Still running

The last few days have been tough ones. The reality of Dori's bone marrow transplant is here, as she will re-enter Vanderbilt on October 3 for an October 9 transplant. Dori updated everyone tonight on caringbridge.org, but I'll add that Dori has a biopsy tomorrow (number six), a visit to the dentist next week and a second opinion visit at Centennial.

Why has it been tough lately? I'll sum it up without specifics ... some folks have difficulty expressing themselves appropriately. They mean well but just can't rise to the occasion, or they just aren't equipped well. Dori and I talk about this a lot. Rather than get disappointed when someone slips, I encourage her to stay focused on the positive and when someone serves up a crap sandwich, just say "no, thanks" and move on. This isn't always easy, but Dori proved once again she can do it, after a little venting yesterday.

I will tell you God spoke to Dori all day long today. After the recent tough run of bull manure, Dori heard from many people who just wanted to tell her they love her. LOTS of people called her today. She also went for a walk at Radnor Lake, and the first song on her iPod was, "While You See a Chance ... Take It." This was an answer to lingering doubts about whether to go through a transplant. She also called the carpet cleaner guy she likes. He mentioned his daughter had blood issues, but is doing well four years after a transplant with some mild side effects, but overall she's fine. This was another answer to the concern Dori has about quality of life issues after a transplant.

Dori was peppered with gloomy statistics and information at the clinic the other day. She has a sharp math mind and really processes numbers. I'm a little different. They're nice to know, but statistics don't take everything into account. Your will, your heart, your mind ... that's what matters. Now tell me the statistics of people who have Dori's will, heart and mind. I always have had a thing about negative people. For better or worse, I've gone into lockdown mode to keep Dori exposed as much as possible to uplifting people. I can't control all of it, but I can have a big impact as her husband and primary caregiver.

I've been a little warm under the collar myself the last few days, so I decided to take it out on pavement at lunch today. I ran 5.0 miles on the Stones River Greenway, which is mostly flat but has a few nice gradients. It was not humid, but sunny and 83. I did not time myself, but I think I covered it in about 41 minutes or so, an 8:12 pace. I thought about Dori the whole run. When I called her in the afternoon, she told me about her 4.0 mile walk on hilly Ganier Ridge, an impressive trip when you DON'T have leukemia. BTW, I have a new trick when the pain comes during a run: I count down the estimated amount of time left. Seven minutes left ... well that's how long it takes to unload the dishwasher. You get the picture. This helped me at the Virginia Beach Half Marathon. The mind is stronger than the body.

I also ran Sunday (3.25 miles) and Monday (3.5 miles) in the neighborhood, the latter in 31:23, an 8:51 pace. That's 11.75 miles at mid-week, not bad when you're not training for anything specific. Today's run was the first time I felt 100 percent since Virginia Beach.

This weekend, Dori, the kids and I are going to a special place on the Cumberland Plateau - a cabin we visit each year. It is secluded, and the view is panoramic. The running and hiking are great, and we certainly plan to indulge in God's green garden.