Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ya Gotta Laugh!
Quote #4: by Jim Valvano I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, "Of course not. " I said, "Well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can't trust em. Sorry, readers. This is where I have to stop and have a laugh today! This is so funny!! I laugh every time I read this. Laughter is medicine from the Gods. Jimmy V. ‘n me!
Sign in to see full entry.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
"You Have To Have a Dream"
Quote #3: by Jim Valvano “How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal and you have to be willing to work for it.” Missouri is having a referendum vote to allow stem cell research in their state. The pro-side of this issue is making a valiant effort to educate the public of the benefits of supporting this citizen-based referendum that would prohibit any anti-stem cell research legislation from being...
Sign in to see full entry.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
"Jimmy V. 'n Me" Part 3
This is a continuation of Jim Valvano's speech made at the 1993 ESPY Awards dinner. Quote #2 “Cancer can take away all my physical ability. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.” I feel the same way about Parkinson’s. It may make my voice disappear, my body too weak and imbalanced to stand, and I may get to the point when I am fed through a tube in my stomach because the muscles in my throat can’t...
Sign in to see full entry.
Friday, April 14, 2006
After the Colonoscopy
I survived it and let me tell you, it was a piece of cake! First of all, I went to a big clinic where this is all they do. I was out like a light and woke up back in the recovery area, where my daughter was reading her book waiting for me to wake up. I did remember, hazily, that I'd felt pain twice and work up and I had this vision in my mind of a long wand, so I may have glimpsed the monitor. I was soon (a few seconds) to go back to sleep. They said it was when they rounded the two corners...
Sign in to see full entry.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Colonoscopy Anyone?
Ugh, I've survived the night and my stomach is so empty. The next few hours can't go by fast enough! Today I am having my first colonoscopy by way of the fact that I'm 53 and it's time. I am not nervous about the procedure; just anxious to get it over. I'm hungry! By 3:00 it should all be over. I can have liquids up until 9:00 so I think I will brew a cup of herbal tea and take my allowed medicines. My little voice is quiet this morning, so I'm taking that as an all clear. I will report the...
Sign in to see full entry.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
"Me' n Jimmy V" pt 2
My other disease, Parkinson’s disease (PD), IS catastrophic, and after 22 years of living with it, I can acknowledge that I have it; that it is incurable and degenerative. But I’m fighting it, too. Just because I have it doesn’t mean it will dominate MY life. I have told others with PD there is always hope for a cure as long as you don’t give up. Never give up. Yeah, Jimmy V. ‘n me. There were several quotes Jimmy V. said throughout his lifetime that struck my fancy because they reflect my...
Sign in to see full entry.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Jimmy V. 'n Me pt. 1
To bring everyone to the same playing floor in regards to Jimmy V., I’m including a little history: James Thomas Anthony Valvano (March 10, 1946 - April 28, 1993), nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach. While the head coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA National Championship. He accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY award dinner on March 4, 1993 shortly before he succumbed after a 10-month courageous battle with an aggressive bone...
Sign in to see full entry.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
I'm Walkin' But the Talkin' Took a Vacation
My trip to the Physical Therapist today, to be evaluated for safe walking lessons, turned out to be a lot of fun. They said to wear comfortable, form fitting workout clothes, which was comfortable but showed the 20 lbs. I need to lose. They had me do things that the old folk with Parkinson's have trouble doing, but were not challenging for this ex-PomPon girl. The dance training of my youth and teens again paid off. I have muscular legs and dance imbued me with a sense of balance so that if I do...
Sign in to see full entry.
Safe Walking
Today I go in for safe-walking physical therapy and will learn a program to take home. I hope it's not a walker to take home. I am under the impression this class will delay that eventuality. I AM only a youngster -- too young for one of those! SEE you all later! Thanks for coming by. Transcripts to come later when I'm seated again, and not out gadding about with my new walking techniques!
Sign in to see full entry.
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
I Really AM a Poster-child for DBS!
I thought it would be fun to share my story as told through the article that ran in the 2002 Annual Report of KU Med. Since the print is barely legible, I will transpose a copy for tomorrow's blog. For now, just know that when it comes to poster child, I am legit!
Sign in to see full entry.