Everything is political

Last night I watched Michelle Obama address the National Democratic Committee Convention in Denver. I remembered that Barack Obama was affected by multiple sclerosis and I was reminded that Michelle's dad had ms and died from complications. My great-aunt died from ms complications too. So did my childhood neighbor recently -- she was a mom and I think a year younger than my brother, so only 40 years old. It made me uncomfortably squirm when Michelle said her dad died from complications from ms. Michelle Obama spoke eliquently, amazingly. I admire the Obamas.

Can you believe that our government doesn't even keep track of where all of us living with ms were born, where we lived when we were diagnosed? We don't even know for certain how many people live with ms in the United States (there is anecdotal thoughts that the rate is increasing. why?). You'd think our government would be interested in this information to help find a cure.

Yes, everything is political. Most people don't really think about how politics affects almost everything in their lives. When I drove home from work today, I was able to do so because some people got together to pass laws affecting the roads I traveled -- first a law that there could be a road, the road was variously 2 lanes to 5 lanes because of politics, street lights made me stop at least a half dozen times because of politics, politics dictated how fast I drove. And now in some states, politics affects whether I can update this blog while I drive (probably not a good idea and should not be legal). The mileage my car got during the drive was even affected by politics.

Do you ever hear someone say, "Politics don't affect me"? Silly, huh?

I hope that I never miss more elections than I do Green Bay Packer games (never!).

Tomorrow night I am going to walk what will be a couple miles distributing candidate information (a registered nurse, candidate) door to door. Politics affects me so much that I want to make sure that there are good people on the ballot when I go to vote.

For as long as I'm walking, I'm affecting politics; as long as there's politics, politics affects my walking.

Steady

Went to ride the bike at the Y after work tonight. The ride went better today than during Tuesday. The bike said that I peddled 6.02 miles in twenty two minutes, the bike to 11. My pulse was 150 bps mostly. When I finished, I completed a relaxed cool-down. Then I walked, one step after another step, heel to toe without any assistance maintaining my own balance, to the sanitation stuff. I cleaned my own bike. I walked down all the stairs without assistance. I opened my car door, entered and sat in the seat without help and I drove the car.

On Tuesday, I peddled 7.03 miles during 22 minutes. My pulse was pushing 195 bps. Afterward, I needed help moving from the bike to a bench where I sat for about 10 minutes (while Abbey cleaned up after me (I'm lucky)). My head was spinning. I felt a little dizzy. It was unsettling and a little scary. Abbey helped by down the stairs and out the door, into the car and drove us home. We were not home more than a minute and I was in the shower. I felt a lot better after the shower. I agreed that I shouldn't push myself like that again.

When I peddled today, I listened to the Clouds Taste Metallic. It reminded me of 1998. I was thinking about fear, 1998 and the push for the Employee Free Choice Act in Congress today. For so many reasons, not the least including restoring and affirming the human right to bargain collectively again, it is very important that the next Congress passes and the President signs the Employee Free Choice Act into law.

We did it!

After 7 hours of peddling on Sunday, we rolled into Madison, completing the 125 mile ride; as of this second, we've raised just under $2000 to end multiple sclerosis. I'm thrilled. [NOTE: we ultimately exceeded our goal of raising $2,000!!!! Thank you givers!]

Someday, Abbey and I will do the ride again -- this time with more people -- we've already recruited others to ride with us!

Money raised on the ride and through other fundraising efforts are pooled and distributed to fund research to find a cure -- millions of dollars in grants have been distributed to Wisconsin researchers and others around the world.

We learned on this year's ride that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has funded $550 million in research since 1947. Sounds like a lot of money, but that's nothing -- today I noticed WI's largest hospital had revenues of $600 million in 2000 alone. If we are spending $200 billion in Iraq each year, that's about $548 million per day.

Speaking of international relations and ms (bike rides against ms). While driving our bikes through the Wisconsin countryside, I observed:

* Too many to count moms, dads and their kids standing beside the road, on the curb, in the driveway, on the porch sharing smiles and words of encouragement;
* 3 large signs urging that the troops be brought home (including a really large one on the east bank of the Rock River);
* 2 Impromto beverage/water stands, unassociated with the NMSS support teams, setup up be generous amazing WI farmers;
* 2 French flags flying on rural WI porches.

The french flags made me smile and I felt a little saddened as I thought about the number of USA flags Abbey and I saw flying in all of Berlin, Prague and Vienna during May -- none! And then there would be another smiling face encouraging us.

While I felt like I fell down a flight of stairs yesterday, today I felt great. Continuing to drink large quanities of water made all the difference.