Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Transplant Olympic Games - Track and Field

First of all we have to apologize for the delay. My sissy's flight was delayed and she and her hubby didn't get home until 4AM this morning and she had to get up for a business meeting at 8AM! UGH!

Here's sissy:

Discus was the first event today. Dad was full of excitement. He was full of energy and confidence giving new comers George and Roger from Team CT lots of pointers. It appears that Davey’s coaching did pay off. Dad’s results were:

1st throw – 63’

2nd throw – It was his best throw but a foul :-(

3rd throw – 72.5’
Dad also coached a new comer, Ann, from Team Rocky Mtn. Dad, Jim and I quickly became friends with her. She was supposed to run the 1500m today but there was a mix up with the registration so she signed up for discus instead. Mind you she has never thrown a discus before. But with a little coaching from Dad she managed to pull off a 36’ foot throw which won her a silver metal!

Right after the discus, the men threw shot-put. It was hard keeping track because we were excited cheering on Ann and cheering on the Shot-put athletes. Dad’s results were:

First throw 27’

Second throw 27.11 ¼

Third throw 27.81/4

After the discus event, Jim and I left for the airport to head home. I was all set with this posting when there was a little hiccup in our travel plans. I’m sorry for my delay with the post but I hope you’ve enjoyed sharing our experience at the 2008 Transplant Olympics. It’s about 7:30 pm on Tuesday. Dad is attending the closing ceremonies. He didn’t have any events today so hopefully he was able to relax a bit and enjoy Pittsburgh and cheer on the rest of Team CT.

The Transplant Games truly are an experience. It is rare these days that we are amongst a group of people who are simply just happy to be alive! We get so bogged down with life’s day to day stresses, hustles and bustles that I think we forget at times that life is a gift and for most of us it only comes once. I am proud to have been able to share the Transplant Olympic experience twice with Dad. And I am proud to have a husband who supported me and encouraged us to make the trip to share the experience together. It meant the world to me to be able to be there to cheer on my hero, my Dad. I know that it was tough road to follow to get to the Transplant Games not only for Dad but for all of the athletes, their families and the donor families. There were probably a lot of days where you wanted to throw in the towel and say the heck with this! I’m proud of you all for never giving up and being who you are today…enjoying the gift of life.Thank you all for sharing this experience with us, your kind words and support.

We are just so darned proud of our dad and we are so excited about him coming home tomorrow! We sure have missed him - LOTS!!!
So until next time.............
Love ya lots,
Maggie & Mitch

23 comments:

  1. Your dad did pawsome at the games. :) That sure is a great event for the athletes and their family.

    I bet you doggies will be real excited to see your dad back home

    ~ Girl girl

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Maggie and Mitch,
    Did you give your dad a huge hug for doing so well? WE are all so proud of him too! Please give him a kissy kiss from ME!

    P/S. My mom and dad learnt one thing from their recent loss of Lucas.. sometimes work makes us forget to stop and smell the flowers and to take things/ people for granted. Now they know that life is just too fragile, so we should always stop and take time to smell the flowers, and tell the people (and pups) whom you care about that you love them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, you can never have too many hugs, so add ours to the pile. Some for your Dad, some for your mom and family for supporting him, and some for you guys for being such great cheerleaders.

    kisses and wirey hugs
    gussie
    JRT Juice
    Teka

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh your dad did great. I hope you have a lovely reunion

    ReplyDelete
  5. w00f's Maggie and Mitch, boy ur daddy iz truly blessed...not only did his wife and family, his daughter and his furkids support him, but he had a gang of pups kittys and hammies from all over the world pulling for him...sounds like a pawsome competition, not only a friendly challenge but the opertunity to help those that needed an xtra kind word...soooooooo here's to ur daddy!!!

    b safe,
    ~rocky~

    ReplyDelete
  6. 3 Cheers to your dad! It truly is a great reminder of the 2nd chance in life!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your dad is one incredible individual. Thank you for sharing his experience with everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi M & M,

    Sorry we haven't been around much. We will catch up soon we hope but we did want ya t know we gave you an award, so come over & get it.

    Love Ya both Mona & the Mommy too!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful message in this entry. Thanks for sharing your Transplant Olympics insight and experiences.

    Levi's mom

    ReplyDelete
  10. For he's a jolly good fellow, he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good fellllooww...which nob'dy can deny!!! Congrats to your dad! I'm sure you can't wait for him to be home.

    Life is indeed a gift!

    ReplyDelete
  11. You must be really proud of your daddy to be part of this Olympic Games for this group of very special people who have a 2nd chance in life.

    Luv
    Snowball

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Way to go, Maggie & Mitch's dad. You doggies must be so proud of him.

    xox
    Chef

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow..you must be so proud of your dad! Sending lots of airehugs to add to all the others you ahve to give him.

    Big Nose Pokes
    The Thugletsx

    ReplyDelete
  15. I would like to meet your Dad. He sounds great to me ...

    Cheers

    Charlie

    ReplyDelete
  16. Maggie 'n Mitch...

    Wow those are some powerful words just packed with emotion and comin' thru it all is the beacon of yer sissies 'n yer pride in yer Dad and all the athletes who have a second chance at life.......I'm sure ya will welcome him home with a bunch of kisses for a job well-done.....


    Dewey Dewster here......

    ReplyDelete
  17. We are so proud of your dad too!

    thanks for this lovely post

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh I bet you can't wait to see your daddy! We are so excited for him and well all of you! WE have never experienced anything like this! This rocks. Next year our mommy is making t-shirts for us that say Team Daddy and we are going to wear them while he is gone!!! We love you guys!!


    Slurps,
    Willow, Pilar and the Compound

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh I bet you can't wait to see your daddy! We are so excited for him and well all of you! WE have never experienced anything like this! This rocks. Next year our mommy is making t-shirts for us that say Team Daddy and we are going to wear them while he is gone!!! We love you guys!!


    Slurps,
    Willow, Pilar and the Compound

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks to your sissy- that post was wonderful, it was written with so much love and pride, very moving.We were cheering all those athletes on too especially your Dad.Enjoy the welcome home party, I'm sure there will be one!!

    hugs and kisses, Eric xxx

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi, Maggie and Mitch!
    Hurray for your Dad!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow your Dad is PAWESOME!!! It looks like your Dad was a big help to lots of folks at the olympics, what a cool dude he must be!

    ReplyDelete