Getty Owl Foundation

And So The Countdown Begins!

From Kate:

With a week before the Getty Owl Run/Walk, I think everything is starting to hit me finally. I was cruising along pretty well for a while. At times I even forget that I was helping to organize a run. I guess I was just getting  into the grove and at times lost sight of what I was actually doing in the process of just pushing ahead. Perhaps we all do that in some ways.

But everything pretty much hit me today. Not in an emotional way, but more in like a triumphant way. I really felt like today I was making a difference to help end SMA. This feeling of empowerment was exhilarating.

Today I drove by the hospital where I gave birth to Getty. It is the same place we go to for all of her appointments, but on the one side of the block you can only see the hospital.

This was the place where I was admitted to be induced. I had enough magazines to occupy my pregnant mind. I had my pillow, my iPod for soothing music, etc. This was the place that told me that my baby’s heartbeat was great. This was the place where my military mid-wife “coached me”, more like “ordered me”  through almost 24 hours of labor. This was the place that was going to do everything in their power to make sure I was that mom, who got to carry out her healthy baby and start an incredible life as a family.

Even though we go to this place frequently for appointments, there is just something about seeing the hospital that I still hold resentment. I know in time it will diminish, but I still have strong feelings that Getty, Mark, and I were all robbed of that stereotypical reality. And now the reasons for going to that hospital is because of interventions we make to help make sure Getty can eat safely and interventions we make to make sure she recovers from sickness.

What struck me this time as I drove by that hospital today was this: Life just isn’t fair! Simple as that.

I would give anything to take SMA away from Getty and any child for that matter. But since there is no cure yet, what I do have the power to do is plenty. I have the ability to give her all the nutrients she need. I have the ability to support her respiratory needs. I have the ability to constantly teach our doctors best practices. I have the ability to help make her happy,  however I’ll be honest, she does a good job of that herself. 🙂 And yes, life might not be fair, but I can do something.

So today I did.  With the help of some awesome and very generous people we did this!

We packed the swagger wagon with 800 goody bags full of stuff for all the participants for the run next Sunday. I should have taken a pictures, especially of all of the great kids from William Jessup University, Casa Robles High School, and some great ladies (Denise and her daughter, Morgan, Takoa, and Shea and her two daughters). Thank you all for helping.

800 goody bags who will be getting all kinds of swag from:

Thanks to all of the companies that offered to be a part of not only adding items to our goody bags, but for also supporting our race. The support from local and national companies has been an unbelievable blessing.

So back to the “Life isn’t fair” statement. Yep, it is true maybe is not, but since Getty’s diagnosis what I am learning is, what to do with that uncertainly to make it a positive.

So this is what I do know.

I know that 800 bags will be given out that has information about Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

I know that the Getty Owl Run/Walk is all about raising awareness about SMA and raising funds for reasearch.

I know that we will have a booth at the post-race family festival and I know that people will stop by.

I know that many people had heard about our foundation and signed up for the run/walk.

I know we are doing something positive.

Perhaps someone in the crowd will learn about SMA and educate another person. Perhaps someone will notice the 1 in 40 SMA carrier statistic and feel compelled to get a simple blood test that can educate generations to come. Perhaps someone in the crowd will hear that 1 in every 6,000 births is to a child with SMA and now want to do more to help find a cure. And hopefully everyone has such a great time next Sunday, that they want to come back next year.

Oh yes, we are doing this again next year and the next and the next! 🙂

So you can probably guess what I was feeling on the way back from the goody bag assembly party today. I felt amazing and I also could not wait to get back to Miss Getty. Wouldn’t you know it the timing was perfect, it was nap time. I joined her as quickly as I could. I kissed her on the head and brushed her hair and I just told her how proud I am of her. She is such an inspiration and I am just so incredibly fortunate to be her mommy. I also told her that there are even more warriors out their learning and fighting against SMA. More soldiers trying desperately to help find a cure. Getty just kind of looked at me as if to say, “Mom enough already, it’s neenie time (that is what we call nap time), quit talking and get to snuggling.” Man she is pushy. 🙂

So the countdown begins to the first of many Getty Owl Run/Walk. We are all so very excited. There are so many cool things happening Sunday, February 26th. Some surprises that I know everyone their will say, WHAT? This is awesome! A new surprise just came up today. I can’t tell you what “it” is, but I do want to thank Mama Linda for being so crafty.

Thank you all in advance for registering. For others who have not yet, I hope you can join us, there is still lots of time to register.

Hoot!