Sunday, February 20, 2011

Attack Challenges but Know Your Limits...or Friends: The Best Motivation

I had trouble titling this blog, so I gave it two titles. I hope you don't mind.

My earliest memories involve family, friends, and doctors educating me on the importance of keeping up with my medications and therapy along with staying fit and active. This is sound advice for anyone, but for a person with a chronic illness, following this advice means the difference between spending long bouts in a hospital bed and spending weeks living life free of being hospitalized. I am very fortunate to have been instilled with a great work ethic and motivation to stay healthy. Until recently, I prided myself on having the outlook that I am capable of doing anything that anyone else can do--Cystic Fibrosis be damned. This outlook faded quickly the day I geared up for Loveland, Ohio's Amazing Race.

Before getting into the story of my overestimation of myself, tragic downfall, and self-realization--similar to Aristotle's tragic hero but without the noble birth part--I believe it relevant to detail some of what Loveland's Amazing Race entails. It is a long day of fun-filled, competitive activities that only light-hearted yet sadistic minds could create. Activities like moving a bowling ball through an obstacle course with a fire hose or filling a barrel of water using a bucket brigade or sliding down a 20-foot hill into a pool of mud without spilling your cup of water are just a few of the ridiculous challenges that must be completed along a several mile stretch that a team must run, walk, bike, and swim. Looking at the list of events and the distance that must be travelled, my teammate, Justin and I thought, "Heck, we got this!"

And we might have had that until I developed a severe lung infection two weeks prior to the start of the race. I had to be placed on inhaled antibiotics for one month. I considered bowing out of the race, but Justin and friends convinced me otherwise. "We'll take it slow and see how you feel," Justin encouraged, "Come on; it'll be fun." I decided to give it a go, but I underestimated Justin's competitive drive, and I overestimated by damaged lungs' ability to cope with nearly three hours of intense physical activity. I kept up with Justin for the first ten minutes of the race, and then I felt my lungs tighten and my strength dissipate.

Never before did I feel like I let someone down as I took break after break while Justin peddled his bike nearly a mile ahead of me, maybe in hopes of motivating me to put forth that extra effort. Several minutes behind Justin, I would arrive at each event gasping for air and barely able to complete the challenge. After dragging behind for over half the race, I detected Justin's competitive spirit transition from what appeared to be disappointment into a spirit of motivation. This race was nothing like U.S. Marines carrying a wounded comrade miles to safety, but it was as close to that experience as I have ever come.

I was in no danger (except for being on the brink of passing out), and Justin was under no obligation to stick by my side as we painfully watched other competitors, including his wife and my fiance, pass us by. Sympathetic words of motivation pushed me to dig deep, to conquer my lungs' inability to expand. I stopped trying to take deep breaths and started to take short, choppy breaths. This irregular breathing pattern created a pain in my chest, but Justin was there to help me push through it. "I'll help you up if you fall down; I'll carry you if you can't run; I'll pull you if you can't swim," encouraged Justin, "but if you want to quit, we can quit."

His words resonated through my mind. "No. Just give me a minute," I gasped as Justin waited, hands on his knees, watching me struggle to find a breathing pattern that didn't send jolts of pain throughout my exhausted body. I saw a different Justin that day, and I haven't seen that Justin since that day. He still has no mercy on the basketball court, hasn't stopped asking me to run a full marathon with him, and he doesn't talk about helping me to complete The Amazing Race. He doesn't treat me like a "CF kid" as coaches and players have done throughout middle and high school. He made me realize that I could finish that race. And we did finish: 31st place in our division.

Justin and I at the finish line of Loveland's Amazing Race 2010
After that race, two questions worked their way into my psyche: Am I at times overconfident about my physical abilities? And can anything signficant ever be accomplished without a friend's encouragement? I believe the answer to the first question is that one must be confident; otherwise, nobody would challenge themselves. In regards to the second question, the answer is a resounding, "No!" So, surround yourself with people who won't just tell you to keep going, but people who truly believe you can.

~Scott 

3 comments:

  1. I work with a company, Good Days from Chronic Disease Fund, and it is our mission to help chronic disease patients get the medical care they need, at an affordable price. Visit our website to learn how to support our cause http://www.gooddaysfromcdf.org/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm 15 years old. I was born with HIV my mother passed away because of the HIV infection And I regret why i never met Dr Itua he could have cured my mum for me because as a single mother it was very hard for my mother I came across Dr itua healing words online about how he cure different disease in different races diseases like HIV/Aids Herpes,Parkison,Asthma,Copd,Epilepsy,Shingles,Cold Sore,Infertility, Chronic Fatigues Syndrome,Fibromyalgia,Love Spell,Prostate Cancer,Lung Cancer,Breast Cancer,Blood Cancer,Colo-Rectal Cancer,Love Spell,Weak Erection,Breast Enlargment,Penis Enlargment,Hpv,Diabetes Hepatitis even Cancer I was so excited but frighten at same time because I haven't come across such thing article online then I contacted Dr Itua on Mail drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com/ . I also chat with him on what's app +2348149277967 he tells me how it works then I tell him I want to proceed I paid him so swiftly Colorado post office I receive my herbal medicine within 4/5 working days he gave me guild lines to follow and here am I living healthy again can imagine how god use men to manifest his works am I writing in all articles online to spread the god work of Dr Itua Herbal Medicine,He's a Great Man.

    ReplyDelete