Sunday seems so long ago – but my muscles certainly remember I ran a sprint triathlon two days ago!  I’m still achy and sore.  I think the bike did me in.  I decided to swim it loose by hitting the gym for a light 20-minute freestyle.  Usually, it’s better to rest; but occasionally, it helps to move my body a little more. 

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It was quiet at the pool tonight!

 

I did some strength training, too.  Stickin’ with it!  Aren’t you proud of me?

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Those are my new Saucony Triumphs – I wore them during the race on Sunday and they were so comfy.  Very neutral, very soft and forgiving. 

 

I noticed this community board right before I left.  They have laminated workouts you can borrow and place by the side of the pool to refer to as you swim.  Pretty neat!

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I spy an Operation Beautiful note!  See it?

 

I don’t know if I could handle this kind of yardage, though.  3,675 yards would take me FOREVER.  At least an hour!  That’s a long time in the pool.

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Came home, grabbed some cashews to refuel, and set to work making dinner.

 

I actually made two dinner tonight, one for us and one for Tonya’s family!

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Many of you have asked for another update on Tonya’s situation, and I finally have news for you!  The results of her brain biopsy came back yesterday, so now she knows what type of cancer it is and how they are going to treat it.

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Her tumor has been diagnosed as a “Grade II Low Grade glioma most consistent with astrocytoma.”  It’s slow-growing.  She’ll begin radiation and chemotherapy in July and has plans to get her life in order before that. 

 

Side note: the winner of the Garmin 305 fundraiser for Tonya was Heather C.!  Congrats, Heather!  And thanks to everyone who donated… Tonya and her family really appreciate it.  You can donate to help Tonya and her family here, if you are so moved!

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Tonya and her husband Kevin are switching to a vegan diet called the Hallelujah Diet (also based on Christian principles) so I’m trying to craft meals for them that fit with their new guidelines.

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Our batch included millet, sweet English peas, carrots, sweet corn, cilantro, chickpeas, and lots and lots of Mmm Sauce!

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A wonderful dinner!

 

Goodnight, friends.

{ 51 comments }

 

  • Angela June 14, 2011, 9:14 pm

    Tonya is pretty incredible for keeping her spirits up during trying times, but I have to commend you as well for taking the time to help this family out all while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, helping your husband run his business, and write a book. It seems kind of silly to ask since I follow your blog, but how do you do it?! You both are simply inspirational.

    • CaitlinHTP June 14, 2011, 9:15 pm

      Multitasking is the key, and I don’t waste a lot of time. Also, I work a lottttt. We’re talking 8 – 12 hour days, every day, except weekends, during which I work at least 4 hours. I wouldn’t recommend it 😉 I’m trying to cut back. Once this book is done, at least!

      Thank you for the sweet comment and support of Tonya.

  • Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans June 14, 2011, 9:19 pm

    Great job Caitlin! Its so great of you to keep helping out when you are obviously so busy!!

    Glad to see Tonya smilng too 🙂

  • Gina @ Running to the Kitchen June 14, 2011, 9:21 pm

    Thank you for the Tonya update. I think about her and her family daily. How nice of you to help out however you can.

  • Laura (On the Threshold of Greatness) June 14, 2011, 9:21 pm

    You’re so sweet to help Tonya and her family! I remember my mom borrowing a friend’s DVD on the Hallelujah Diet several years ago. It was pretty amazing to watch people’s stories of healing, I must say!

    I’m wishing her the best! <3

  • Kate (What Kate is Cooking) June 14, 2011, 9:22 pm

    So sweet to make dinner for Tonya and her family! I can’t believe how much money was raised for her. How inspirational!

  • Victoria (District Chocoholic) June 14, 2011, 9:24 pm

    Awesome work on the strength training. I bet that if you kept swimming 2-3x/week and upped your distance bit by bit, you could get up to a 3600 yard workout. Challenge :)?

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife June 14, 2011, 9:25 pm

    How nice of you to do that!! And what a fabulous idea for the swim workouts laminated for use. I am so going to do something like that for our local gym. Thanks for the idea!

  • Christine June 14, 2011, 9:27 pm

    You’re a really special person and a wonderful friend.

  • Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out June 14, 2011, 9:32 pm

    That is very sweet of you Caitlin. It looks delicious, too.

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey June 14, 2011, 9:33 pm

    So glad to hear they know what kind of cancer TOnya has and that is is a slow growing cancer. And so sweet of you to bring her dinner!

  • Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga June 14, 2011, 9:40 pm

    Thanks for the update on Tonya and my prayers are with them.

    I have never heard of the The Hallelujah Diet and just went to that link…wow, pretty cool they are tying in their beliefs with their food choices.

    In many ways, that’s how I eat. Lots of plants, mostly raw. I do have dairy, i.e. butter, lately in things but other than that, plant based.

    It’s great you made dinner for them AND in accordance with how they’d like to eat. 🙂

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg June 14, 2011, 9:40 pm

    Thanks for the update on Tonya — she has the most adorable family and such a cute smile. Her attitude is amazing!

  • Monika @ Powered by Paprika June 14, 2011, 9:43 pm

    You’re such a sweetheart helping out Tonya and her family.. the world needs more people like you in it.

  • Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) June 14, 2011, 9:47 pm

    Dinner sounds perfect. It’s so great of you to share her story to help her family.

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing June 14, 2011, 9:50 pm

    You’re so amazing for helping Tonya out like you have, she would have never been able to raise that much money without you!!
    The Mmm sauce and cilantro sounds like an amazing combo!

  • Sarah @ The Strength of Faith June 14, 2011, 9:52 pm

    Hey Caitlin – my church has a prayer shawl ministry and I would love to send one to Tonya. Is there an address I can send it to?

  • Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} June 14, 2011, 10:00 pm

    Thanks for the update on Tonya. It sounds like good news–grade II and slow growing. It’s also great to hear that they are adapting a plant-based diet.

    You are an amazing friend and person, Caitlin!

  • Mac June 14, 2011, 10:01 pm

    That was very sweet of you to take them dinner! Glad to hear things are under way for her…and those boys are too cute!

  • Kath June 14, 2011, 10:07 pm

    So nice of you to make them dinner <3

  • MaryBe June 14, 2011, 10:09 pm

    Those boys are seriously adorable. It’s wonderful of you to bring them dinner and help raise donations for them

  • katie @ KatieDid June 14, 2011, 10:12 pm

    that is so incredibly thoughtful of you to make healthy dinners. your very inspiring with all your hard work and service!

  • Jen June 14, 2011, 10:14 pm

    Kudos to you for helping out Tonya’s family! So many people say “let me know if you need anything” when something like this happens…good for you for just stepping up and doing something! I’m sure it’s appreciated more than you’ll ever know!

  • Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food June 14, 2011, 10:18 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing an update on Tonya, I am glad to hear that it is slow growing so that the treatment can have more time to take full effect. I think it’s great that they are taking control of their health and switching to a wonderfully veggie-full diet!

    Thanks for being such a great friend to them and starting such a wonderful movement to help! 🙂

  • Joelle (On A Pink Typewriter) June 14, 2011, 10:21 pm

    That was very kind of you to bring their fam some food.. those little boys are just adorable. Ugh, these types of situations just break your heart but it’s incredible that Tonya is trying to see the mixed blessing in light of everything. Inspiring.

  • Dana (Struggles of a Twenty Something) June 14, 2011, 10:36 pm

    Love the new sneakers! Just out of pure curiosity, have you been using your Vibrams?

  • Penny June 14, 2011, 10:38 pm

    I ordered a pair of Saucony’s only an hour before I read this! Such a coincidence! I’ve never had a pair and I’m super excited to get them in.
    Thank you for the Tonya update. You should encourage her to possibly write her own blog. HTP readers would like that I think.

  • Mary June 14, 2011, 10:51 pm

    Tonya is amazing for keeping her spirits so high. So many people lose faith. I see that a lot in my patients waiting for heart transplants. my thoughts are going out for her and her family.

  • Molly @ RDexposed June 14, 2011, 11:14 pm

    Oncology pts always tug at my heart the most with working at a hospital. They always seemed to put ME in the good mood. Never fails.

  • Mama Pea June 14, 2011, 11:17 pm

    I feel so happy that you shared the Mmmm Sauce with them! A thought I had is that you may want to check into the site Meal Train.com You can work with friends, neighbors, local bloggers, etc. to get a steady stream of meals coming to Tonya and family. I wish I lived closer, I’d jump on that train!

  • Nancy June 15, 2011, 12:06 am

    It was really nice of you to make them dinner. But I have to say, I have been following Tonya’s story and when I read things like this it baffles me that people are still against universal healthcare. It blows my mind that people think it is normal that someone needs to worry about not going bankrupt while fighting a serious illness. I’m Canadian so I guess my perspective is different.

  • Laura June 15, 2011, 12:09 am

    It is so amazing of you to help them find tasty vegan food!

    Side note – appraisal came back on our house. Its ours! Ahhhh we’re buying a house!

  • Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet June 15, 2011, 12:43 am

    It’s great that Tonya knows how she and her doctors will proceed with her treatment. At least she knows what she’ll be fighting! And I really believe that nutrition and food can do so much for the body, and I hope that she will see improvement soon 🙂

  • Khushboo June 15, 2011, 3:36 am

    Her kids are just darling! And it’s so glad to hear that she is going to get life in order, it’s so easy to throw in the towel when times are rough! How did she like the vegan meal you whipped up (sounds yum)!

  • JessicaR June 15, 2011, 5:26 am

    Thank you for the Tonya update. I watched a fascinating documentary this weekend that she might be interested in: http://www.burzynskimovie.com. It is about a doctor in Texas who is using non-toxic gene-targeted cancer medicines called Antineoplastons to effectively cure some of the most incurable cancers. (The documentary focuses heavily on brain tumors, gliomas especially.) The documentary is free on the website until June 20, so maybe Tonya and her family can watch it before then.

  • Christine @ Burning It Off June 15, 2011, 6:25 am

    That dinner looks so good. It’s really sweet of you to help out 🙂 And good job on sticking with the strength training!

  • Kim June 15, 2011, 7:23 am

    I have always been a strong Christian and believe God has his hand on all areas of our life… How awesome is it that Tonya’s family feels the need to move to a vegan diet and they have you as an awesome neighbor to prepare meals for them!! Many people myself included would have no idea how to prepare a tasty vegan meal. You are being such a blessing to this family just by being you! I’m sure Tonys feels like God has placed you in her life for a special reason now. Thanks for the update on her!

  • Beth @ 990 Square June 15, 2011, 7:24 am

    I think we need a strength training challenge…a way to keep us all motivated to keep going! I started BodyPump again a few weeks ago and I definitely need motivation to keep it up!

  • Sarah@The Flying ONION June 15, 2011, 7:35 am

    You are such a good friend to make meals and support your friend like this. 😀

    And WAHOO, keep it up with the strength training! You’re inspiring and motivating me to do the same. 😀

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin June 15, 2011, 7:51 am

    I have Saucony’s too and I love them!

    You’re such an amazing friend to help out Tonya and her family like this. I hope they enjoyed the meal! 🙂

  • Michelle June 15, 2011, 9:13 am

    Very sweet of your contributions to Tonya’s family!!

    As for the swim, 3675 yards would take me about TWO hours…..

  • Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me June 15, 2011, 9:26 am

    You are so great to be helping them out. Very sweet. I’m sure they really appreciate it!

  • Rachel June 15, 2011, 10:46 am

    you inspire me daily!

  • Christina June 15, 2011, 11:00 am

    Glad to see a positive update! Having a plan of action is the best way to attack the problem. And that meal looks delicious! I’m sure they’ll love it 🙂

  • Leanne (Bride to Mrs,) June 15, 2011, 11:33 am

    Congrats on the strength training! Your body will love you for it, and youll use muscles you didn’t even know you had!

    I want to start swimming I think… I haven’t done actual swimming lanes in ages though and it makes me super nervous. I’m thinking of going every sunday morning or something like that… hmm

  • Amber K June 15, 2011, 12:19 pm

    I totally have to try millet! I like that it’s also gluten-free, and my body has been reacting to quinoa lately. I don’t know if millet would be the same way, but hey, I gotta try it! Especially if MMM Sauce is involved.

  • Amber K June 15, 2011, 12:25 pm

    I have got to try millet! I’m a bit turned off by the long cooking time, but I recently got a rice cooker, I wonder if I could use that to make it easier.

    • Amber K June 15, 2011, 12:25 pm

      Whoa, deja vu! lol Wow, c’mon brain, catch up!

  • Erin @ Naturally Addicted June 15, 2011, 3:01 pm

    That dinner looks SO good! I need to really try some other grains besides Quinoa, but I’m hooked! I’m happy to hear Tonya’s biopsy went ok!! Thanks for keeping us updated.

  • mary (what's cookin with mary) June 15, 2011, 4:32 pm

    Finally made mmm sauce with last nights dinner. You were right… SO GOOD.

  • kerry June 15, 2011, 10:01 pm

    So excited that you are recreating Yumm sauce! I’m from Oregon and it’s such an important part of my vegetarian/sometimes vegan diet that I was considering sending you a sample! Looks like you’ve found it anyway! Good luck to Tanya and her family and well wishes to all of you.

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