Day 5: Marshalltown to Cedar Rapids (Winds beneath our Wings)

It's been tough to keep up on this blog because of intermittent internet service.  But today I'm sitting in the library of a beautiful assisted living facilitiy in Cedar Rapids in a nice soft chair, AC, and great WiFi.  So in keeping with  my promise to highlight some people in my life who do not have PD but have made a great contribution to my life, here are a few of those  people.  This is not a complete list by any means and I will be highlighting some more in future posts.  AND if you're reading this, then you are someone that I know, maybe very well, maybe not, but know that every interaction I have with  you influences and enriches my life. Thank you just for taking the time to read this

Kathy Nagle - Kathy was the one that got me into this  mess in the first place:)  But a good mess it is.  Kathy has helped me so much in  understanding PD and  how to live better with PD but more importantly has been a great friend.  Kathy was with me last year on my inagural trip to Ragbrai and we had a blast.  I miss her presence this year.




Carol Vails - What started  out as  a simple trip to the bike shop to  buy a new bike has grown into an amazing friendship.  Carol has been  my champion, mentor, and best of all friend.  Last month Carol rode over 450 miles over the Colorado Rockies with the Davis Phinney Foundation.  She raised over $2500 for the DPF which will help pay for a Victory Summit in Denver this year.  She rode some of the most challenging routes of her life that week but never gave  up.  Thanks Carol for all you've done, can't wait to go riding when I get back.

The staff at Derfelt Elementary School. Telling my colleagues at work that I had  Parkinsons Disease was not  easy.  Nobody wants to be the sick person.  But everyone has been nothing but supportive and helpful without making me feel like I was different. Work is a place where I can go where I  know people care.  Some days are hard but I know there are 40+ people that will be there if I need  them.