Page 34 - 2019 February

LOVE LETTERS

Friends Are the Heart of It!

Dottie Love, DTM

That morning started like most . . . in pain. and started looking for races for us to participate!
It should have been obvious to me when a But I wasn’t sure if I believed it myself. Walking

few people started asking “Are you okay today?” down a flight of stairs had been painful, now I
instead of the typical greeting of “How are you wanted to run up and down roadways. Really?!
today?” The chronic pain, I thought I was hiding, Yet, the best thing I did was to share my goals
I wasn’t. Maybe it was the dimness in my eyes. with others. Speaking it out loud was the first
Maybe the loss of energy. Or my grimacing with step. Having friends as a support system was

certain movements. Maybe all of it. certainly a benefit. My friend’s support is helping
Then a year ago my holistic doctor diagnosed me: choose health over pain. Choose exercise
that my gallbladder, my liver, my adrenal glands over couch.

and my immune system were under great
distress. His diagnosis and prescription for Finding Strength!

change were simple. “You can either eat the foods Just about every other month—if the
your body can use for medicine. Or prescription northwest weather allows since I don’t like rain—I
medicine will become what you eat the most. try to participate in a 5K, 10K or some sort of

Change your diet. Exercise not because your racing event. My last racing event was named (I
body needs it, but because your mind needs it. didn’t make this up) the Girlfriends Run. And
You need the benefits of feeling healthy and that’s my female friends joined me in the racing event.

what exercising can do for you.” Interesting fact I did not realize is that the
I followed his instructions. The immediate Girlfriends Run was started by Sherri McMillan
pain reduction started after I removed sugars who wanted to help a friend of hers, Joleen
from my diet. The allergies stopped after I Skarberg, who was diagnosed with breast cancer
removed dairy and last month after I removed on Valentine’s Day in 2007. After 3 lumpectomies

gluten, the weight started to come off. The more to remove the tumor, 3 months of chemotherapy
fruits and veggies I have the healthier I feel. and 7 weeks of radiation with the inevitable loss
Walking has easily turned into jogging, weight of hair, Joleen won her battle with cancer and is

training, and cycling. still cancer free today. Every year since Joleen’s
During my initial recovery, I had mentioned diagnosis, the Girlfriends Run is held to help
to a friend that I wanted to do a marathon race raise funds for cancer victims. And in every
after I got my energy back. SHE BELIEVED ME race, Joleen Skarberg wears bib #1 because it is

34 ONE COMMUNITY