17-Oct-2010 (Status Indeterminate)
Team Challenge went to a10k event in StL, as a rehearsal to what would happen at the half marathon in December.  While they were there they set up an information table well outside of the event area, in the middle of a small park near the starting line.

Before the start of the race they were approached by a woman in her mid thirties, athletically fit, with blonde hair.  She asked if she could store her jacket under the Team Challenge table.  They warned her that they couldn't guarantee that they would be there when she returned, and she said that was understood.  She laid her jacket under the table and walked towards the starting line.

The start time drew near and the Team Challenge members left the table and made for the starting line as they were running in the event, and VC stayed behind to man the table.  The race started and within 6 minutes all 5,000 participants had funneled through the start gate and ran off into the distance.  The crowd that remained ceased to cheer and started to disperse.  The park grew near silent.

VC was now alone in the park.  Occasionally a supporter of a runner or homeless person would meander through the park, but for the most part it was just him and the trees.  About 45 minutes after the start of the race the blonde runner came back.

   "I beleive I left something here." she said to him as she approached.  She immediately started rooting through the stuff under the table looking for her jacket.  She added: "you have a lot of people stuff here." referring to his Team Challenge teammates stuff.  VC still hasn't said anything.  She found her jacket, stood up and was about to walk away when VC asked if she made a good time.  "oh yeaaah." she said without giving any details.  That ended their interaction.

She glanced down at the table and spotted the bowls of candy placed around the displays and packets of info about Team Challenge.  She says out loud: "if you dont mind."  and immediately dives into the candy bowl without making eye contact or pausing for a response.  She quickly got her swag and walked off.

VC looked perplexed.  I asked him and he recounted:  "In addition to [the blonde runner] I talked to 5 homeless people who stopped at the table, as they were walking through the park.  Of those 5 people, 4 of them asked for candy.  And by asked I mean they said something to the effect of: 'can I get some candy' or 'you giving out candy?' with upward inflection at the end, and then waited for a response.  They asked and then waited for a response..."  he paused a beat.  "I told them yes and brought the bowls to them so that they could take some candy.  They all took about 3 or 4 fun sized candies and thanked me."  a beat.  "Of the 4 who took candy, 2 of them donated money to Team Challenge."



-xxxx

31-Aug-2010 (Infusion Day: Status Indeterminate)
"Prednisone makes me hungry and I mean fungry[sic]. But I have to take it the three days on and around my infusion day to help with my allergic reaction to the Remicade. Prednisone itself should help my symptoms because it reduces the inflammation in my colon, but it also forces me to ingest a tremendous amount more food than I am not used to eating.  See fungry."
VC lays out his preparation leading up to receiving his 3 hour infusion of Remicade, an immunosuppressant.  He takes Benadryl and Tylenol in addition to the Prednisone to fight the side effects of Remicade.

"On the day of [the infusion] I have to eat something;  Me and needles on an empty stomach is not a good idea.  But by this time all the extra food I consumed from the previous day starts giving me trouble, so I rebound back to not eating very much.  I eventually eat something neutral, but I have to be careful not to eat to close to my infusion start time so that my blood pressure doesn't drop to low.  Needles and low blood pressure is not a good idea either.  All the while drinking plenty of water and [electrolytes] so that my veins don't collapse during the stick."
VC pauses a beat.

"Getting the IV stick hurts, I mean I feel every millimeter pierce my skin and advance into my hand.  After my third infusion, the Remicade put me into remission for 97 days.  After having suffered for 9 consecutive months,  [during] those 97 days I felt so incredible; almost invincible.  From that point on no matter how many times I relapse, no matter how many days I suffer with symptoms, I no longer view the stick as causing me pain.  It pales in comparison to the alternative.  I sometimes catch myself smiling when I get stuck... sometimes I laugh too."


-xxxx

Today could be the day...

29-Aug-2010 (37 Days in Relapse)
The new season has officially started, with the kick-off party this past Thursday (26-Aug) and the teams first group practice yesterday (28-Aug).  The team is 50 members strong and still growing.  People from all over metro St Louis, all from different backgrounds unified for one purpose.


Choices:  During the team practice a few of the team members decided to share their back stories.  [Safari] was the last to share.  He stood up and announced that he had Ulcerative Colitis; that his UC was under control on his current battery of medications.  Only one side effect of the medications is kidney failure.  [Safari]'s wife wanted to find some thing else, something with out a serious side effect but [Safari] didn't.  He wanted to continue because Kidney failure is a chance, but the affect on his UC was proven.


-xxxx




what you see here...

24-Aug-2010 (32 Days in Relapse)
"So I'm back in the same boat I was 6 months ago.  Same [sinking] boat." VC remarks after what he calls a short workout.  "I want to do this [half marathon], I really do.  That's why I keep signing up.  But the disease wont let me run.  Every time I try [it] keeps knocking me down...  Well, maybe thats the point.  Maybe that is why I am here, now..."

-xxxx

Help me, help us

DONATION SITE


-VC

12-Aug-2010 (20 Days in Relapse)
A new season has started for Team Challenge, and the start of every journey begins with a single step.  The first of the informational meetings took place last night (11-Aug) with what the team deemed a really good turn out: a lot of RSVPs; a lot of walk-ins, and most important of all, a lot of participants signed up.  AC and VC were in attendance to talk about the fundraising portion that the participants are required to do.  AC did the speaking and VC sheepishly stood in the back:
   "It's intimidating, now from a different perspective.  It's my second event but I'm still in a first; first time as a mentor.  [I] had to meet a lot of people and socialize.  Which is still not something I do well..."

-xxxx

9-Aug-2010 (17 Days in Relapse)
Today is a milestone day for VC.  He has now been in relapse for as many days as his last remission.  "This flare up is considered over as soon as I have as many days in remission as I have in relapse."  That is his philosophy he tells me.  So now VC will start accumulating deficit days pushing his absolute recovery day further into the future.
   "Does today have an impact on your decision?"
   "On a long enough time line it shouldn't have any impact, but seeing how things are now, it definitely is a factor."
   "What is your decision?" I ask him directly.
   "[AC] and I made up our minds, and in light of what today is just reinforced that decision. One of us is going to have to give [H] the bad news....  she is going to have to put up with us for another season."
   "A few days ago you were concerned about this being difficult-"
   "Yeah its going to be hard, so is living with this [disease], maybe that's the point.  There is always going to be someone out there who has it worse than me, so may be I just need to suck it up and do it cause things can always be worse.  Remember: I am still trying to forget what having Crohn's disease feels like.  Until that happens, and as long as I am able.. I've got to keep on movin."  VC said that last part in a sing song type voice...

-xxxx

merry married mentors

6-Aug-2010 (14 Days in Relapse)

AC and VC are still debating being mentors for 2010 Las Vegas.  H assures them that there is: "no pressure" but she is under time constraints to have everything finalized; everyone has deadlines  And the merry married mentors have already signed putting more pressure on AC and VC.
   "Of what are you afraid?"  I ask him.
   A beat.  "Is life always this hard? or just when you're a kid?"  VC responds with what I later realize is a quote from a movie.  He never answers my question directly...

-xxxx