Racing to Save Lives

Hello Everyone and welcome to my Team In Training home page!

Super Nurse Judy here-- Ready to cures what ails ya- (Insert mental image of a nurse flying through the air with a cape- here). BTW, NO Gynie or bowel problems please, J/K. In my 15 years as an RN and nurse practitioner, I have learned a lot about common illnesses that have affected us all at one time or another. I have also seen people with support from family and friends, persevere through the most difficult of illnesses.

Now that I have donned on my scrubs and nurse's cap (Yeah right!-- I never wore one of those ridiculous hats so don't try to picture me in one!)--Let's talk. I have decided to run a marathon this October in San Francisco to benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma. Did you know that marathoners and chemo patients suffer from similar ailments sometimes? I didn't think so either! But let me share some unknown facts about this with you.

1) Nausea and Vomiting-

-Chemo patients get strong medicine to kill cancer, but also irritate the stomach causing them to feel nauseous and throw up.

-Marathoners often suffer from dehydration which makes you feel lightheaded and throw up.

2) Diarrhea-

-Some chemo drugs damage the lining of the stomach/small intestine, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea.

-19-26% of marathoners complain of diarrhea possibly due to bodily fluid shifts that occur to conserve electrolytes during long runs.

3) Muscle Pain-

-When leukemia/lymphoma patients get shots to stimulate the bone marrow to make blood cells rapidly, the patient may experience 'growing pains'.

-Due to prolonged training and over use of some muscles, marathoners can experience pulled hamstrings, stress fractures, tendonitis and runner's knee.

4) Fatigue-

-Chemo causes anemia (low iron in the blood), leaving a person feeling tired, weak and short of breath.

-Running 26.2 miles can leave a person feeling tired, weak and short of breath.

5) Hair Loss-

-Chemo drugs affect hair follicle, causing hair to become brittle and break or fall out.

-Signing up to run a marathon and raise a whole lot of money (even for a great cause) makes a person nervous and want to pull their hair out.

Of course all of these ailments have cures.

1- Nausea and vomiting- anti nausea medicine, rehydration

2- Diarrhea- anti diarrhea meds, increase fiber, electrolyte intake

3- Muscle pain- rest, ice, anti inflammatory meds

4- Fatigue- sleep, iron supplements

5-Hair loss- Rogaine, hair transplants, wigs

But there is no cure for Leukemia/Lymphoma YET. This is where if we all join together we all can make a difference. Everyone either has a family member or friend that has been affected by cancer. My uncle, Angel Lopez, has fought cancer 3 times and is battling lymphoma again right now.

I hope you will make a contribution to help him and all other lymphoma patients. My goal is to raise 3900.00. I know together we can do this and more!

Donations can be make by mail: (checks to the Lymphoma/Leukemia Society)- 6032 Dolvin Lane, Buford, GA 30518

OR online: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ga/nikesf08/jshermaptr

I hope this letter finds you free of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, fatigue or hair loss (unless baldness is intentional).

Take care, Judy Sherman :)

P.S.

These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure! Please forward this to everyone you know ! Together, WE CAN DO IT!! Thanks for your support!