Thankful Thursday: Life is good

I'm copying this series title from a friend and thought it was approprate that this is my first post for the month of November, the month of giving thanks. I was asked a few weeks ago if I'd provide a couple of paragraphs on "what I've been up to over the past couple of years" by the director of our local Team in Training (TNT) program. For those that don't know, I'm a leukemia survivor and work as a volunteer and am a "honored hero" for our local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Mike and I have run two races through the TNT program and those prompted us to run another half marathon together and I went on to run two more half marathons with friends.

As I sat down to write my update, I became nostalgic. For something SO bad and horrible to happen to a person (cancer), SO MUCH GOOD has come out of it. I met the love of my life and best friend because I moved back to Cincinnati to be closer to home during treatments. I've been somewhat miraculously able to give birth to one healthy baby and have another one on the way even after a body-draining chemotherapy regime. I found my way to running, something I would NEVER have predicted I do, be decent at, or enjoy. My life isn't just good, it's great. I'm especially thankful on this Thursday!

(In case you're interested, here's my "updated bio"and you can read more about my "story" by clicking here)

I began my journey with LLS and TNT in 2006, shortly after I was deemed to be in remission from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). I began as a general volunteer, but was quickly recruited to become part of the Honored Hero program that serves TNT. Working with TNT and the "hero" program was a natural fit for me, I had always said that if my story was able to help others, then my journey was 100% worthwhile. After hearing many past participants speak at the same meetings where I shared my story, I was encouraged to sign up for my first full-marathon, the Flying Pig 2008. I had never been a runner before in my life, but knew with the proper training and dedication, I would cross the finish line. I persuaded my then-boyfriend, Mike, to sign up with me. Mike and I both met friends we still keep in contact with today during that training season, and I received the shock and joy of my life when he proposed in February 2008. We crossed the finish line in May and our journey with TNT has continued to this day. We completed the Flying Pig half marathon in May 2009, a mere three weeks before we became husband and wife on May 23, 2009. Since then, together we completed the Chicago Rock n Roll half marathon in August 2009 and I completed the Disney Princess half marathon in March 2010 and the Nashville Women's half marathon in September 2010.

You'll notice my race-running stopped about two years ago, and for a really good reason. When I ran the Nashville half, I had discovered I was pregnant with our first daughter earlier that week. With clearance from my OB I completed the half and continued to run sparingly throughout my pregnancy. On May 14, 2011 (one day before my 5-year remission "birthday") we welcomed the joy of our lives, Anna Elizabeth, to the world. I can't tell you what a blessing Anna has been to our lives! We've had so much fun with her that we decided to saddle-up again and I'm due with our second child (another girl!!) in March 2013. We feel blessed beyond belief! Having a family is a dream come true, literally, for me. Before starting my 6 rounds of chemotherapy treatments in October 2005, my oncologist referred me to a reproductive specialist. Because I was such a young CLL patient, there wasn't much, if any, research on the effects of my treatment regime on reproductive organs and my doctor pronounced my abilities to have children as fairly grim. That said, to have one healthy baby and another one the way is nothing short of amazing. The fact that I'm in remission 6+ years later is a true testament to the fact that research leads to results! My "chemo cocktail" had been published in a medical journal just months before my treatment began. I will forever be grateful to the LLS for their tireless dedication to the cause and I can't wait to lace up my running shoes again for TNT!