Ten Days Til Tish

Today bears some significance in this our story.  In less than a fortnight, Tish will travel to Boston to be a part of Team Fuzzybutts, setting aside a year of her life to tell this story and leave behind a family in Texas to do so.   

I had asked her to write a blog in her own words about the implications of her decision but it became too personal.  So I'm writing it in her stead... until she's ready to jump in.     

I know the feeling.  When I committed to March as our launch date 2008 some months earlier, it was pretty intense emotionally and spiritually.  And it was lonely, too.

My brothers thought I'd gone off to the loony bin and my father was sternly against it from a medical risk standpoint.  It's difficult to undo decades of being a doctor to be a dad.  The week leading up to our launch I got a call from him just about every night lecturing me about ticks, mosquitoes, and all the diseases they bear and how he wouldn't support the walk because of the dangers.  

Hell, even my oldest friend wouldn't back us even though I had put together a pretty thorough spreadsheet for success. But the hardest thing was leaving my mom who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's the year leading up to the walk. 

And yet when Hudson, Murphy and I left Walter E. Long Park March 16th, my entire family was there to see us off.  

I hope Tish's family steps up and sends her off the same way but if not, it's up to us to welcome her with open arms as making such a sacrifice does not come without controversy and internal strife.  Nothing great ever did.