Running for My Life

In my last post, "A Peace of My Mind", I wrote about the struggle I was having with a bout of Lyme disease.  The fevers began on April 8, and they continued daily until May 11.  The illness had me just shy of being bedridden...I could walk from one room to another, but that was about it.  Going upstairs to shower was very difficult, and I would be completely wiped out afterward.  I managed to keep my treatment appointments at Fox Valley Wellness Center, but only because I had people who were willing to drive me there and back.  I've never been so sick before, and I felt like I was fading away.  My family did a phenomenal job caring for me, but it hurt my heart to know how much it hurt them to see me in that state.  It was discouraging, and it felt like I was never going to feel well again.

Surprisingly, the fevers and illness stopped as suddenly as they had begun, and God's timing couldn't have been more perfect.  I awakened Saturday morning, May 12, feeling just as good as I had when I returned from Mexico; it was as if a switch had been flipped.  I sat in my bed that morning with tears running down my face as I praised and thanked my Father for such a wonderful blessing.  You see, that day was important, because it was the day that my boss, Dr. Nic Giebler, was running the Ice Age Trail 50 mile race through the woods of Kettle Moraine...and he was running it to raise funds for my Mexico cancer treatments.  He was running for my life.

Just a few days earlier Bob and I were both disappointed in the likelihood that I would be unable to attend Dr. Nic's race, and we had told him that, so he was not expecting us to be there.  What a great feeling to surprise him by being at the finish line!  He had a great race, coming in 9th out of 325 finishers with a time of 7:44.

                                          Dr. Nic & Ellie, Edwin, Estelle, Emerin...and I.

Dr. Nic asked people to sponsor each mile of the 50-mile run at $50 per mile.  The response was so overwhelming that the first race was filled up in a matter of days with more people still signing up, so Dr. Nic decided to run a second 50-mile race!  That race was also completely sponsored, and then some, leaving Dr. Nic wondering if he will need to run a third race this year.  We were all stunned by the incredible response--well over $6000 has been raised!  I can no longer tease Dr. Nic about his crazy running habit!  ;)

Another very cool thing Dr. Nic did to increase awareness of the fundraiser was to contact our local newspaper and ask them to do a story.  The reporter did a fantastic job of telling about the special relationship between me and the Gieblers and Dr. Nic's inspiration for the fundraiser.  I love the Gieblers like family, and I am so thankful for Dr. Nic's sacrificial contribution!
Click here to read the story:  http://dlvr.it/QSbzWP .

This Saturday, June 30, Dr. Nic will be running his second 50 mile trail race in Green Bay.  Unfortunately, we won't be able to attend, since we will be out of town, but we will be cheering him on from afar and praying for a safe (temperatures are forecasted to be in the 90s!) and good race.