his training for the Chicago Marathon in October with the LSA TNT, so our involvement there will continue, as well as in many other ways. |
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We wouldn't be here today, cheering about Travis' miraculous health, Spencer's championship support and the marathon finish -- without all of you. Your support (emotionally and financially), the caring and tremendous expertise of Travis' medical teams, from God and lastly, from our hero, Marge Sullivan, who selflessly and with much love, saved Travis' life with her healthy bone marrow -- have brought us to this day. Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone. |
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Hugs and love from all of us, |
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Melanie, Joe, Travis and Spencer |
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| HOME || TRAVIS UPDATES || UPCOMING DRIVES || HOW TO HELP || LINKS |
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