Why to Donate

Yesterday I sent out a bunch of emails to friends, family and people I work with because as you know I'll be fundraising for Pac Grove. I joined TNT the winter of 2002 and one of our team honorees was Rich Brooks who was in remission from Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Rich was on Gleevac, a medicine whose research was funded by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Rich is a police office in San Jose and has a wife and two children. Rich was honoree for several of our teams and Kim, his wife, was on several of our teams as well and has done quite a few races. Olivia and I became good friends with them and have spent time with them outside of the TNT stuff. We keep in touch and when I fundraise they always donate. They are really grateful for what LLS has done for their family.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Here is part of an email I received from his wife today and it's why I continue to raise money.

Good news.... Bad news. First the bad: unfortunately, the Gleevec ran its course with Rich and stopped working. About 3 months ago, they put him on another one called, Sprycel..... another drug that the LLS helped fund. Good news: After a rocky start, the drug kicked in and he's better now then he's ever been - even when he was on the Gleevec. He's considered in remission and feeling great!

I'm sure it was scary for them to find out that the Gleevac wasn't working anymore but because of LLS and the research it funds they were able to find another medicine. This makes me happy.

w/Rich at the Nike Pasta Party 2003

If you are interested in donating you can do so on the link posted on the left hand side of my page :o) THANK YOU!

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Now to the events that unfolded at Shadow Cliffs last night :o(

Amy and I headed to Shadow Cliffs for our swim even though we both weren't really wanting to, it was cold and windy :o( but we drove out there like the good little girls that we are. We were getting ready and had a chat with the other people who've been swimming out there, one of the ladies is also doing Pac Grove. Anyway, we started to get into the water which actually seemed a bit warmer than last week, maybe it was the 100+ degree weather, as I'm walking in I see a shadow and FREAK OUT. I then realize that there are several BIG shadows swimming along, THEY WERE VERY BIG FISH not minnow size ones like Amy is trying to make you believe. If they were that small people wouldn't be fishing in these waters. I hightailed it out of the water screaming like a little kid and I DID NOT go back in :o(


I know the fish are there, I have always known the fish are there and I've seen them do their little dance on top of the water from far away but I have never seen them right at my feet that close to the shore. I have no idea why I have this weird phobia of fish. My parents used to take me to lakes, I like swimming in the ocean when we go on vacation but I have this weird thing about what is unde the water. I've been snorkeling plenty of times and have swam with dolphins twice but I've noticed that when I do it takes me a good 10 minutes to relax, not hyperventilate and not drown because I'm freaked out about what is under me, near me or around me. Writing about it is giving me anxiety :o( I have today and tomorrow to talk myself into getting back into that water. Amy and I are suppose to swim again. This ought to be interesting.


Yes Amy got a good laugh and so did my hubby. I called him while I sat on the shore and waited for Amy to swim. Which by the way she did an awesome job. Last week we did 5 laps and this week she got 8 laps done.....YAY AMY! I was proud of her. I called my hubby and although he tried to be understanding I'm sure he was laughing inside. I also called Olivia because she has the same phobia but worse. She won't even get in the water. She had a good chuckle to but understood, thanks Olivia for listening to me whine.


Here is the picture of the ugly fish :o(