Special Gifts

My running was not so good this week.  Have you ever received one of those gifts where you said to yourself “I really wish they hadn’t. Really!

The first gift came from my grandchildren.  Seems Pink eye had been running rampant at their school and while they were over it, they managed to gift it to me (not Pam…they like her more).    If you never had it, count yourself blessed.  Eyes are crusted shut, blurred vision, light sensitive, and goopy (technical term).    Often it felt like I had sand in my eyes and I would be walking around squinting like Popeye.  As you might imagine, that’s not conducive to running on narrow country roads.

Which leads to the second gift, this one from Mother Nature.   What happened to global warming?   I have enough difficulties training without adding snow, ice and cold to the challenges.  And who doesn’t love that stimulating feeling you get when you are not fast enough dodging an ice cold slush wave.

 The third gift was from my Urologist/Oncologist.   You may recall last year about this time I was being treated for a mass in my bladder blocking flow from my kidney.  Ultimately it wasn’t cancer but they needed to operate to remove the blockage and restore the kidney function (as a side note, it was a fascinating robotic surgery).

A follow-sup ultrasound last week detected a new mass in the bladder.  This week they did a cystoscope to look inside the bladder.  If you’ve never had one, count yourself lucky.  It’s not something to put on your bucket list.  Good news, no tumor.   Surprise, it was a surgical clip leftover from the original operation.   They were able to grab it with a little claw on the end of the scope and pull it out.   I can attest from the discomfort that the route it traveled on the way out was never meant to carry anything solid. 

But not all gifts are unwanted.    In 2024 Help in the Nick of time provided almost 100 children fighting pediatric cancer with surprise boxes of toys, games, and gifts.  In a world full of isolation, pain, and loneliness these boxes bring a mountain of joy and distraction.  Here’s what one teen’s mom had to say….“I can honestly say that I do not recall Addie being as excited about a gift as she was with this box ... every item was a hit and it was all a surprise to her!!! The Friends Lego set and Ugg blanket were both items she has wanted, but thought were too expensive to request.”  

None of this is possible without your support.  I wish you could be there to see the joy you bring to these children and their families.   It’s what drives me out the door on mornings where I challenge slush waves and icy roads looking like Popeye.

Thank you!