I walked to save lives yesterday. And for good and gutsy reason. My sister Patrina has suffered with Crohn's Disease (CD) for over 4 decades!
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) has been promoting their Gutsy Walk - formerly the Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon - for nearly 2 decades. It's a topic you seldom hear about because it involves barfing, bowels, and bomb-smelling attacks to the toilet. And believe it or not, Canada has one of the highest incidence rates in the world!
So when the CCFC announced their annual Gutsy Walk across Canuck country again, I jumped at the chance to raise funds for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research - so Patrina and others could have a better lease on life.
According to the CCFC Web Site, Crohn’s disease (CD) is named after the doctor who first described it in 1932. Since he did not have the disease itself, it is sometimes more accurately
called Crohn disease. The inflammation from CD can strike anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to anus, but is usually located in the lower part of the small
bowel and the upper end of the colon. Patches of inflammation are interspersed
between healthy portions of the gut, and can penetrate the intestinal layers
from inner to outer lining.
CD can also affect the mesentery, which is the network of tissue that holds
the small bowel to the abdomen and contains the main intestinal blood vessels
and lymph glands. CD is a chronic (lifelong) illness. People who have it will experience periods of acute flare-ups, when their symptoms are active and other times when their symptoms go into remission.
I know - first hand - the side affects, the consequences, and the heart-wrenching pain associated with CD and IBD. I've seen this incurable disease suck the life out of my sister Patrina. The average risk of a flare-up in any given year is about 30%. Patrina is often hospitalized at a minimum twice a year. And by the way, I too suffer from irritable bowel.
CD can be located anywhere in the gastrointenstinal tract and symptoms can vary but most often include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and not surprisingly, weight loss and lack of energy.
It's debilitating. You're often embarrassed because you may need to find a washroom when you least expect it. And if you find one, you may be in there for more than 30 minutes. And it ain't pretty.
So there I was Sketchers and Fuji in tow. And I wasn't alone. My two sons also decided to join me in raising much-need funds; among the thousands who came to skip, circle, rollerblade, stroll and walk. I'll confess. I went to the gym 4 times last week to prepare for this gutsy walk. I haven't jogged in several years, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep the pace with my Sylvester Stallone-buffed sons. But they went gentle on me.
Rather than jog, we all decided to walk with guts. "Hurry up Mom," they said, as beads of sweat poured off their fine-skin foreheads. "I'm walking as fast as I can," I quipped back, chugging down my water like an ice-cold Stella.
Participation in national fundraising events like the Gutsy Walk are always dependent on the weather. The CCFC got lucky. It was gorgeous out there. Children were gutsy walking in high-tech strollers powered by persevering parents. Teen-agers were power-walking wearing the latest athletic gear in tangerine and lime. And then there were the 3 amigos - No. #1 son, No #2 son and me!
"Mom, boasted my No. #2 son, "I can run this 5 K in 20 minutes or less." "Glad you can, " I piped back, "but we're walking this one," as I wiped my brow.
My sons made me proud. And if their Aunt Patrina could see them (she lives in another city), she'd be proud as punch too.
It was chili-pepper hot out there that morning. So piping hot that No. #1 son and No. #2 son took off their muscle shirts and exposed their toned bare chests to the sun as we were about to cross the finish line.
We helped to rai$e million$ that morning. And then out of the blue came a rainbow-faced clown strolling down the path as part of the entertainment for the day. In a jovial tone, she shouted at my sons, "So what do I need to do to get you both to take off the other half?"
To life and living it,
Ineda
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) has been promoting their Gutsy Walk - formerly the Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon - for nearly 2 decades. It's a topic you seldom hear about because it involves barfing, bowels, and bomb-smelling attacks to the toilet. And believe it or not, Canada has one of the highest incidence rates in the world!
So when the CCFC announced their annual Gutsy Walk across Canuck country again, I jumped at the chance to raise funds for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research - so Patrina and others could have a better lease on life.
According to the CCFC Web Site, Crohn’s disease (CD) is named after the doctor who first described it in 1932. Since he did not have the disease itself, it is sometimes more accurately
called Crohn disease. The inflammation from CD can strike anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to anus, but is usually located in the lower part of the small
bowel and the upper end of the colon. Patches of inflammation are interspersed
between healthy portions of the gut, and can penetrate the intestinal layers
from inner to outer lining.
CD can also affect the mesentery, which is the network of tissue that holds
the small bowel to the abdomen and contains the main intestinal blood vessels
and lymph glands. CD is a chronic (lifelong) illness. People who have it will experience periods of acute flare-ups, when their symptoms are active and other times when their symptoms go into remission.
I know - first hand - the side affects, the consequences, and the heart-wrenching pain associated with CD and IBD. I've seen this incurable disease suck the life out of my sister Patrina. The average risk of a flare-up in any given year is about 30%. Patrina is often hospitalized at a minimum twice a year. And by the way, I too suffer from irritable bowel.
CD can be located anywhere in the gastrointenstinal tract and symptoms can vary but most often include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and not surprisingly, weight loss and lack of energy.
It's debilitating. You're often embarrassed because you may need to find a washroom when you least expect it. And if you find one, you may be in there for more than 30 minutes. And it ain't pretty.
So there I was Sketchers and Fuji in tow. And I wasn't alone. My two sons also decided to join me in raising much-need funds; among the thousands who came to skip, circle, rollerblade, stroll and walk. I'll confess. I went to the gym 4 times last week to prepare for this gutsy walk. I haven't jogged in several years, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep the pace with my Sylvester Stallone-buffed sons. But they went gentle on me.
Rather than jog, we all decided to walk with guts. "Hurry up Mom," they said, as beads of sweat poured off their fine-skin foreheads. "I'm walking as fast as I can," I quipped back, chugging down my water like an ice-cold Stella.
Participation in national fundraising events like the Gutsy Walk are always dependent on the weather. The CCFC got lucky. It was gorgeous out there. Children were gutsy walking in high-tech strollers powered by persevering parents. Teen-agers were power-walking wearing the latest athletic gear in tangerine and lime. And then there were the 3 amigos - No. #1 son, No #2 son and me!
"Mom, boasted my No. #2 son, "I can run this 5 K in 20 minutes or less." "Glad you can, " I piped back, "but we're walking this one," as I wiped my brow.
My sons made me proud. And if their Aunt Patrina could see them (she lives in another city), she'd be proud as punch too.
It was chili-pepper hot out there that morning. So piping hot that No. #1 son and No. #2 son took off their muscle shirts and exposed their toned bare chests to the sun as we were about to cross the finish line.
We helped to rai$e million$ that morning. And then out of the blue came a rainbow-faced clown strolling down the path as part of the entertainment for the day. In a jovial tone, she shouted at my sons, "So what do I need to do to get you both to take off the other half?"
To life and living it,
Ineda
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