Throughout my 13 year healing odyssey from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma, people (and myself) have often said "No way!" and the Universe and I respond "Way!"
Because of my own journey of transformation, I always held faith that one way or another, our daughter Ruth Anne (see blog post The Missing Piece of the Puzzle) would find her healing path. We had no idea of what that path would look like or when it would happen but we visualized her as healthy and whole, and being able to have a relationship with her.
There were moments when it was very challenging to sustain faith and vision for a future very different from the frequent crises we experienced with Ruth Anne. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be out running with her on a regular basis and that she would be pacing me on the roads as I pace her in her life as she continues to heal and recover, I would have said no way. Yet deep down inside I knew there was a way that was yet to be revealed to us.
Yesterday Ruth Anne and I went on our Wednesday morning run together. It was cooler than it had been in awhile and we decided it would be a good day for her to pace me.
While enjoying the scenes of nature and working on my pace, we talked about politics, family, memories, continued to debrief about these past 3 years of her journey, my journey and the excitement of waiting to hear on her acceptance into U Mass Boston Graduate School of Urban Planning and Community Development. Ever since she received her Bachelors Degree she has wanted to pursue a Master's Degree. The professors she reconnected with during the process of applying to UMass were over the moon excited that she is pursuing her Masters Degree and affirmed her achievements as a student in their classes. What powerful medicine to heal the wounds of the past several years where she had been given every psychiatric diagnosis in the book. One of her "therapists" even told her that she was on the progressive course of a schizophrenic!
Fortunately the psychiatrist she works with knew that she did not fit into any specific diagnostic category and wanted to alleviate the pain and suffering caused by the symptoms. He was greatly relieved when we put the pieces of the puzzle together and worked with us to get a medication regimen that would support her healing!
When you see Ruth Anne and me with our vibrant radiant smiles, you would have no idea of what we have endured to arrive at this moment in our lives. You would probably say..."No way! That's just not possible!" and we would say, "Oh yes Way! it's all so possible!"
To learn more about my healing journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com
My books to uplift and inspire you with powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary
Wednesday mornings are a special and sacred time for a before breakfast run for Ruth Anne and me. It's the one day that Tom goes into the office and has to get up early. We get up early with him and head out the door for a run.
One of my friend's posted on Facebook that if this is Mother Nature's way of apologizing for the past 3 months of lock down, she will accept it. We have had a glorious stretch of late Spring and now summer weather. It seemed as though summer was opening her arms to greet us with sunshine and a gentle breeze.
After four years of not being able to enjoy summers because of illness and frequent hospitalizations, 2020 is the summer to celebrate healing and recovery for Ruth Anne. You can read about her journey in my blog post "The Missing Piece of the Puzzle" We savor every moment of sunshine and our time together.
We always take time to enjoy the lushness of the newly renovated Reservoir and document these precious runs with a post run selfie.
When we got home we looked closely at the photo of the sun and expressed awe to see the extension of light and the angel orb.
On the run we talked about the miracle of healing in our lives; Ruth Anne with PANDAS and me with Post Polio Syndrome. We talked about how blessed we are to have found our healing paths and wonderful providers and teachers to help us harness our resilience, strength, courage and to relight the spark of our own lights within us through our connection with Source. We are now beacons of light with our message of healing, hope and possibilities despite all appearances to the contrary.
Our hearts swell with gratitude and we savor those special moments while running when we discover time and again how wonderful life really is!
Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com and be inspired by my incredible journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.
On May 25, 2007, I left my award winning career as a VA social worker just 3 years shy of when I was eligible for retirement. Many thought it was a fool hardy thing to do. I knew in my heart and soul I had to heal my life from the once devastating effects of paralytic polio and trauma.
A question I am often asked during interviews about my journey is, "Weren't you angry about what happened to you? I mean you contracted paralytic polio at age 5. You endured years of abuse at the hands of family members and then you were diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease as a result of the polio...Didn't that seem so unfair to you?"
When I was blessed to share the podium with Bill Rodgers at the Hyannis Marathon Pre Race Pasta Dinner in February, he commented with such tenderness and care after I gave my talk, "You know what's missing from Mary's story? She's not angry. Boy I know I would have been pretty angry if what happened to her happened to me."
I talked about the power of forgiveness and gratitude in my journey but also acknowledged that yes I was angry but realized that anger was not a path to healing and took away much needed energy for healing.
One of the poems I wrote early on in my healing journey was:
Royal Flush from "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life":
One could say I was dealt a hand of crummy cards to play
at first blush I would have to agree
bluffing became my way of life
playing my cards close to my chest
ever vigilant
shifting eyes
wondering
do I continue to play or fold?
The stakes were high
I could no longer up the ante
living on the edge
waiting to find freedom only in death
every day a living death
something had to give
new rules
unconditional love
trust
strength
courage
steadiness
releasing fear by experiencing fear
losing self consciousness
opening my heart.
I bet everything I had
riding on hope, faith and a prayer
“I’m all in”
putting my cards on the table
there it was
a royal flush!
It resonates with a quote from Cheryl Strayed:
This time 13 years ago, I knew I was at a crossroads in my life and it was time to play the hell out of the hand of cards I was dealt.
I emerged from the dark night of my mind, body and soul as a woman transformed from a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma to a poet, blogger, author, an endurance runner, an inspirational speaker, a spokesperson for the power of the mind/body connection and have been blessed to be featured in books and interviews.
I am so deeply grateful to my husband for telling me it was a no brainer to take that leap of faith.
I am so proud of the woman I have become and the work it has taken for me to get here. I carry that strength, resilience, guts, fiery spirit and determination with me and know that whatever challenge is presented to me, I can face it with the same grace and grit I used to face the challenge of Post Polio Syndrome.
There were moments early on when I debated whether or not to play or fold. I decided to play those cards with everything I had because I am NOT what happened to me. I get to choose who I am going to Be.
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary
Be sure to visit my website to learn more about my incredible journey from the diagnosis of a progressive neuromuscular disease to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.
As so often happens in life, we take so many things for granted until something happens. We often don't think about brain health or loving our brain and can easily take for granted the relatively simple tasks of everyday living...
In today's blog we have a guest blogger ... my daughter Ruth Anne McManus.
Hi everyone! My name is Ruth Anne McManus and over the past 3 years, I endured multiple psychiatric hospitalizations that were, in fact, a result of an untreated Urinary Tract Infection that caused brain inflammation. I live with an autoimmune condition called PANDAS/PANS. As I looked back at my history growing up, I realized that I had this condition after contracting strep and had many ear infections. We finally put the pieces of the puzzle together last August. I am very passionate about my recovery and sharing information with you about how you can love your brain.
According to a USA Today Article, there was a surprising study about the importance and positive effects puzzles have on the brain. Here are the highlights of the benefits of puzzles on brain health:
Lowers chance for Alzheimers
Attention to details increases
Increases problem solving skills
What I think is the best part? Dopamine - the happiness hormone is released every time a puzzle is solved; when the correct piece is put in place.
Here is a list of brain foods to keep that brain healthy from Harvard Health:
-Leafy greens: Research suggests that these foods help to reduce the risk for cognitive decline
-Fatty fish: Omega 3's have been shown to lower the risk for Alzheimer's Disease
-Berries: Help to improve memory and reduce the risk for cognitive decline. They contain Flavanoids. If you are looking for a really sweet way to increase Flavanoids in your diet, check out Flavanaturals. We met the creators of Flavanaturals at the Hyannis Marathon Weekend Expo. We bartered my mom's books for chocolate! It's great as a snack bar or in a smoothie. For extra Flavanoids choose their chocolate bar with blueberries!
-Nuts: Like fatty fish, nuts are high in Omega 3's and increases memory and concentration.
The article also recommends caffeine to improve concentration but I find that for me, the possible benefits are offset by the increase in anxiety I get when I have caffeine in coffee or tea.
I go for weekly Occupational Therapy at Spaulding Rehab.My therapist, Erin, has recommended games and puzzles that help to challenge different areas of functioning in the brain. By the way, Erin is running the Boston Marathon for Spaulding and you can donate to her fundraising page by following this link.
This game requires more than logic; it requires patience. I enjoy trying to solve each card's puzzle to get the red car out. If you reach a point where you feel really stuck, there are cards with solutions. The solutions in and of themselves are complex so you won't be given the entire answer to get out of the "traffic jam." My favorite rush hour puzzles are the tougher ones. This game improves cognition, problem solving skills and increases awareness of being present.
Try it! You may not notice a difference or improvement right away, but slowly, you'll experience a shift. I noticed changes in the way I think and feel about myself, with not just Rush Hour, but the other logic games that Erin recommended. I feel more focused, aware and at ease with myself feeling more confident to meet challenges that before were not possible for me.
Thank you for reading!
From my heart to yours,
Ruth Anne
As we saw groups of runners and felt the pounding of their thundering feet while we drove to where we would start our Saturday morning run on Heartbreak Hill, I commented to Tom and Ruth Anne with a sense of awe in my voice what a miracle it is that we are part of this amazing community of runners.
In December of 2006, I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome considered to be a progressive neuromuscular disease. I vowed to not take the diagnosis sitting down and found my way to the sport of running harnessing the power of the mind/body connection.
Ruth Anne endured 14 psychiatric hospitalizations before we were able to make the diagnosis of PANDAS and help her get on her healing path. She had taken two years off from running and we weren't sure if she would ever find her way back to life and the roads.
Tom and Ruth Anne have run the Bill Rodgers Jingle Bell 5K in December, the Bermuda 10K in January and are now poised and ready to run the Hyannis Marathon Weekend10K on February 23rd.
They had 6 miles and a race day simulation run on tap and I had 4 miles scheduled as I work my way back to the 10K distance.
We knew it was going to be a challenging running day with strong headwinds and colder temperatures than we'd seen in awhile but there was never a moment of doubt that we would take our run on a treadmill.
There were fewer runners out on the Hills and those that were running were focused on navigating the tough conditions rather than extending the usual high fives and flashing warm smiles. It hurt one's teeth to smile while running in the cold with a powerful headwind.
Tom and Ruth Anne took off and I was left to my own thoughts and solitude. I was buffeted by the winds and briefly wondered why I was doing this. I don't have any races on the schedule until Spring or Summer. And yet something sprang up from deep within my soul that, after the past 3 years of unrelenting stress with Ruth Anne's condition, it was time for me to reclaim myself as a runner.
I pushed my pace while listening to my body.
Mile 1 brought me to the Johnny Kelley statue:
I texted Tom and Ruth Anne to check in.
At mile 2, they texted me to let me know they were at mile 2.65 at the renowned Fire Station on the corner of Washington Street and Comm. Ave.:
And then sent me a text when they were at their halfway point at mile 3:
I took a moment to capture the beauty of the sunlight on Heartbreak Hill on a blustery winter's day:
Heading back to the car, the wind had calmed down and any wind that did kick up was a tail wind.
Back at the Johnny Kelley statue I knew I had only 1 mile to go and after the steep hill, I would enjoy relative calm and ease to finish up my run. I thought about the warm car and banana that would be my immediate reward for conquering this run and wondered what Team McManus would enjoy for lunch.
The light turned red at the corner of Comm. Ave. and Center Street across from the Heartbreak Hill Running Company that hosts Heartbreakers for Saturday morning training runs, many of whom are training for Boston.
I felt someone near my right shoulder and when I turned around, he offered me his fist for a fist bump.
"Nice work," he said.
"You too," I replied
"You training for Boston?" I asked
"Yep," answered this stranger wearing a Penn. State Sweatshirt.
"Did you qualify?"
"Nope."
"Who are you running for?"
"BIDMC."
"Oh my friend is running for them for the Cancer Care Center."
"That's who I'm running for. What's her name?"
I told him and he said he would have to look her up on their Team Page.
I briefly shared with him my story and we both agreed that there is no place quite as special as Heartbreak Hill during the few months preceding the Boston Marathon.
The light changed and we went on our way.
A run that started out with challenging conditions and runners keeping to themselves was transformed in that moment. I went on my way with an unending smile for the last .2 of a mile of my run.
When I checked my Nike+, I had the fastest times for those 4 miles than I had since a 5K in November.
Tom and Ruth Anne had a wonderful dress rehearsal run for Hyannis and feel race ready. We reunited and shared our tales of the day:
Facebook was filled with posts about yesterday's running conditions and we joined together as a community from the warmth and comfort of our homes.
It was a tough training run made sweeter by the fist bump from a stranger on Heartbreak Hill and one which propels me forward once again on my health and wellness journey.
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary
To experience an epic race weekend and hear me share my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond come to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend February 21-23 2020.
Be inspired by my interview with Kendra Petrone on the award winning Exceptional Women Show by following this link
To experience an epic race weekend and hear me share my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond come to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend February 21-23 2020.
I have collected a number of quotes about fear that inspire me as a runnergirl living with a neuromuscular condition as a result of having contracted paralytic polio as a child and endured years of abuse at the hands of family members:
It would have been so easy to get caught in the grips of fear after having been told I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair having been given the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. At first I was afraid, then angry and then got still and asked for Divine Guidance.
The answer to my prayers came in the form of a poem, "Running the Race". Many poems poured out of me inspiring mind, body and soul to heal through the power of visualization harnessing the power of the mind/body connection. I imagined myself running free, breaking the shackles of my past to create a future very different than the ones the doctors predicted for me. Of course medical professionals mean no harm but often times they instill fear leaving little room for possibilities and the reality that the body has a tremendous innate capacity to heal.
I remember the day like it was yesterday when I declared I was going to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I took those first tentative steps on my healing journey.
From "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953": Shortly after being discharged from outpatient physical therapy I met Janine Hightower through Herb Simmons. He knew Janine through his participation in the Cardiac Rehab program at Boston Medical Center. I was launching my business New World Greeting Cards, original poetry for every occasion. She was a member of BNI, a professional networking group. As we sat in my living room, she talked about BNI and the benefits of being a member of this networking group. As she talked, I wasn’t focused on growing my business. My mind zeroed in on her sharing with us how she used BNI to promote her in home personal training business.
“You know I’m curious,” I said to Janine. “Do you think you could help me? I was just discharged from Spaulding Rehab.”
I went on to tell her about my journey.
“I don’t know,” she said “but I’d certainly be happy to set up an assessment with you.”
I couldn’t even pass the initial fitness assessment.
“You’re way too young to not be able to get off of the toilet seat without holding on to the sink or to not be able to get off of the couch,” she said to me.
It was a statement of fact without judgment. She spoke the truth about my deconditioned physical state. I signed on to work with her once a week in personal training. I had no idea what or why I was doing this. I did know that if I was going to be in pain, I’d prefer to feel the pain of recovery instead of the pain of decline. Janine held enough faith for both of us that I could come out of my leg brace and have a good quality of life despite the diagnosis and prognosis I received.
Janine’s mantra for our work together was a quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!”
At my six-month evaluation in February, I made dramatic improvements in every area of the assessment. I had come out of my leg brace. I knew I was on a healing path.
“Let’s write down your goals for the next six months,” Janine said feeling proud and satisfied with my progress.
“Well I want to feel free in my body. I want to dance. I want to be able to walk outside and feel unencumbered when I take a walk.”
Janine feverishly wrote down my goals, and we worked out a plan. She gathered up her belongings and had her hand on the door knob.
“Wait. I have one more goal.”
Janine stopped and turned around.
“I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital. I know they have a Race for Rehab team and I want to do it next year.”
Did you ever have one of those moments when words fell out of your mouth after rising up from the depths of your soul without going through any thought process?
Janine was non-plussed. I don’t know what kept her from turning tail and getting as far away from me as she could. She came back into my house, set down her things and without missing a beat said, “Well the first thing you are going to need is a pair of running shoes.”
She laid out a cursory training plan and said that we would begin indoors to build up my cardio endurance. As soon as the weather got a little warmer, we’d go outdoors and I would learn how to run.
What had I just done?
I had signed on to do something that scared me yet I knew that I was destined to run the 2009 Boston Marathon.
After crossing the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon, I had to take time off from running but by June of 2010 I was back on the roads. I continued to challenge myself with time and distance. Despite a serious knee injury in December of 2014, and the admonition of my doctor and physical therapists, I refused to stop and give into fear that my body would decline because I was a survivor of paralytic polio. I rejected the belief that I would need a total knee replacement in a few years and declined to return to the Post Polio Clinic for a reevaluation. I know the physiatrist meant well but I chose love over fear and adventure over "playing it safe."
After rehabbing my knee with a healer/chiropractor and intensifying my efforts to heal my life with visualization, meditation, a revamped strength training program and a fiery determination to go the distance again, I trained for an ran 3 consecutive Half Marathons in Bermuda in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
I continue to run and my goal for this year is to work my way back to the 10K distance while also working on pace at shorter distances.
I trust in my body's capacity to continue to heal and bring me joy in this incredible journey.
I wish all of you a fearless Friday and a way of life that chooses love over fear, adventure over "security" and "playing it safe", and doing the thing that you think you cannot do!
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary
Be inspired by my interview with Kendra Petrone on the award winning Exceptional Women Show by following this link
To experience an epic race weekend and hear me share my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond come to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend February 21-23 2020.
Facebook reminded me of this post from one year ago: It's been quite a day. I must say that on the whole grace is greater than the unbelievable situations I encountered today. I remembered to maintain equanimity in the face of a**holes and that there are so many wonderful people in our village and in the Brookline community. A huge shout out of gratitude to our Emergency Responders Brookline MA Police Department who once again responded with compassion to Ruth Anne's crisis that required hospitalization. For those of you counting that's #5 since February. Her new DMH worker seems wonderful and I am hoping that DMH will step up to the plate especially after alleged inappropriate behavior by her previous worker who also was incredibly ineffective in his role. But I am also hoping that Ruth Anne will step up to the plate and do the work necessary for recovery. I am praying that the Team will change meds to give her relief and give her the boost she needs so she can do the work. I am exhausted after cleaning and laundry and many many phone calls today and continuing to ensure that her interests are protected but I feel so blessed and grateful for all the amazing people that I DID encounter today. Thank you ALL for your love and prayers. Please keep them coming. She is on 5W at St. Elizabeth's in Brighton.
Time for a good dinner, a hot shower and unwinding time.
There would be many more crises and 9 more hospitalizations until I found the missing puzzle piece in August of this year.
When Ruth Anne first entered the world of psychiatric hospitalizations, the OT's recommended that we do jigsaw puzzles to help with anxiety and to ease her off of her compulsion to go on the internet that triggered a worsening of psychiatric symptoms.
For 2 of the several puzzles we worked on, we were missing the last piece.
One piece we found under the sofa stuck in the radiator.
Despite turning the house upside down, we could not find the other puzzle piece.
One day we were cleaning out our car and lo and behold, there it was!
It was a reminder to stay connected to the Divine even in the situations where there seemed to be no hope. Appearances, as I have learned throughout my healing journey, are not what they seem.
We rode the waves of crisis after crisis. We prayed and asked our friends for prayers. We wanted relief for Ruth Anne and for us.
I met Anthony Espina years ago at a Christmas Fair in Boston. He was here with his mother to explore Berklee College of Music. He didn't get accepted and will be the first to tell you that it was the greatest blessing in his life. He posted on Facebook that he was proud and honored to have written the score for the movie, "My Kid is Not Crazy." You can listen to the compelling and moving score on his website.
Our dear friends posted about their 6 year old daughter who was experiencing alarming symptoms of behavior change, restricted eating, not being able to put on clothes and a radical personality change. She was diagnosed with PANS.
Ruth Anne was complaining of symptoms of UTI's and an ear infection at different times throughout the course of those months of hell but, because of her dire psychiatric symptoms, no one was paying attention to working up possible physical causes for her condition.
And then a light bulb went off for me.
I remembered Ruth Anne's history of strep and chronic infections and how, at the age of 6, after having her adenoids removed and having had tubes in her ears, her kindergarten teacher asked me what happened to Ruth Anne. She had difficulty paying attention and would "space out" and her once outgoing, fun loving personality seemed to all but disappear.
We were blessed with a first grade teacher who took great pains to help her learn how to read and we hired a tutor.
At her third grade parent-teacher conference, her teacher welled up with emotion as she showed us samples of Ruth Anne's work. She wrote in yellow crayon all over the page in barely legible handwriting. She was upset she did not know about Ruth Anne's history of hearing loss which had been corrected with surgery or her struggles in earlier grades. We had Ruth Anne tested and placed on a 504 ed plan. She was diagnosed with ADD and Ritalin was recommended. We don't know what we don't know. The Ritalin fueled the fires of her food restriction that occurred after strep and pneumonia. She underwent testing at MGH, taken off Ritalin, diagnosed with GERD and placed on high doses of prilosec. An earth angel of a teacher, an Occupational Therapist and a few wonderful special education teachers helped her to graduate high school.
Things seemed to quiet down as she received an Associates Degree from Bunker Hill Community College with help from on campus tutors and support from me at home. She went into a deep depression when her plans to move to California fell apart after graduation from BHCC.
She decided she would go to Middle Tennessee State University, get in state tuition, work and go to school and follow her passion in the Country Music industry. She struggled through the days and would ask for plane tickets to come home and to Face Time with us on a daily basis. She got painfully thin and became obsessed with yoga and exercise. Yet somehow she managed to make it through and graduate with high honors.
When she returned home, the proverbial wheels fell off the wagon and two years after she came home the cycle of hospitalizations, med trials and error with mostly error and wondering what was going on began.
With this last siege of crises and the Universe pinging me about PANS, I did my research. I reached out to her primary care provider who promised me he would do a work up for the UTI's and would consider the possibility of long term antibiotics. He shared my hypothesis with her psychiatrist.
On September 6th, after her 14th and final hospitalization, her urine had an exceptionally high white blood cell count. Despite a negative culture, her PCP started her on high doses of antibiotics. I started her on ibuprofen 3X/day and adjusted her psych meds based on her presentation post discharge. St. Elizabeth's discharged her without doing the urine culture as I requested and she was not on a therapeutic level of her meds.
After a week and a consultation with a urogynecologist, and staying off of the internet which is a trigger for hallucinations and psychiatric symptoms given the brain inflammation, she began to clear. We hit a speed bump when she went back on the internet and had a therapist who was enabling her and allowing her to keep her behaviors secret which is all a part of OCD and PANS. Ruth Anne finally told us what happened. We fired the therapist, the Department of Mental Health worker and the social worker from the police department all of whom were unhelpful because they did not understand PANS and were creating conflict within Ruth Anne.
When I accompanied her to her appointment with her psychiatrist, she told him she was doing much better.
"That's a blessing," he said and asked what else he could do to help.
He made sure she has a new therapist and that a referral to Occupational Therapy was in place. He put in for med refills and said that if there's anything we need to reach out to him. He also told us that he never believed the diagnoses of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder but could not figure out what was going on. He treated me with great professional courtesy and Ruth Anne with the dignity and integrity she deserved all along.
She is running again although it is slow going as she begins the marathon of healing mind, body and soul.
She'll be running the Somerville Jingle Bell Run 5K and the Hyannis 10K with Tom both BA Event Promotions events that welcome all paces for their races.
She volunteers and for the first time in 5 years believes she has a future although she is keenly aware of the toll PANS has taken on her brain.
We take it one day at a time giving thanks and feeling blessed for when things go smoothly and take deep breaths as we get through the tough miles that come with PANS.
Ruth Anne has a long road ahead but she is past the starting line of this marathon of healing now that we have found the missing puzzle piece.
Ruth Anne has given me permission to share her journey with the hope that it can help someone else!
To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary
When the 5:45am alarm goes off in the middle of October and it's dark and raining outside, it doesn't inspire one to get up and go out for a run. I know how every step is a gift and every mile is a blessing as a survivor of paralytic polio and having been told 12 years ago I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome.
After our 20 minute meditation, Team McManus got dressed and headed to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.
It had been a brutal several days with Ruth Anne's healing and recovery journey with PANS/PANDAS, an autoimmune condition that is a result of the immune system attacking the brain instead of a virus or bacterial infection and manifests with neuropsychiatric symptoms. We were all feeling depleted and drained but as always remaining positive and hopeful.
As we approached the Reservoir, Ruth Anne said, "Look a rainbow"
My heart filled with gratitude.
As we crossed the street, runners were taking videos and photos while we smiled at one another.
The rainbow continued to shine:
We were treated to these sensational scenes as we ran through periods of intermittent rain:
We felt cleansed, refreshed and renewed dedicated to moving forward:
After picking Tom up from work on Tuesday evening, we decided that we would pick up a few sides to go with our dinner, get our lottery ticket and stop at the bank. There were no sides at Star Market, the line for the lottery was extremely long and not moving because someone was cashing a check and we decided to completely abort the mission.
Tom usually takes a left out of the parking lot at Star Market but for "some reason" he took a right turn.
While we were waiting at the stop light Ruth Anne said, "Look...it's #lacostestrong referencing the sticker on the back of the car in front of us in the next lane:
Kevin LaCoste is a beloved member of Team Big Heart and the Westford Community and he suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury this summer. Part of the fundraising and spirit raising efforts has been stickers, tattoos, t-shirts along with a GoFundMe page and various fundraisers around town. You can read about Kevin and Ali's journey in my blog. I posted it on Facebook and immediately got a response that it was a friend of one of Kevin's family members.
After I shared our story of having arrived at that moment quite by accident, she said: I love it! I also normally go a different route on my way home from MAA but I just felt like taking Hammond st today instead of Hammond pond parkway. Not sure why but now I know.
We had experienced a rough and tumble several days as can often happen with PANS/PANDAS and life in general but were reminded that the Divine is ever present in our lives.
A rainbow - a cleansing run in the rain and an amazing moment of synchronicity to end the day ... all is well when we have faith and stay connected to the Source of all that is!
To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary
Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link
My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route.
Joseph Scott Middlemiss' 6th angelversary was on 9/23 and all week long, culminating with the 6th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K on Saturday, people shared signs of Joseph's bright and beautiful Spirit and love that lives on after the physical body leaves this earth. {A green orb in photos symbolizes the Spirit of someone who once lived on earth.}
My friend Bea D'Angelo sent me this photo from the Celebrity Mile:
Tom took this picture at the Kids Run:
The perfect weather was a sign of love from Joseph to all who gathered for the event that honors his legacy of kindness and love.
There were many many people at the event who did not know about Joseph and the Middlemiss Foundation before Kevin LaCoste's accident in July nor did people from Kevin and Ali's life and the Middlemiss Foundation know each other. But through Joseph and Kevin's accident people are now connected who otherwise might not have met each other. Ali once said that she's not so sure everything happens for a reason but after something happens, it is important to find reason and a purpose.
Steve Brochu traveled all the way from San Diego and he ran the race with Melissa DelRossi. They are close college friends with Kevin and Ali. Steve designed and coordinated the sale of these tattoos and stickers. Initially he sent out the Kevin/LaCoste Strong tattoos for free for anyone who wanted to show their support and love for Kevin and Ali:
It seemed that Joseph made sure people who were supposed to meet on Saturday had encounters in real time in real life after discovering each other on Facebook.
I was incredibly blessed to meet Julie McClellan Berard on line. It was one of those instant soul connections. We were each determined to meet in person on race day. With a little help from FB Messenger and a whole lot of help from Joseph we met during the Kids Run. I am now also friends with her boyfriend Scott. Here they are together before they were the best cheerleaders out on the course encouraging the runners and walkers on their way:
Kevin was Julie's Principal at the school she continues to teach at and, as Kevin does with so many people, left her with an indelible heart print.
There was pure joy and love as the youngest age group ran with big hearts during the Kids Run:
Unconditional love for children and adults of all abilities was the theme of the day allowing everyone to come together as a community to honor and celebrate two incredible families.
Out of thousands of people, Tina Lavoie Dufresne and I found each other at the starting line. She ran the 2019 Boston Marathon for The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation with Kevin. We became fast friends in Falmouth as we were part of support crew for Team Big Heart. She is currently recovering from an injury and walked the 5K with her dog Pogo and son Chase.
A hush fell over the crowd before the start of the race.
We heard Kevin's voice over the PA system...ever the Principal ... always full of love and kindness. {Transcribed from Kendra Petrone's video which she posted on Facebook.}
"I'm a little sad I can't join you but next year I will definitely be there to celebrate Joseph and all the beautiful things he has done to inspire us even in his short life. Today... today while you're out there think about something you're grateful for and find a way to do some small kind act this week. Not only do the kind act but really think about how it made someone feel and think about how it made you feel as well. I hope everyone has a great day today and most importantly if you see Jack Middlemiss tell him I'm looking to kick his butt when I get home."
That last comment about Jack was in reference to a Q and A Ali had back on September 20th in which we were able to ask Kevin both light hearted and serious questions. Ali limited the questions to 10 but just had to include a Bonus Question from Jack: 11. Bonus Question!!!!! What are you going to do when I come to Spaulding and kick your butt? (Jack Middlemiss)
Kevin: I’m going to ride circles around you in my wheelchair until you get dizzy, then I’ll push you down, and kick your butt!!!! Do you want to piece of me? Or the whole thing?
Tina and I were sobbing and held each other in a close embrace before Jack sent first the Team Hoyt duos and then the rest of the field on our way.
Kevin's favorite song, "Don't Give Up on Me" by Andy Grammer filled the airwaves. Here are two versions offered by Jack and Grace Middlemiss, and Natalie, Kevin's godson Aidan and Conor:
Usually when I'm at a race where you can run or walk, I will go somewhere between a runner's and a walker's pace. This was the first event I experienced where you either ran or you walked and I was thrilled to go at an easy pace chatting with Tina and those around us. It was fun to high five the lead runners as they made their way to the finish line.
Volunteer musicians lined the course. Caleb Cascio has been performing at the event for the past 3-4 years joining together Joseph's love of music and superheroes.
It was quite impressive to see the sidewalks lined with people in LaCoste Strong t shirts, Haverhill Hillies tees (teachers and staff from Ali's school), Team Zoe t shirts, superhero costumes and All You Need is Love shirts from The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation.
It was a love fest out on the course as people greeted one another asking how they came to join in the event. Ali decided that rather than participate in the run, she would stand on the side greeting friends from all walks of her and Kevin's life together.
As we were coming into the finish, we heard the announcer giving out the Age Group Awards. Our friend Bea won her age group at the age of 71 years old! They received Dream Big medals and copies of Dave McGillivray and Nancy Wendland Feehrer's books:
Linda took this photo of us as we finished up our 5K. It symbolized a finish line for the journey of the past 3 years with Ruth Anne's multiple hospitalizations, unclear diagnosis and med trials and errors and the beginning of a new starting line for Ruth Anne's journey back to health and wellness:
The finish line would stay open until the last person finished their race!
Team Zoe was the defending champion for the biggest superhero team for the past two years. We gladly relinquished our title to Team LaCoste Strong that had over 200 members. Ali and her children Natalie and Colin accepted the Blue Ukelele on behalf of their team. The music from the blue ukelele brought many wonderful smiles to so many people when Joseph played it:
Ali and Kevin and their two beautiful children are the race beneficiaries for this year's epic event!
We knew about Shaw's from when we attended Celebrity ScoopFest, which is the other major fundraising event for The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation that happens around the time of Joseph's birthday.
Joseph's picture is in the entrance to the restaurant and there is a donation jar by the cash register. We felt right at home when we walked in. The waitress was warm and friendly. We still had our bibs on and we talked about the 5K. Her daughter was a volunteer. We were able to remember where she and 3 of her friends were on the course. When we thanked them for being out there, she said, "This is my favorite job!"
The eggs and omelettes we ordered were all cooked to perfection and hot off the griddle. Tom and Ruth Anne decided to share a banana nut muffin.
My breath caught when I saw this:
The hearts were reminiscent of the logo of the Middlemiss Foundation:
Thank you Joseph for a beautiful message to end a best day ever reminding us all that all you need is love!
To learn more about the Foundation you can follow this link.
To support Kevin, Ali and their two beautiful children, you can donate to their GoFundMe Page by following this link.
To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary
Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link
My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route.
