Here We Go Again

My alarm went off Saturday morning, February 27th at 5:15am. I could hear the wind blowing the rain against the window screens. I saw by the thermometer on the window, it was 48 degrees outside, definitely hypothermia conditions. I wasn't supposed to be doing this. I had started a new job two weeks ago; the economy is dismal; I wasn't planning to participate in Team in Training this year. I just didn't have the time or energy to do this. As with many plans, life seems to get in the way.

Earlier this month, I learned that my friend, former co-worker, and fantasy football league compadre, Bob Norling had a recurrence of the non-Hodgkins lymphoma he had been treated for last year. Similar to leukemia, lymphoma is a blood cancer. Bob has two early teenage kids and has been married for 15 years. Bob is an excellent systems engineer, he races motorcycles, he isn't too good at fantasy football (at least not in the DLFC league), and everyone that knows him thinks he is a genuinely good guy. He's smart and he's funny in a low key manner. Currently he is going through chemotherapy and this week his will have a stem cell transplant. All hopes and prayers are with him as he waits for the stem cells to do their jobs.

When I found out about Bob I called my friend Barb at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I told her I wanted to enroll as a fundraising participant with this year's Death Ride team. The season had already started but she found a way to get me on the team. I pledged to raise $4000 to help fight Leukemia and Lymphoma.

Over the years I've talked to many of you who have had loved ones who have been affected by cancer. And every time I hear your stories, I choke up with emotion. My heart goes out to all of you and I just feel that this is a fight I have to tackle.

As I was getting ready on Saturday morning, I had to pause and think as I was putting on my Team in Training jersey. I thought about the drivers and pedestrians that would see my new teammates and me wearing our TnT jerseys as we are riding in the rain and cold. There's only one reason do to this, because we want to people to be aware of our mission.

So, here we go again. I'll be writing about my training, I have a few more stories from France (everybody loves Roy), I'll tell you more about Bob, and I have a few more surprises. Please help by sponsoring me. Think about the people you know, people like Bob, people like my late mother-in-law Margie, people like my friend Stacy, people like my co-worker Leonard, and my family friend Dan, all who have battled blood cancers. These diseases will only be defeated with the support of all of us.


You can follow my stories or get caught up on past posts at http://notabouttheback.blogspot.com/

Thank you for your support

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you for riding in Bob's honor! I cross-posted a link back to your post on my blog. http://www.califmom.com/califmom/2010/02/inspiring-others.html
11:29 PM
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