Thursday, January 9, 2014

The Stories We Tell and the Meaning They Carry

Tonight I had the opportunity to meet up with a number of people that will be doing the Empire State Building Race (ESBRU) with me in February.  For those of you that are avid readers of my blog you've heard my speech, "the story that I tell" and I'll apologize if I repeat it.  Bottom line, for the next 30 days I'm going to be asking all of you for money to fight this miserable disease.  I asked you last year and I'm asking you again this year.  I'd like to say I'm sorry but....I'm not....I have cancer, and I don't want it anymore and in my eyes, TheMMRF is helping to get rid of it (or at least the nasty part).  For that reason I'm asking for money.

But then, I need to remember, that there are others out there.  The aren't as lucky as me or they have that extra gene or depletion or whatever - they're still fighting.  I feel like a wimp because I'm not fighting.  For that...I'M FIGHTING!

There's a 72 year old lady running this race...(and here's the selfless plug) that owns Ellen's Stardust Diner (home of the singing wait staff) who is running this race...she already runs 60 stories!  I'm going to get my arse kicked!  (here's the plug - check out Ellen's page at http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com).  But I'm OK w/ that as Ellen's 60 year old friend has Multiple Myeloma and she's doing this for her friend...Good On Ya Ellen!  Now we need to coordinate a FlashMobBrunch at Ellens!  60 mimosas please!

Then there's another gent who's father just went through an SCT and just surpassed day 100 and is now allowed to have wine and some vegetables.  Yes, this is the stuff they forget to tell you...when you go through an SCT you lose most of your ability (if not all) to handle bacteria so some things are off the market for you.  His father is finally coming around and now the son has this crazy idea of running up a building.  The $2,500 minimum donation raised number was daunting to him...he will do it because 1) HE CAN and 2) it's his dad.  He's raised about $20k so far...so much for that 2,500....

And Sally, who has run this race twice, and will be starting with the original "wave" of runners (who maul each other in the first 20 fee of walk way to be the first to the stair and 'unencumbered' when it comes to getting up those stairs.  She's racing with her daughter and they are betting who can raise the most money based upon who the donators think will finish first.  More importantly, her late husband, and her twin children and her daughter that is running the race have a different version of cancer that they've been fighting and continue to fight now...amazing!

And then there are the two ladies that are running (or maybe it's just one) and one of them has a mother who has breast cancer....  Not Multiple Myeloma, breast cancer.  But she wants to do something and her mother doesn't want to talk about it and TheMMRF had this event...

The stories go on - for me...well, there are a few.  Bob went through his transplant days after me, literally.  Bob's a rugby fan and though he's an England supporter I was there with him!  Bob's back on medication.  Steve, went in a few weeks later, again for the same issue.  Steve's wife offered to pick up my prescription one day (she's in Long Island, I'm in Manhattan...talk about making me look lazy!) but Steve's back on medication.  Andy, he's had a beyotch of a time getting through this disease.  He's a trooper though and he's plugging away at it.  He's been through his second transplant (and he started a few months after mine).  There are others in various phases: Shells in the UK going for another transplant, Matt on the West Coast fighting a different version of the disease, Mike back in the UK jumping off bridges to fight this disease, Amy who's just doing well and helping others realize it's ok!  There are others as well and I apologize for not including all of you but I'm into my next glass of grappa before bedtime.  For all of you, I do this race.  And for me (yes, totally selfish).  I'm in a full remission and I'm in a position to do this...so let's rock this race!  And finally, for Brad, who's on day 5 or so right now - brother, keep up the fight as you always do...be BRADSTRONG!

Thanks for reading, now I need your support - follow me, tweet me, post me, but more importantly, find others to DONATE TO ME!  We're changing this disease from incurable to chronic in my lifetime!!!  Let's make this change - tell me your story!

Thanks...Bill

aka rugbyhubby
aka promoting global hair loss
http://bit.ly/pghlESBRU

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