How to Run a Marathon and Still Feel Pretty – By Ambassador Kristen

Dear Cherished Types,

I have been thinking about how to update all of you on my chemotherapy therapies this summer time, which just so occur to have fallen right smack dab in the center of starting to be a Beth Millner Jewellery ambassador. For a though I wasn’t absolutely sure if it was the worst timing or the ideal timing when I was selected, but then I recognized that this is specifically how existence goes: you really do not get to opt for the timing of your life’s problems or your opportunities. You only have regulate on how you select to think about them, and how or if you decide to act on them. For instance, I could say that breast cancer is the worst matter or the ideal thing that is happened to me, simply because the two are accurate. Medical procedures and chemo aren’t exactly factors that individuals hurry to indication up for, but at the same time, which is precisely what it took to learn how quite a few angels I have in my corner and how sort and generous and considerate the environment can be. 

 

Now that I’m approaching Week 8 of the 12-Week Chemo Marathon that I hardly ever preferred to indicator up for, sponsored by the club I’d never needed to join (breast most cancers), I have recognized a individual truth of the matter: marathons suck. I mean, I’m guaranteed there’s at least 1 particular person out there who loves functioning so a great deal that they search forward to beating the crap out of their bodies for miles and miles, and that maybe there’s some bizarre runner’s euphoria I’ve nevertheless to tap into, but dang! Not gonna lie, it was less complicated at the commencing when you are at the starting up line and there are a gazillion of your bystander peeps looking at you and cheering you on. And I’m certain there will be just as lots of there ready for me to cross the complete line. But when you are on mile 8 of 12, and there are not as several persons on the sidelines seeing you any more, your jogging gets quite hideous, and so do your thoughts. 

 

And talking of that, there is practically nothing that’ll stir up your notions of splendor and ugliness quite like a great spherical of balding chemo. But then once again, that’s the whole point of this tale, a reminder that we have total regulate of how we decide on to see a thing, and we can possibly seize an prospect or permit it move us by. 

I never know about you, but considering that I did not approach on possessing all my hair drop out a number of situations in my life, I figured now was the possibility to convert a handful of lemons into lemonade. 

It was a few months ago when I was capable to commence pulling all my hair out in clumps, fairly a great deal correct on agenda, all around “mile 4” in the marathon. I understood that as tricky as it was, I’d require to make peace with saying goodbye to my hair, as “unpretty” as that might make me feel, and I’d had a fantastic plan that would distract me enough to get via at least the upcoming few miles. 

I was heading to giggle my way by way of the entire matter, and I was heading to make confident that an individual else benefited from it, too. 

And that is just what I did. I went out on social media and instructed all my buddies that for each individual $20 they donated, that they’d get their names set in a hat for a massive drawing, and that the individual whose name was drawn would get the honor of deciding upon the layout that my Mumma would attract on the back again of my bald head, at the time I’d shaved off all my hair. The proceeds were being break up similarly concerning the Delta County Cancer Alliance and Wildlife Limitless of Delta County. Jointly my angels lifted almost $2,500 to break up among two of my favourite charities!

It took me three haircuts this year to get to my bald canvas. Those people of you who realized me six months in the past understood that I experienced lengthy hair down to my decrease back again, so my hair was a major component of my identification. I donated the initial foot of it to Kids With Hair Decline, so that somebody else would be equipped to put on a wig that I was able to improve for them myself. I’d performed this the moment prior to and had made a decision that at the time my hair reaches a specific duration, I’m going to continue to keep doing this right up until I’m no longer all around to maintain growing it. Feel of all the wigs that’ll be out in the world immediately after so several a long time! Would make me smile. 

My second haircut party was going from my shortened bob haircut length to tomboy length, which was astonishingly more challenging than likely pool-cue bald. Probably it reminded me of the final time I’d experienced my hair this shorter in 2nd grade, a minor kid mistook me for a boy, and my psyche in no way recovered. It’s possible it’s due to the fact I just don’t feel brief, limited hair is all that flattering on me. Whichever the rationale, I experienced to power-smile my way by way of that total week right before the serious shave took put, and that gave me a clean slate in more means than a person. 

Very little says “I enjoy you” rather like your great hairdresser pal agreeing to flip you into a bowling ball (I’ve been advised I have a completely spherical head) and your 75-12 months-outdated mother agreeing to attract a thing on the again of your head for charity. And that’s exactly what they did. The gal whose identify had been drawn wanted a hummingbird and a pink breast most cancers ribbon in the style and design, and contemplating that the canvas was moveable pores and skin covered in a mild stubble, I feel my mom genuinely kicked ass on the completed merchandise! 

It is been two weeks functioning all around my corner of the entire world with no hair, and the aspect I have not talked about until eventually now, for the reason that I have been much too hectic pretending that staying bald is a complete hoot and a hilarious experience, is that oh boy, there are times when I experience sooooooo hideous. I have set a handful of pictures of my new type out on social media, and several folks have commented on how beautiful I glimpse. But I really don’t actually believe them. I’m persuaded that they’re indicating it just to make me truly feel far better, due to the fact, you know, Mile 8. The component in which I’m “ugly running” and people do not have time to sit there on the sidelines and cheer me on every second of the working day because they have their very own lives to stay. 

I realized devoid of a doubt that I’d have unpleasant days throughout this marathon. The point is, even when you know there will be struggles uphill, from time to time you really don’t see them coming right up until you are proper smack dab in the middle of one. And all you can do is acknowledge the hill, suck it up, buttercup, and maintain plodding due to the fact sooner or later the floor will be amount once more. 

The elegance I have been capable to acquire with me on this marathon because the commencing is my Beth Millner items. No matter if I’ve had long hair or short hair or no hair, they’ve been with me for the full marathon, like a talisman preserving me from emotion hideous or from feeling like a total failure. They remind me of so a lot of everyday living lessons I want to understand this time close to. When I head into every chemo mile marker, I have received a various perform of artwork accompanying me. 1 7 days it is my bumblebee pedant, reminding me to keep chaotic and to maintain moving. The next it may possibly be my coronary heart pendant, reminding me of all the love and guidance I’m taking with me into each of these classes. An additional is my butterfly selection, symbolizing the variations that I’m heading by means of. Possibly I’m experience hideous at this stage of my journey simply because that’s how it is meant to go, like how the caterpillar could experience right before it cocoons. But search at how I’ll be reworked at the stop of this marathon!

I’m on the lookout forward to sharing with you my end line, my transformation, and my story as it carries on to unfold. I’ve always said that my purpose is to direct this sort of an unconventional and interesting lifetime so that I’ll have seriously superior stories to tell when I’m 100 many years old in the nursing dwelling, and boy, is this calendar year ever making! Thank you, my angels and cheerleaders, for inserting yourselves along my marathon route and rooting for me. 

Coincidentally, future week you could virtually cheer me on, if you are in the Escanaba-Gladstone location. My partner Todd and godson Noah and I are all “competing” in the MISH mini-triathlon on August 27. Noah will be undertaking the 3-mile kayak portion, I will be biking 13.5 miles, and Todd will be managing the 5k finale. I’m not certain I’ll be breaking any data for pace on Saturday, but you can most assuredly count on me not staying a quitter. 

Let’s go, Crew G! 

Be happy, be nicely.

Kris G