Ten years ago last April, while I was in an operating room receiving the gift Kari and her family gave me – there was a beautiful baby girl named Grace being born in the OR next to me. Grace’s Mom and I shared an anesthesiologist. I don’t know what else happened, but she’s mischievous, a little crazy, fun – and her aunt thinks we may have had a bit of a personality melding too. Gracie and I also share her Aunt, Cindy – who had been friends with Laura and I for a while before all of this happened… And Gracie probably brought our families a little closer together. One of Laura’s fond memories happened about five or six years later at their family get-together. We were all outside, running bases and playing tag and behind me, little Gracie put her hands in both of my back pockets, held on tight, and screamed, “Run, Steve!!! Run like the wind!!!”
I haven’t participated in past U.S. Transplant Games – in part, because of a little competitive issue in my personal makeup… I would have wanted to get a medal in something, to be able to send it to Kari’s family. Yet, another part of my personal makeup involves an inherent laziness and total lack of discipline to actually train… Ironically – ten years later, I’m dealing with arthritis and bone spurs in my right foot, and probably my left ankle – wonky knees when I try to jog – 15 or more pounds of edema in my calves and ankles – and kidneys that are going slowly South and scaring me a little – and, except for the fact that I’m still in 1,013 times better shape than I was before my beautiful lungs, I’m wondering why in God’s name would I sign up for a 1500 meter racewalk and especially a 100 meter sprint if I had no intent on training?!?! (Actually, I found that every time I tried to start jogging a bit – I ended up hobbling around for 2-3 days because my knees and ankle hurt so much, I didn’t want to cripple myself before I got there – so I would just take a chance at blowing everything out at the race and count on being eliminated in the preliminaries!)
So – whining about that to Kari’s friend, Alex – who is now my friend too – she left me with a thought… Like many of Kari’s friends, I admire Alex. She works with special needs adults and with The Special Olympics and she reminded me of their motto: Let me win; but if I cannot win; let me be brave in the attempt! And she told me she thought I was brave for competing this year. And that the more I move, the more I can eat later.
I want to thank my friends Kimberly Harrington, Kim Jaques, Jen Klouse and my new friend Megan Butterfield (part of the Coleman family contingent) for so many of these pictures – a few of them were mine, but most of them belonged to them… My little adventure at the Games started with a fun little surprise that many of you will understand – my bib number ended in a way that let me feel that someone up there was giving me a wink and a nod…
In the two pictures above – we were learning the proper technique for race-walking. The second picture had Laura humming that old Sesame Street song:
One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn’t belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others…
I think we were stretching or something – everyone has their toe up – Steve has his toe down. So what…
And, they're off!!!
I really have no explanation for this pose...
A comment on one of these pictures was something sweet about Steve even having time to wave during the race… If I’d actually had a coach, it would be at around these points that her or she would probably say, “Your performance might be a little improved if you actually maybe tried… ummmmm… WALKING!”
Here I look more determined...
This was coming up to the finish line. I walked with him for almost all three laps. He's from Texas and has had a new liver for a year and a half. I walked with him mainly because I just couldn't pass him.
I believe Kim J took this picture – her facebook comment on this picture was, “This picture gives me the warm fuzzies all over! Steve’s happiness was VERY catchy.” (I think I was just happy to be done!)
For the run – I was all set to change into my loud, gold, Hawkeye shirt – but Laura, with help from Jen K and Megan B, pretty much laid down the law and told me that I was team Illinois and I couldn’t do that… I’m quite certain I would have run much faster – but whatever… I kept wearing the shirt that Kari’s family and friends gave me…
There’s a family from Michigan who is very special to me – the Coleman family… They lost a son and brother, Chase, seven years ago… I've written numerous posts about Chase. They were at the games to cheer on the man who has Chase’s heart and Team Michigan. I happen to know that they were out until 3 or 4 in the morning the night before – I’m sure drinking tea or something – but they showed up at 9am along with a few Iowans to cheer me on during my run. That almost made up for Laura, Jen & Megan not allowing me to wear my Hawkeye shirt. OK, it more than made up for it. It pretty much made me feel ten feet tall. Unfortunately, my legs were still the same size…
This is the start of the run...
Here is a miscellaneous fan – cheering wildly!!!
I'm getting my stride!!!
Another miscellaneous fan cheering wildly as I finished!!! (Thanks, Megan, for snapping this...)
Proof that I actually did finish!
Me, after the race, with the Coleman's...
The Coleman family & entourage: Back – Brandon, Trevor & Lon Coleman… Front – Cindy Perkins, Mom Coleman & Megan Butterfield…
When I got ready, got set, and went – I smiled when I thought about Gracie with her hands in my back pockets hollering at me to run like the wind… And I smiled again when I thought about Alex telling me to be brave in my attempt – I’m so proud of Kari's friends. And the feeling of running – actually running – is mindblowingly amazing with my beautiful, real lungs – even though it’s a tiny bit clumsier now with my little issues, it has been mindblowingly amazing for the last ten years. And to sprint 100 meters – or even 10 – without being doubled over gasping for air, is a feeling that is difficult to appreciate if you didn’t live almost 40 years with lousy lungs… And to feel her smile while I’m thinking all of these thoughts is the most special thing of all…
Imagine if I actually trained…
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