9/17/06

55) We Walked for PKD

September 16, 2006
Saturday

Morning:
Liz, Shayna, and I joined about 80 other people at Town Lake this morning to Walk for PKD*. I am surprised that Liz and Shayna actually got me down there… I am not the “walk for a cure” type cowboy. But when I got there (maybe about 20 minutes into it) I was happy I had shown up. There were plenty of PKD Families and some people whose fistulas I could see. We stood around for some time “gathering” and then a big guy talked about some facts about PKD ("only about half the people who have PKD know it, and only 1 person out of 1000 has even heard about it") and then a little woman who is a national poobah talked about how wonderful the turnout is and what good work the foundation is doing. Connie the Nurse and another of Moritz’s staff were there to support the walk. Connie said this is her third walk and I said I was surprised I am here. Then we all got behind a line and took off, walking east down the bike path. Shayna and some kids ran ahead out of sight and we never saw hide-nor-hair of her until we got back. She reported later she was second getting back… very competitive of her.

So we’re walking along and every so often there’s a little white and turquoise sign about PKD facts, like Burma shave signs. Lizzie, for the first time ever, is outpacing me in walking and I have to ask her to slow down once in awhile. I’m thinking it is a nice thing to walk with your main squeeze down a path, just taking in the sights and talking. Soon we come upon a commotion and someone has discovered a water moccasin along the left side of the path. Kids are excited and every adult cautiously walks by telling the kids things like “that snake’s poisonous! Leave it alone!”. We begin to wonder where Shayna is. When we get to the end of the path the group goes all woogly wiggly and dispurses in several different veins, not really knowing the route of turning around. Liz and I walk around a softball field with girls playing, looking for Shayna. Then we head back and by the time we get back we finally see Shayna waiting at the end, excited to tell us she was second. Cold water and standing around ensue and more speeches and Liz buys me a PKD hat. Shayna is thinking about taking PKD on as her Bat Mitzvah project and I think that’ld be cool. We drive outa there and head over to Maria’s Tacos for breakfast tacos.

El Milagro: I got in today at NOON. Chris cannulated me today and the return needle was painful most of the time I was being dialated: even upon dis-cannulation, it burned… so, who knows what that was all about… but I’d just as soon not do it again. I looks like staff are getting used to using the computers rather than the clip board sheets. All seems fairly quiet today. There is some guy here today who must be having painful cramps because every once in awhile he yells out “Owwww”.

I watch several football games at once, mostly enjoying Michigan creaming Notre Dame, while rethinking the morning walk. I should get more involved with this PKD thing, me thinks. I was re-surprised this morning about how PKD is so grossly under-funded compared to less prevalent diseases.

“PKD is the most common, life-threatening genetic disease, affecting more than 60,000 Americans… more people than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, down syndrome, and sickle cell anemia combined.”** Think about that!

Notes: In at 73.0 Kg. and out at 71.8 Kg.

*Walk for PKD (2006) Retrieved Sept. 16 from the PKD Cure website at http://www.pkdcure.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pkdwlk_homepage
**Learning About Polycystic Kidney Disease. (2006) Retrieved Sept. 16 from the PKD Cure website at
http://www.pkdcure.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pkdabt_aboutPkd

No comments: