Trip Stats:
We packed up our camping gear, stirred our powdered milk into liquid and choked down some Cheerios before heading to Regina.
All I have ever heard about Saskatchewan was that is was SO flat and you can see for miles. I would tend to disagree and I believe you will never find any cyclists say it is flat. The roads are straight and you can see pretty far but there are nice moraines and rolling hills everywhere and it is incredible to see all the different varieties of green in the fields. Saskatchewan farmers must be pretty pumped to have all this rain.
Elyse contacted all the papers in Regina, but we didn't have any luck with getting someone to spread awareness for us, until Brenda called me to say Global TV was going to meet me on the highway to cover our story. I was jacked she was able to get through to Global and really appreciate Global letting me mumble and stumble on TV! I can't find the article on the internet to share with you, but we were able to catch it on the ten O'clock news that night!
The first person to contact me about Parkinson's Cycle of Hope was Brenda Kilarski and she has been in contact with my mom and I for quite some time now! Brenda and her husband Rick made it very clear that their house was our house and that we were to do all the laundry we needed to do etc.-I think that may have been a hint that I was dirty and smelled bad. Elyse and I left June 20th and did laundry in Vernon BC, Canmore AB, and now here!
Brenda and Rick sure know how to entertain!!! They had bruschetta baking, and we enjoyed a fantastic main course of chicken, ribs, and asiago cheese macaroni....BUT, the best part of all was sharing stories while we picked away at a Peanut Buster Blowup or Bomb or something....I'm not positive what it was called, but I don't think I have ever tasted a better piece of peanut butter paradise...haha I LOVE peanut butter....don't tell Shaylin from Sarnia In-Motion though....I am supposed to be limiting my peanut butter!
We were given I love Regina shirts and we gave them Parkinson's Cycle of Hope shirts!
Brenda mentioned she had a very difficult time deciding how to tell her family she had Parkinson's.
I remember my dad and mom calling my sisters and I down to the basement for a family meeting. These meetings were usually organized because one of us was in trouble, but I remember not knowing how to react when my dad said he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's. I am the oldest sibling, and I am not one to want to show emotional weakness, but the truth is I knew there was just a lot I needed to learn. My sisters were very upset, but I have found it harder to deal with as I see my old man's symptoms starting to progress.
I think the point of this is to bring up the idea that being diagnosed with Parkinson's can be very difficult on the person being diagnosed, as well as the family, and each person deals with the news differently. Each person will deal with it differently, but I would love to hear stories about how you decided to tell your family. Maybe I can include your story in my blog to help someone who is going through a similar situation as you.
I planned to just visit your blog about Portage, and then get back to my own writing, but I ended up reading all of your blog entries. Your writing skills are on par with your physical fitness. After you graduate, any school should be privileged to hire you.
ReplyDeleteI was very touched by your account of having a family meeting to announce your dad's diagnosis. I often assume that my girls know what I am going through, without sitting them down to tell them. I was quite surprised when my then six year old read a children's book I brought home from the library called "My Mom has Parkinson's" and then came to me and said "I read this book, and I think you must have this too." Sometimes they really do pay attention.