way to go, TEAM RYAN!!

happy wednesday everyone. i would like to share a few more important things about team ryan and team in training. first of all, again, thank you to everyone who generously donated. thanks to your generosity, hester was able to raise over $10,000 for the leukemia and lymphoma society!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the san gabriel valley chapter of the greater los angeles chapter raised $100,000!!!!! yes, with your help, hester raised 1/10th of that amount!! that is a lot of money that is going to go to research for a cure. a portion of it will be for patient support services and education. that is just awesome!!!!

now, i'd like to share with you hester's first-hand account of the triathlon that she emailed out to a few of us on monday:

"Hi guys -

Yesterday was quite a day. Team in Training folks began to meet in the hotel lobby about 4:20 am . After everybody got checked in, ate some community bagels and peanut butter, and checked bike tires, we began to load on school buses. One person and two bikes for most rows and then extra people and coaches, support staff toward the front. It was just starting to get light when we reached Zuma Beach. From checking in the day before, I knew where my row was in the transition area (the place where you leave your stuff during the different parts of the event). I laid things out. Lathered up with Glide (tube like deodorant that you smear all over exposed skin especially ankles, wrists, and neck) and got into my wetsuit.

Now we are to the hurry-up-and-wait stage. Most triathlons go swim, bike, and run. The swim starts with "waves". Yesterday's triathlon had over 3000 participants!!! Men and women are divided into age groups with the younger groups going first, all the men and then all the women. That meant that my group went last, going into the water about 8:25 . Lon said that he thinks that our group somehow got the worst waves of the morning because we had to get through a bunch of fairly big waves to get out to the first buoy.

We then swam a half mile parallel to shore and then came back in. I had a hard time with the swim and did it very slowly. A lifeguard named John swam with a group of slow movers and got us all through and back to shore. My legs were jello after the swim but by the time I walked back to my bike I was somewhat recovered.

I was pretty slow with the first transition. I've found that if I don't carefully wash the sand off my feet I get blisters, so I had a little basin and washed and dried them. Helmet on and buckled, camelback, gloves, wrist guard and I was off. The bike ride was the best part. We went up PCH to  Leo Carrillo State Park, turn around and back. Rolling hills and wonderful views of the ocean. I got up the hills with my mantra of "Ry-an Ry-an Ry-an". It made a good cadence to keep me going. The discouraging part was that between starting last and being slow on the swim, most people were finished and leaving the area by the time that I returned on my bike. I had to dodge walkers and cars to get back to the transition area.

Second transition was faster because I don't wear bike shoes. So not much to do. I tried to jog but ended up jogging a while and walking. I probably jogged more than half but not much more. I was tired and kept going thinking about the names on my jersey and all the wonderful support from Team in Training. Every time I passed a purple jersey, we exchanged a "Go Team". I really don't know how someone could do such an event without a support group. TNT was awesome with the support and encouragement. Marc and Mike cheered me at each transition. Melissa was full of suggestions and little pointers. Myla and her bell was everywhere, cheering for everyone. The team was by the finish line waiting for me to come in. Joy came and found me and jogged back in with me with Melissa and Diane (all from the Pac Grove group) joining in with us. Their support carried me over the finish line.

It was wonderful to have Lon, Maggie, Jason, and Ryan waiting with hugs at the finish line. Well, no hugs from little Ryan. He is suffering through, not hours, but weeks and weeks of chemo, pills to alleviate the worst symptoms of the chemo, and blood test after blood test. The poor little guy does have the energy or body chemistry to smile these days. There may have been questions in my mind about how I was going to do it, but never why.

It was an all together amazing experience and I will be back for more. Ryan, Maggie, and Jason's work isn't over and neither is mine.

love to all,

Hester"

and with that said, she is off on a backpacking trip for a few days and then will be doing some field research for the university she works at. yes, she amazes me with her energy, dedication and love for life.

as for our little guy, he is still having a pretty difficult time navigating the treacherous terrain of his first delayed intensification cycle. he had an appointment at coh today, and his anc was still good, but he just looks like he's been through the wringer. he is very lethargic in between his angry spells. the past couple of days he's just wanted to spend a lot of time sprawled out on the couch in the living room, watching t.v. we've let him pretty much do whatever he wants.  i spoke with debbie, his nurse practitioner, the other day and she said that he essentially has absolutely no control over his feelings or outbursts right now. discipline is obviously out the door until the decadron stops.

another side effect from decadron that thankfully ryan has no symptoms of, is temporary psychosis. it usually only occasionally occurs in older children who are on decadron. can you imagine that? can you imagine being the parent of a 12 year old or a 15 year old with leukemia, that goes from being a lovely, happy kid, going through a heck of a lot, to suddenly still going through a heck of a lot, but now, with hallucinations, suicidal ideation, and full blown psychosis?? as if the leukemia was not bad enough. children who experience psychotic symptoms either take anti-psychotic meds while on decadron or else, they eliminate it from their protocol. this sounds scary, but i brought it up to illustrate what some children and families have to endure. this is another reason why need more research! lets cure leukemia! lets find new drugs with less harsh side effects! lets cure cancer! i'd like to add and stress that although decadron sounds so scary and strong, it is a HIGHLY effective treatment for leukemia. a few weeks of descending into the abyss is worth the trade off for long term survival. 

thanks for stopping by. until next time...