The Lupus Race For Life!.....For Her.

For You! The Fight!

"The finish line seemed far at first....but when I think about what you endured....the suffering I could never take from your body....I found the strength....to go on." ~Your Son~

"Goodbye Lupus" was the code name I chose. After completing the 5k charity race, I was welcomed by a brief stint of euphoria. The sweet sensation of victory overwhelmed me in its unfamiliarity. I had arrived to a place I had always been denied entry. Attained the unattainable. The very goal which had always alluded my grasp was mines to savor.... All the days spent wallowing in futility.............vanished. Seeming so distant as to have been experienced in a past life....I did, what I felt....I could never do, for you....

I helped.

Lord knows how much I wished to remove the illness from your body, shoulder the burden, exchange places so you'd never have to suffer.... Never have to grin, and bear the pain, putting your best foot forward for the family's sake. Smiling in a way only you can.....masking the pain, in efforts to raise us well....concealing it, because your tough, tougher than anyone I know....the indescribable tough with a beauty and smoothness to its edges....you hid the pain, because...you know us, and, you know me, you did not want us to worry....The Sacrificial Tough....and deep down, I knew it.

3rd Grade.

I cried when I found out you had it...I don't even know if I knew what "it" was, or what "it" meant....but you had it, and it made you sad....it made....us sad.

Helpless.

I watched. I went to school. You fell ill. I waited........you felt better. Or, you feigned good health, as I grew older I could distinguish the two, discernment had arrived...Pops use to warn us "You boys need to stay outta trouble, it may not look it, but she's not feeling well, don't do anything to make it worse." It was hard, for me.....being powerless to fix it. I sat, bedside with you one day, despair and frustration sweltering inside of me. This was one of those, "weak moments." No hiding, no smiling, you didn't feel well. And I watched, nothing I could do, I prayed....it was out of my hands.....

Where's the justice?! Why you? How come some people are born, and seemingly destined to live threatened by illness? Some of us are even born with disease included...an inherited disadvantage? Reason, please? Whats the answer to these trick questions? Some incomprehensible pattern in life that man fails to rationalize? These thoughts plagued my impressionable mind growing up. And still, nothing I could do.

But yours...yours is a Champion Story!

Penciled in by a hand stroke from God. A miracle arrived. Almost dropped the Phone....Silence fell. Tears welled up. They can't, find what? They can't......find....the Lupus? Amazement. Coupled with Disbelief. Shock! Rejoicing! After so many years....countless prayers.....it had become.....dormant. The Lupus had entered a remission period.

*A remission period is a time in which an illness remains inactive. Sometimes permanent, sometimes temporal. If a remission period comes to an end, the illness returns*

An answered prayer.

When we live through moments of helplessness, the one rock we can cling to is faith. It begins as a small seed, nurtured by what we cannot see, but what we believe to be true.... A seed, planted by a 3rd grader....the very day he found out about Lupus....and against all odds wished for it to go away....or....a way to help fight it. To Fight.....That wish, would soon come true.

The Lupus Race.

In all it's glory, smashed the invisible barrier. Lupus is no longer an enigma, free to move and dance about, wreaking havoc in the lives of our loved ones. It could be touched. It could be fought. And it could possibly....be cured, by the the souls of many running in unison. I was...correction...I am, proud to have left my footprints in the battle against Lupus.

To help, was all I ever wanted to do....And I can't even say having ran, and contributed to the charity, brings any kind of peace of mind, or solace to either of our souls....Because I know very well the fight doesn't end there. But I do.....hope it's enough, to let you know, Im with you. In your corner.

You know, I could have written this story two different ways...I could have written it about how I trained for the race, where it takes place, and how spectacular the event was.....or...I could've written it, about you.... My heart made the decision.

Dueces! (cuz I know you love it!)

*I encourage everyone to raise their awareness on Lupus. Or, find what's close to home in your life. What's affecting you? Read about it, and fight it! Okay, I went really far in on this one, just how I feel at the moment.

* Pictured above- # 378 Goodbye Lupus(me)

# 984 Haile Fekadu

Victory!