News from Maui :o)

Tonight, April 29, 2007 at about 5:45pm (8:45 California time), I married my soul mate. Yes, you read correctly. Rocky and I were married on a beach in Maui today. For the past 25 days we have been keeping this huge secret and today we finally get to share the special news with all of you. We had told our parents, siblings and one special BFF and of course they were super excited....I apologize now to my special girlfriends for not telling you........ We hope that you share in our excitement as we take this next step in our relationship. We love you all and thank you for being part of our lives. I also want to say THANK YOU to our parents for supporting us. We love you!

We hope to celebrate with all of you when we return.

Love and Hugs

Mr. & Mrs. Reyes

GOOD LUCK!!

Okay, so I lied. I said I wouldn't write again this week BUT I wanted to wish our friends GOOD LUCK. This weekend and next weekend a few of our friends will either be running or triathloning (is that a word?). Also good luck to Team Flame :o)

Is it Saturday Yet?

I am packed, I am ready to go. I still have 2 1/2 more days of work and 3 til we hop on that plane and head for Maui.

The next few nights will be nice and mellow for me. Olivia and I are having a roomy night tonight and going out to dinner. Tomorrow night will be spent relaxing at home with Mr. Patch, if you can call it relaxing. He's so darn hyper and I think he senses something weird is going on. My entire room is packed to the gils with boxes and my suitcase is sitting on the ground packed. I'm sure he's wondering what is going on around here. This is the longest I've ever left him for. The most has been a weekend. I wonder if he'll miss me and think I've left him :o( I'm sure he'll have a great time though with his other mommy :o) I'm also wondering how he'll do when we move. Hopefully he doesn't freak out. Anyway and Friday I'll work for most of the day and then the afternoon will be spent packing last minute things. We've gotta be at the airport early on Saturday. YIPEE!

The house is pretty much packed as well. I have a few things here and there to finish up with but other than that when I get back there shouldn't be much to do but move. :o( Waaahhh, did I mention I will miss my roomy. We have furniture being delivered a few days after we get back and then the following weekend we move. Hmmm, maybe I should book another vacation, we are going to need it after all of this :o)

On the training front...well, it's TIME. As soon as I return from Maui I need to go buy some new running shoes and get back out there. This time I really have to though no more messing around. It's time to start training for New York. I am actually looking forward to it. Maybe not so much to training in the summer but training and I can't wait for the race to get here. I've also joined the summer team as PR Captain again so that should keep me motivated and going. I'll be fundraising again this season and again running in memory of not only one but two very special people. Cole and Brenda :o) Brandy, Cole's mommy, is going to train and run the Nike Marathon. It's going to be a very fun and exciting season and I can't wait to see her cross the finish line. The race always falls around Cole's Birthday so it's going to be a very special present to him this year. GO BRANDY!!!

My hands are doing okay. I've noticed some increase in the pain this week but I think it's from all the moving of boxes and other stuff around the house. I will see my therapist again after we move. I'm sure I'm really going to need it.

Well, I will say goodbye and have a great weekend. I probably won't be updating again til next week. Maybe we'll send you all a little message from Maui :o)

Back to Reality

I've spent the last two weeks on edge worrying about Brenda. I'd check my email, cell phone and everyone's blogs like 20 times a day wondering how she was doing and waiting for that dreaded phone call. Last Saturday it came and on Thursday we all said goodbye to such an amazing lady at a very beautiful Celebration of Life. It was so good to see so many people come out and pay tribute to her. It was good to see lots of people we hadn't seen in a while. Her husband and "the girls" did a great job putting the whole thing together. It still seems so weird though that she is gone.

The weekend was pretty mellow. I am sick AGAIN...geesh, how many times have I been sick already this year? and we are only in April :o( I'm sure this insane weather isn't helping. It's 80 degrees one day and then next day it's 40 degrees and raining. As is the case this week. It was raining and cold this weekend and this coming Friday it is suppose to get in the 80's....huh! No wonder my body is freaking out. Anyway, I spent most of Friday afternoon and Saturday in bed. I think Saturday evening I slept for about 14 hours. Although still stuffy and coughing I felt much better on Sunday after all the rest.

I've got quite a bit of the house packed so I'm doing good there. I need to buy some more boxes today and some foamy stuff so I can pack my breakable things in the kitchen. I think I might be able to get everything packed before I leave for Maui.

We leave for Maui in 5 days. I will start packing my clothes tonight since most of the stuff I'm bringing I don't need here. MAUI....YIPEEE!!

Contra Costa Times Article

4/17/2007

Triathlete succumbs to cancer-related disease

CONCORD: Wife and mother of two battled leukemia before bone marrow transplant brought on fatal illness.
By Ryan Huff

Brenda Donato, a Concord woman who battled leukemia and then months later finished a marathon and triathlon, died Saturday night at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek from complications of a bone marrow transplant. She was 36.

Donato developed acute myeloid leukemia in 2005 and was in remission at the time she finished the Wildflower Triathlon in May. For the race, she joined Team in Training, a group of athletes that competes while raising research money for leukemia and other blood cancers.

But her leukemia returned two months after the triathlon, sending her back to the hospital for a fourth round of chemotherapy.

Donato received new bone marrow last summer but contracted chronic graft-versus-host disease, allowing the donor's immune cells to attack her healthy tissue.

She kept a positive attitude throughout her fight and inspired others along the way. In her final MySpace blog entry last week, she wrote about how leukemia changed her life.

"Not only would it instantly humble me and make me feel invincible, it would subtract years from my life, scare friends away, add new compassionate ones into my life and inspire and motivate new people like no other," she wrote.

More than 100 of Donato's friends and relatives attended a fundraiser in Brentwood earlier this month to help pay her medical bills and make donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Her friends set up a webcam so she could interact with attendees from her hospital bedside.

In her final blog, Donato said she had no regrets about her life and knew her purpose.

"I always knew in my life that I was here for a reason. My reason was always to help others."

Reach Ryan Huff at 925-977-8471 or rhuff@cctimes.com.

EPITAPH
Brenda Donato
BORN: July 6, 1970
DIED: April 14, 2007

SURVIVORS: Husband, Jim; sons, Trevor, 10, and Jarrett, 7; brother Brad Newlan; parents Linda Glogowski and Verdell Newlan; grandmother Mary Laschuk.

SERVICES: A celebration of Donato's life will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Heather Farm Park, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek.

CONTRIBUTIONS: In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Brenda Donato Foundation, 21001 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Suite A4, P.O. Box 177, San Ramon, CA 94583

Smile

Brenda always did

I was going to title this blog "the many faces of Brenda" but I could only find one face. A face with a smile on it ALL of the time. I could tell you right now that there were times in some of these pictures that Brenda wasn't feeling well but she never complained and she never had a frown on her face. She was always happy and smiling.

I haven't talked much this week about me. The focus has been on Brenda and remembering her. As for how I'm doing with Brenda's passing, I am doing okay. It has really helped to have such an amazing support from my amazing friends and Rocky. We have talked lots about her and remembered her though stories and pictures. I'm looking foward to attending her Celebration of Life on Thursday.

My hands are doing great. I didn't have therapy this week, my therapist in on vacation. I probably won't see her again til sometime in May.

We leave for Maui in 11 days WOOHOOO. We can't wait. I'm looking forward to relaxing and just doing nothing.

I'm not even sure if I've mentioned on here but we are also moving. Rocky and I will be moving in together :o) We are moving the weekend after we get back from Maui....YIKES! So it's been very hectic for us the past few weeks trying to get ready for that. The fun part has been buying new furniture. I think it's the first time I've ever owned any. WOW, I'm growing up :o) hee, hee. Rocky, Patch and I will reside in Oakland. Yes, I lost the battle of living on this side of the tunnel. Oh well. Our place is super cute and I can't wait to move in. I will miss my roomie though :o( and our late night runs to get Gelato or Maggie Moo's ice cream.

So life is crazy busy and hectic but I will keep on SMILING :o)

1 Year Ago

This time last year we were in our last few weeks of training for the Wildflower Triathlon. At the end of March we had gone down to Lake San Antonio for training weekend and the first weekend of May was Wildflower. I remember how I was freaking out because I didn't think I'd be able to do this race and Brenda was at home totally excited about doing her race although she had skipped quite a few training but I knew she'd still kick my butt.....and she did. I wanted to share a few pics from last year. These pictures show her HUGE bright smile. Never once frowning, never once complaining about anything.

Brenda

July 6, 1970 - April 14, 2004

Training Weekend

Wilflower event weekend

An New Angel

Heaven gained a new angel today. Brenda is now an angel in the sky watching over us.

A Message from Brenda

This is a message that Brenda posted yesterday on her blog.

I started this "technical error" journey with myspace after learning about something called AML in a small room with Miah, Karri, Jim and Dr. Salganick in Concord, CA. My boys were then just 6 and 8.

After feeling short of breath and tired, as I do today, I remain seated just as I was in a hosptal bed then being summoned and knocked down by a deadly disease that would change my life in so many ways. Not only would it instantly humble me and make me feel invincible, it would subtract years from my life, scare friends away, add new compassionate ones into my life and inspire and motivate new people like no other.

I always knew in my life that I was here for a reason. My reason was always to help others. I told Dad that whenever I saw one of those"Help Wanted" signs in the window, I was the one that could fit the bill. I especially loved the Air Emissions Quality team sign and the Brown's Chicken's sign.

I could help, no matter what the job was. Anyhow, I ended up being a "helper".

I generally just helped. No matter who, where, what. I smiled and laughed and pretended I knew what I was doing. It didn't matter. As long as I felt I was included and on the center of a stage. Even if it was singing "BABY GOT BACK" in front of a large group!

Through these years I have absolutely NO regrets. I worked hard and played even harder. I never said a swear word, always went to school on time, and won the PE award in high school.

In fact, 3 days ago I just crawled up the stairs.

And now, I'm back in bed still hooked up, still using a commode, and wearing a purple t-shirt that says (in orange writing) "freakisly strong" while covered with a wonderful TNT blanket that was knitted for me just weeks ago.

Now I peacefully await and end the battle that has attacked my 36-year-old body surrounded by my most beautiful family and friends. Surreal, but true, this is really happening.

We all wait. Me, my family and friends that are here now, and all of you. Even though you're not here with me physically (it would simply be impossible for all of you to fit in this room), I want you to know I feel you and know you're here. I love all of you.

Thank you for loving and supporting me. Please continue to pour it out on my three boys.

Without that making much sense now, it does to me.

Secret Project

The secret knitting project has been completed and delivered.

About a month ago we got and email from our TNT friend Cindy Short asking us if we wanted to participate in making a prayer shawl for Brenda................

What is a prayer shawl?

Before one begins the knitting process, a blessing or prayers be said, dedicating the work of your hands and the intentions of the receiver. During the knitting process you will want to pray for the recipient of the shawl so that your prayers are knitted into the shawl. When working in a group, you may want to pass the work-in-progress around the circle, asking each person to add some stitches to the shawl, or to just hold it for a while to add their prayers, energy and good wishes. A final blessing of the shawl is suggested as well. When you finish the shawl before presenting it to the person pray any prayer for the recipient.

......we immediately said yes and started the process of finding the perfect shawl for her. The only problem was that when you knit a shawl you all have to pass it around and knit part of it which could of taken a while especially since some of us aren't very fast :o( A few months ago I had seen a pattern for a throw in one of my knitting catalogs and I thought it might be a better idea for us. So I shared it with the group and we all agreed it was perfect. The throw was knit in sections. So each of us (Amy, Jeanette, Olivia, Raji, Cindy and I) got to knit an entire section of the throw. Last night we met at Amy's house, THANK YOU AMY, and sewed the throw together. It came out beautiful. Olivia and I then delivered it to the hospital and currently it is wrapped around Brenda. We hope that she feels all the love and prayers we put into the blanket and that it brings her some comfort.

We got this text message from Lindsay at 6:09am:

Brenda and I are snuggled up in the blanket....she just absolutely loves it....thank you so much!

It was a good way to start my morning.

As for Brenda's condition....not good. Last night she was having a very difficult time breathing. Her husband Jim didn't think she'd make it through the night. She did though and is still fighting hard. We were not able to see her but it was good for us to be there and see her family, her hubby and Lindsay who has been an amazing support to Brenda. Lindsay has not left her side in 3 days. Right now we are just playing the waiting game and waiting for the text message or phone call that the time has come. I am very sad today as I know we all are.

Brenda Donato

We have gotten very sad news today. This is an email I got from Monica, our former East Bay Run Team Manger:

Brenda was admitted to John Muir Hospital (in Walnut Creek) on Monday as she had major difficulty in her breathing. Today, the doctors have decided to take her off her medication and she has been given 12-36 hours to live.

As you can imagine, this message is very hard for me to relay to each of you. I just know it would be Brenda's wish that each of you keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers today. As she has said before, we help her stay strong and that is what we should continue to do.

Leg, Arms, Abs and BUTT workout :o)

hee, hee....I did a butt toning workout :o) maybe I can get it in shape for those darn bikini's in 17 days (not I"m not couting down til I'm on that plane to Hawaii :o) ). I didn't make it to the gym but I did do a nice 30 minute workout at home. Olivia had a great video, collecting dust, that I stuck in the DVD player and did. It had 9 different workouts that you could pick from or do all of them. I picked 3. My first was a combination of legs and arms. The second was an ab workout and the third was the butt toning workout. That little DVD sure did give me a good workout and made me sweat. I am pretty proud of myself because this is the most I've worked out I think since October. The next few weeks are going to be hectic for us so if I can't make it to the gym then I'll just do this little video at home. In fact I may just get my lazy butt out of bed a half hour earlier and try to do it every morning. We shall see though.

Latest Update on Brenda from our friend Lindsay:

Hello friends,

I am sitting beside our dear friend Brenda, and she has requested that I write everyone a little update. She can absolutely feel everyone's love and prayers, and they mean the world to her. I know everyone is so worried because she hasn't blogged in awhile, so I just want to assure everyone that she is doing OK. We came to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek via ambulance on Monday morning due to breathing difficulty. We spent the day in the ER and then were finally transfered to a wonderful suite. R2, Carol Wu, and Erin Nitta have been amazing support to Brenda, and she really wanted to acknowledge their love. She thinks they are all AMAZING....Right now Brenda and I are going to sleep. She is feeling very anxious and overwhelmed. Through everything, she continues to smile and shine. She is doing an amazing job of fighting....fighting like hell....She cannot have visitors...and isn't up much for phone calls...she simply isn't up for it.....what you can do is continue to love her and think of her in everything you do. Believe me when I say that she feels everyone's love and thrives on it every minute. Loving you all, Lindsay

Brenda, right before the start of our swim portion

at the Wildflower Triathlon

Core Central and Amp'd Abs

Took these two classes at the gym last night. I am super sore today but I had a great workout and boy did it make me sweat like a piggy.

Core Central

Core Central™ is the ultimate torso workout! The 45-minute interval workout combines movers - simple cardio exercises, with shakers - exercises with handheld weights, to activate participant's core muscles and challenge stability. By taking Core Central™, participants will experience improved muscle control and balance.

Amp'd Abs

There’s no other workout like Amp’d Abs™. This class works the entire abdominal and trunk through trunk flexion, trunk extension and rotation exercises. The format contains our signature "holds" section. A great workout to compliment everyone’s fitness goals.

Hands are doing great this week. I'm won't be doing therapy again probably til May. My therapist is on vacation and then we are on vacation. I hope that my hand will continue to do well though.

I have some laundry to do and a bunch of other things around the house so I think I'll do a similar workout at home. I have the hand weights and can easily do some the arm workout at home along with some squats and lunges :o)

Please keep Brenda in your thoughts and prayers as she is not doing very well right now. I read a comment on her blog from one of the guys I trained with for Wildflower that she is back in the hospital :o(

Happy Friday!

Yipee, it's Friday! So glad, it's been another busy week around here.

I managed to make it to the gym twice but that was it. Wasn't home Wednesday evening or last night so didn't make it, oh well. At least my eating has been good all week. I hope I can keep it up this weekend although it's gonna be hard.

Tonight we are going to Pier 23 to have dinner with friends and watch Rocky's band. It should be a fun time. I was hoping the weather would be nice but it seems to be chilly today. Weather says it's suppose to rain tomorrow :O( boo, hoo. The rest of the weekend we'll be in Daly City. Tomorrow is Rocky's nephew's birthday and Sunday is Easter with his family. Should be a nice mellow weekend with lots of food :O)

My hands are doing great today :o) YIPEE!!

Doggie Emergency

OMG, we had the most interesting doggie emergency on Monday night. I have never ever seen this happen to any of my dogs. Between all the doggies that I and my parents have had this was a first. Now Olivia and I are cracking up about it but let me just tell you that I almost pee'd my pants on Tuesday night. I was having visions of lots and lots of dollar bills because I thought we'd have to take Patch to the emergency room and then I had horrible thoughts of having to put him down cause it wasn't fixable. Anyway if you'd like to know what I'm talking about click here. And NO, I did not take a picture of it....Poor Patch :o( He is doing just fine though and was told by our vet that this does happen to doggies although you don't hear about it often.

In other news. Olivia and I got a few passes to 24 hours Fitness and so far we've managed to make it both Monday and Tuesday. Luckily tonight we have Cause for Celebration in San Francisco with Team in Training because I can barely move. My body is sore from doing weights Monday and a kick boxing class last night. They were both great workouts and it feels good to finally be doing some exercising. Now I just need to get my little feet back in my running shoes and back out on the trails. I've been doing really well with my eating so I'm hoping the pounds will start shedding much faster.

My hands are doing much better. Not a lot of pain this week except for when I do something for too long. Like blow dry my hair or hold chop sticks. I'm working through it though. I had therapy again yesterday and it really helped.