First day back in the gym, small rehab work, but it was great to be back in that environment! I am starting to feel like I have turned a corner and can get back to focusing on training and getting ready for 2011 races, and events to spread the word. We are working on completing our speech notes with prof Warren Anderson, well known speech writer so that will help, my ability to stay focused enough to draft notes is tough! Hoping more people are inviting us to come speak and talk on making a difference within your community. We can go anywhere!

Pam continues to feel pretty well, though the most recent blood count went down just a bit, and this last week we had one day where she was really beat, but with some rest and sleep she was back on her feet. ONE TOUGH GIRL! Nothing keeps her down.

Part of the lesson: Positive thoughts through tough times will get you through….

NEW STUDY FROM NATIONAL SERVICE CLICK HERE

NEW STUDY LINKS GOOD HEALTH TO HELPING OTHERS CLICK HERE TO READ

Hoping everyone had a great holiday so far and is taking the time to enjoy their family. Pam is away for the holiday vesting her family and I chose to stay here and make sure the dog didn’t eat the entire house. Or at least my Cervelo. Well actually, since she got out the hospital last week, and I got out yesterday (I know another trip in, but hey, the food is pretty good and growing on me) we figured I’d stay here and Brinkley and I would stare at each other. Anyway, all in all, it’s been a great year.

Racing to Register finished another year on line (since 10/09) and so far we have raised over $20,000 for cancer/leukemia research and bone marrow testing kits and registered over 500 people. To me that’s an awesome feeling. I have to believe that somewhere we have saved someone.

We had the chance to partake in some great events, and meet some amazing patients, athletes, and researchers.

But the fight and mission goes on. In 2011 we will be speaking about not only joining the registry, but also the larger message as well: to get involved in things that matter, that you have a passion for and that YES YOU CAN! Yes you can make a difference and do ANYTHING you put your mind to. Nothing at all is impossible. You want to run a marathon, you can. You want to go to medical school, there is a way. You want to volunteer, you can. In fact, next week I will be posting a survey that shows volunteering can have true positive medical benefits to your health.

But I want to get the message that you can do anything you want to do, and make a positive impact on the community at large.

Lets make 2011 the year that you, reading this, do something to help someone else: and to take on a personal challenge and meet it. Remember, I promise: YES YOU CAN!. If I came back from 2 major spine operations, 16 days in the hospital on 5 trips, 2 major infections, and still finished in the Hawaii Ironman, anyone can do anything!! You can make a difference in 2011.

Wishing you all a great, healthy and fun 2011. Pam and Tom

Click to read study

This week has been pretty nuts as I got a steroid injection in the neck to control the pain today and Brink went into the hospital, seemed she was getting very sick Sunday night and so we decided that we would take her to the vet. Upon arrival we learned she’s lost 9 pounds in the last 2 months and was dehydrated. I’ve been around Golden’s my whole life and my mom even breed them so I know that weight loss, not eating, and getting ill at over 10 yrs old isn’t good. We ended up having an ultra sound and in fact found two enlarged lymph nodes, the hallmark for cancer in this line. She’s still in the hospital and seems to be coming around and getting a bit better so it may just be a rough GI problem. I’m staying positive and hoping. In fact anyone who knows of this dog realizes that it’s very probable that there’s an IPod or something in her stomach causing these issues.

What’s interesting to me and of course no secret is how incredibly engaged and attached we are to our pets. While in the waitng room Monday at the Vet hospital I took time to observe that every person in the room had the same loving look and real concern for their pets as I did. It made me wonder what the pets think of us. But, dogs are an incredible affirmation to us that we do matter, and that we are loved. Every night when I come home Brinkley comes to the door, grabs a toy, and greets me like it’s the first and last time she has or will. Her excitement is always consistent and loving. Every morning she’s thrilled to see me. She’s always ready to play or go for a walk. Its amazing when I think about it how, though she’s only a dog, she seems to have everything in the right perspective: she loves everyone, stays positive, treats everyone (almost) with respect (except cats), and is loyal. So even though a dog, not even 11 years old, I’d say she’s taught me a ton about living.

It’s had to believe that we are close to the holidays. I’m personally wondering where the fall went. For me, it went by way of Hawaii, Pennsylvania Hospital, and a two week recovery vacation at home. So I really feel like I wasn’t around much for the nice fall weather. Pretty much went from summer to winter weather. It does seem like the winters get longer and the summer seasons shorter.

Now we all turn to indoor riding and treadmill running, and occasionally, in the depth of the winter months, on the warmer days, we sneak out for a run. My goal this year is to run as much as I can outdoors, come to think of it; my goal is to just plain run. Soon enough. I will recover stronger!

We are organizing a bone marrow drive with DKMS Americas at Franklin and Marshall College for the spring of 2011, and more info will be posted on the Facebook page Racing To Register at a later date. We will also be doing a speaking engagement there as well. Keep in mind we are available to speak to groups, Pam tells her story, which is really inspirational considering her diseases, and the fact that she still does triathlons (one inspiring girl!) and then I talk about the mission of RTR and the that fact that you can do anything you put your dedication into, and to find your passion in life; I did 3 Ironman’s, one marathon and 1 half marathon all in 4 months to raise awareness for bone marrow registries.

I don’t have much else to add in this blog entry, but I’d encourage people to visit a young man’s site who are trying to become an Eagle Scout, and as part of his project he is hosting a bone marrow drive. You can visit his site and get his info at: www.bethematchfoundation.org/goto/teamowen .

Also, as you consider year end donating please consider either DKMS Americas or the Be the Match Foundation. Both have links on the “donate” tab of our site here….