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26 posts for 26 miles
26 posts for 26 miles
10/29/2017 0 Comments Mile 11. Family helps push you forwardI have described many of the things that help people run a marathon or live with epilepsy. However, I will share the most important requirement at this 11th mile of my Marathon blog. Family. Without family both of these difficult journeys would be impossible to travel. Freeman has been surrounded by a supportive family from the first day we discovered he had epilepsy. His grandparents have been at our door or on the phone to lend a helping hand or offer words of encouragement. Cindy, Leanna’s mom, has visited us during several hospital stays to help with Freeman and his sisters. She jumped on the next plane out of Montana on a moments notice, and that helped Leanna and me gain the strength to be at Freeman’s side. My parents, Pat and Bob, also came to Arizona several times to help when times were tough. They were wonderful with our daughters, helping them while we were busy caring for Freeman. Without family, Leanna and I would have struggled handling the challenges that Epilepsy has dealt us.
Running has always had a big connection to family for me. I started running when I was in elementary school so that I could spend time with my Dad. He had joined the jogging craze of the 70’s and 80’s, and I loved chasing him around the fields at Bret Harte Middle School during his regular laps. When I started running in High School and college, I felt a sense of pride checking in “Dando” at the starters tent. My parents always watched me race or called to check-in on how my training was going. It is easier to push yourself when you know your family is so interested in your success. My brother helped make my running even more of a family affair. Todd joined me on my teams at BOTH Bellarmine and Purdue! I loved being able to practice the sport I loved with my brother. Hard interval workouts and long distance runs were easier to tackle having my little brother around. Todd has shown me what dedication and determination can achieve. He uses the phrase “nails” to describe the toughness it takes to achieve your goals in running. I often think of this when I am pushing myself through a long run or difficult race. Nothing is more important than the support and love you receive from your spouse and children. Training for a marathon takes lots of time that could otherwise be spent doing family activities. Leanna, Hannah, Freeman and Julia have allowed me to pursue my love for running. I work hard to handle my training at times that minimize the interference with our family time. However, it is impossible to not have some impact. When I race, there is no bigger boost than the energy I get when I see my family along the course. They cheer me on and I run hard to make them proud of me. Freeman’s epilepsy has challenged our family. We have never allowed the pain and confusion of epilepsy to pull us apart. Freeman has received his strongest medicine from the love and attention of his sisters. Hannah and Julia understand that epilepsy makes life difficult for their brother. They comfort him when he has a seizure and look after him if he is experiencing side-effects from his medication. They are special sisters. Leanna and I work to provide Freeman the strongest foundation for him to battle against epilepsy. Without us working together epilepsy would break our family apart. It is not always easy to deal with the unknown future that epilepsy presents our family. However, every step of Freeman’s journey, we have been there together to make sure he is never alone. Family. It is the key to the fortitude we have along these long journeys.
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