Diana, Don Woodkayaker McCumber suggested I post this story on your page. About 4 weeks ago, I started having severe stomach pain. After an Endoscopy, an ulcer was discovered, along with an Unidentified "mass". The biopsy of the ulcer turned out to be benign, but the "mass" was questionable. So. I decided to take my sorry stomach to the top of the food chain at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I live in Michigan, so it was a 12 hour drive. They ran "massive" amounts of tests during my week at the Clinic. *I can laugh now, but, at the time I was terrified.* One day, as I was waiting to undergo an Endoscopy/Colonoscopy at the Clinic, a Japanese gentleman approached me and took a photograph of me with his camera. I happened to be wearing your Onward tee. He then thrust a piece of paper at me with a pen. I was puzzled, at first, but then realized he must have thought I was you! Blonde hair...same age...roughly. (However, you are much cuter than I am) So. I signed it with my initials: JAG. I think I made his day! After an extremely long, and stressful amount of time, that day *Stomach cancer has but a 10% survival rate.* I finally met with the GI doc to get the verdict. It was benign!!! I was ecstatic! I gave the doc the link to my donor site. (I'll be swimming the Mackinac Straits next summer to benefit Gleaners Community Food Bank of southeast Michigan. As far as anyone has been able to figure out, I'll be the oldest person to make this swim.) He went to my page, and immediately clicked on the $100.00 amount...pulled out his credit card, and donated! He got a huge polar bear hug from me for that...and the great diagnosis! The huz and I went out immediately to celebrate!
The next day, we started the long journey to Michigan. We were about 40 miles from home, when a huge deer came out of nowhere. We hit the deer at 70 mph. We limped off the interstate into the nearest gas station. I was sobbing uncontrollably, because a beautiful doe died a violent death right in front of me. Our car was totaled. After we summoned the State Troopers, I realized that I was hurt. My neck was hurting, and my shoulder was hurting. There was blood on my shirt! So. An ambulance was called. I was ferried off to the nearest ER, where I was treated for shock, and other mild injuries. Then the doc wanted to cut my shirt off. *the lucky ONWARD tee*
Me: If anyone tries to cut off this shirt off I will hit you.
Doc: We need to make sure your shoulder is not broken.
Me: It's not.
Doc: How do you know that?
Me: I know my body. Take an X-ray!
The X-Ray showed NO BREAK!
So now, I have this magical Diana Nyad, blood- stained tee! I'm thinking about having it framed.
You rock, Diana!
Love,
julie
http://www.gcfb.org/MackStraits
The next day, we started the long journey to Michigan. We were about 40 miles from home, when a huge deer came out of nowhere. We hit the deer at 70 mph. We limped off the interstate into the nearest gas station. I was sobbing uncontrollably, because a beautiful doe died a violent death right in front of me. Our car was totaled. After we summoned the State Troopers, I realized that I was hurt. My neck was hurting, and my shoulder was hurting. There was blood on my shirt! So. An ambulance was called. I was ferried off to the nearest ER, where I was treated for shock, and other mild injuries. Then the doc wanted to cut my shirt off. *the lucky ONWARD tee*
Me: If anyone tries to cut off this shirt off I will hit you.
Doc: We need to make sure your shoulder is not broken.
Me: It's not.
Doc: How do you know that?
Me: I know my body. Take an X-ray!
The X-Ray showed NO BREAK!
So now, I have this magical Diana Nyad, blood- stained tee! I'm thinking about having it framed.
You rock, Diana!
Love,
julie
http://www.gcfb.org/MackStraits
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