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May 29,
2006 - Day 6 - Week 8 - Nephew James Bates
Yesterday, as reported in the
Compact yesterday, was a day of 86,400 seconds of
thanks. Actually that is how many seconds there are
in a day, and it was a day of feeling great; thus my
expression of gratitude.
Today began in a similar
fashion with a strong exercise program, a healthy
breakfast, finishing the garage and then our guest
arrived. This is not any ordinary guest, but James
Bates, Katy’s nephew. He arrived with his
girlfriend Kristin and their dog Zeke who is a
combination Corgi and Labrador. He fetches like a
retriever and swims like a Corgi, poorly.
All in my family younger than
me are special, and since everyone in my family is
now younger than me I am safe in making that
statement. James, at the ripe old age of 29 is
hiking from the border of Mexico to the border of
Canada. That is correct - 2,651 miles of the most
rugged terrain imaginable. He has completed 454.7
miles and he began April 29th. He plans
to finish September 28th. That is not an
ordinary hike by any stretch of the imagination.
James has joined us for two
days of R and R. Two weeks ago his feet had more
blisters than a freshly painted wall in the Anza
Borrego Desert; a place he walked across with pace.
Why, am I writing about James and his trek? Perhaps
to reflect upon something other than the fact that
round three of chemo begins on Tuesday, and I really
think it has a great deal to do with my appreciation
and admiration for a healthy body.
When we are young we take this
for granted and we seem impervious to all sorts and
conditions of maladies associated with ‘we old
folks.’ We hike across life as if nothing will
happen to us. I used to think that there was a gene
that stayed with us during our teen years and then
left us sometime later, but we all know that side of
us when we were young when we could just experience
life and not have to worry about the consequences.
Today I am not sure that even
the well conditioned athlete is immune from
debilitating and life threatening sickness and
disease. Remember Lance Armstrong, the most fit of
human beings, was humbled by testicular cancer. He
was the perfect example of diet, exercise, positive
attitude and the poster boy, and the Pace Car driver
at the Indy 500 today, for a healthy person; and
then what? Wham! Blindsided by cancer.
James is pushing the envelope
of human endurance and we, his family and friends,
are very proud of what he has already accomplished.
My hope and prayer in all of this is that we
maintain a healthy environment so that all who
demonstrate what the human body is capable of is not
compromised by something that is ultimately never
totally their own fault.
James writes of his travails on
the famous Pacific Crest Trail in a weekly email to
his family (it must run in the family). He is
experiencing nature in its purest form. Every
breath he takes on the trail and every step he takes
requires him to be at the top of his game. He
crosses 100 plus degree deserts, descends to and
from freezing mountaintops, and in one 12 hour trek
experienced 8 different micro-climates. He
represents for me what is possible, even for those
of us who have stumbled along the path of life with
a little detour in the road like cancer. Thanks
James, your walk parallels exactly the time of my
treatments. We will finish our journeys at the same
time. May we rejoice crossing our respective finish
lines for a job well done!
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