I've mentioned before I was never a runner growing up or even in my 20's. Never had the desire to run nor did I even think about it. That was until our little world got turned upside down. Funny how you can be going along one day and then BOOM the real world hits!
So...back in 2007 my husband (fiance at the time) had been having terrible headaches so he decided to go to the Dr.for a checkup. Little did I know our life was about change. I remember him texting me...."they are sending me across the street to have a CAT scan done"...then a little while later "Headed for a MRI now". I had just left work and was getting worried that I hadn't heard from him especially since I was still confused at why he was even having these scans done in the first place. Then the scary text..."umm..can you come here and pick me up- they don't want me driving and we need to head to see a different Dr.". I did what most girls would do....call my mom! And of course like any good mom I got "Don't worry honey--I'm sure they are just being cautious" but there was no hiding the worry in her voice. After a LONG 40 minute drive I finally show up and he is waiting outside for me. I will never forget the look on his face and him saying "Just remember everything is going to be ok". The 1st clue that this was serious was that at this point it's 6:00pm and we all know that a Dr.'s office should be well closed at this point but when we walked in they all were standing there and gave us "that look". We were quickly ushered into a tiny office and before I knew it I was looking at a MRI scan with a Dr. saying "see this huge spot" (that I felt like covered half the screen) "well...that's not supposed to be there".
A week and hundreds of tests later he had surgery to remove the large (size of a raquetball) tumor. Looking back on it now we were so clueless going into that day. They try really hard to prepare you but there isn't anything in the world that can be said or shown to you to make you understand. I feel so blessed to have had the family and friends there at the hospital with me....waiting..and waiting...8 hours of waiting. The surgeons were able to remove the tumor however, in doing that he lost movement on the left side of his body and the ever important breathing and eating ability on his own.
After months of therapy he was finally well enough to come home and our walks started. They started at just walking to the mailbox then a little further down the street. Gradually week by week we added a little more distance.
In 2010 we decided to sign up for the Turkey Trot (of course the one here in Austin is 5 miles not a 5K). I couldn't believe that he had convinced the "non-runner" to actually sign up for a race. But we did it and crossed the finish line hand in hand. I was beyond proud of him. Don't kid yourself....there was a lot of walking but we did it--together. And it was after that race it started....my love for running.
In 2011 he proved to me again what fighter he is......we completed our first Half Marathon. And again we crossed that finish line hand in hand. I hope to be crossing many more finish lines out on the road and in real life with this man by my side.
 |
On left is the contraption that taught him to walk again--on the right is us
right after completing the Rock & Roll San Antonio Half Marathon. |
