Monday July 15th-Entering the volcanic Landscapes of the Highlands

Ok so, back home I suffer from alot of insomnia or restless sleep patterns. There was no problem with sleep on this trip.  At the airport in Toronto, I spoke with my seatmate Sheilah while we taxied to the runway....I don't recall taking off but woke 20 minutes before landing and that was a 5 1/2 hr flight.  We got to the hotel and I slept again.  I slept well after the dinner but because it was still daylight, my brain thought I should be awake and not asleep.  Anyway enough of that fast forward to Monday morning.

The plan for today is breakfast then load up and off to the Lanscapes of the Highlands but plans change. There was a breakfast of cured meats, a variety of breads, eggs, mini sausage, potatoes, skyr, jams 'n jellys, granola and many more items.  Of course I am not going to turn down the cured meat, cheese and buns.  I try the skyr but am not as impressed as my group. 

Back of the bus and this isn't all of it !
(photo curtesy of Jeff Salvage)

Two individuals in our group have not yet recieved their luggage.  So the plan is now for us to stop at a local gear shop and pick up some items for them.  Luckily the outfitters have boots, sleeping bags, mats and poles they can rent.  We finally leave the hotel by late morning and head to the store.  I pick up another carbiner and others look for last minute items they may have missed.  Kat ends up spending around $2000.00 Canadian for a couple of items.  Walking Poles, Jacket, 2 Tops and 2 leggings.  I am so glad my luggage followed me...I only had $500, but I also made sure I had extra clothing and some required items in my carry on.  I learned to do this early on with my first trip to Germany.  A smart move or just well planned?  Anyway I felt terrible for the ladies, Especially for Kat, with whom I developed a great friendship. :)

We finally get on our way and I am alseep in seconds waking only to check out where we are.  The scenery is intersting with rolling hills and mountain peaks with acres and acres of flat land where sheep and horses roam.

Disembarking the Bus, notice the size of it? Its a big bus.

I am fast asleep but the feel of the bus rolling and bouncing wakes me.  I look about and see we are in a sea of black sand following nothing more than a dirt road in the middle of  no where.  The bus lurches to a stop and the excited chatter of everyone on the bus becomes more like a  low grade hum. 

Waiting for instructions

We've reached our destination the Rauðaskál Crater which is also known as the Red Bowl.  Everyone disembarks from the bus, I am one of the last ones because I took my boots off and now have to put them back on and lace them tightly.





Looking Up



I get off the bus and adjust my pack, I look up at the "hill" and start to have feelings of self doubt. can I really do this?  Before I left Canada I had injections into my toes todate the inflamation and flexibillity of my ankles has been held at bay.  How they would handle the upward motion I am yet see.

We started off and I firmed up my position at the back of the group.  Everyone took off as if the climb was meant to be tackled and not enjoyed.  I was in no hurry, I wanted to enjoy the experience...that changed mid-way up and I began an internal monologue which went something like this:  "Dear Lord, what the hell am I doing?"  "Why on earth would I think I could do this?"  but I kept on trudging and finally reached the top.

At the top I took in the amazing view, well worth the climb.  This climb was to be our "test" climb so our guides and trainer could get a rough idea of how well we would do on the trek.  Unfortunately one individual did not make the entire climb because she had twisted her knee at the treacherous gully....one section I was very worried about since I did not bring poles like many of the other participants.  I like to call these pictures "the view from the top"









Jeff our trainer got a pretty nice shot of me going around the rim of Rauðaskál Crater, this picture really shows how big this crater is.  I am just about the point where the wind really began to pick up and I had to ensure my feet were firmly planted because I was worried I would be blown from the top and over the side.  I considered crawling but thought better of it and just kept on walking. :)

There are no toilets out in the wilds of Iceland, and you make due with what you can.  Many took advantage of the large lava formations by the bus.  I didn't but lucky for me there were two large ones near the top of the crater.  I urged the guide, Jeff and two other trekkers on and quickly made use of the "facilities". The guides often said that soon enough we weren't going to be walking 250 metres off the trail we would just stop and go right there, all modesty would quickly be forgotten.

Here's another picture to give you a better understanding of the climb we did.  That little white dot just to the right of centre is our bus.  Once we returned to the bus I found out Kat had twisted her knee, it didn't sound good.  We all loaded back onto the bus and a short time later we came to this beautiful campsite at Hellisfjall.

The camp was beautiful, the ground soft and spongy which made it easy for us to pitch our tents after a brief introduction on how to do it.  Unbeknownst to me because I had paid for single occupancy accomodations that meant I had a tent of my own.  Camp was set up quickly mainly because once one tent was up others would go and help someone else.  Others assisted in the pitching of the kitchen and dining tents as well.

This area was so beautiful, there were showers for 5K, a meandering river with sheep being kept out by a small fence, a paddock with the Icelandic Pony

Evening came quick even though you couldn't tell by the sunlight.  Supper was made and we all ate a hardy meal of ocean catfish, rice, salad and sauce.  For dessert we ate skyr and fruit.  It got cold quickly and we all donned our touques, mitts and outer jackets, I was shivering and a bit concerned I would be cold throughout the night.  As it turns out I had nothing to worry about, I am not sure how long it was into the night before I had to unzip my sleeping bag because I was actually sweating to the point where I thought I would actually have a wet sleeping bag.  I cooled off and drifted off to sleep the sound of snoring and the baaing of nearby sheep.

Welcome Dinner

After my much needed sleep and two glasses of pinot noir I met with the group to head out for our welcome dinner at Nautholl.  The walk was nice.  I noticed many of the plants and flowers were simular to what we have in Canada although the daisys have much shorter stems.  It was kind of funny, the entire group was walking along the right side of the road where there was no sidewalk so there was a large plume of dust behind each walker.  A few of us noticed a sidewalk on the other side of the road and quickly crossed.  I guess this was my first introduction to the dusty conditions I would be encountering on the trail. 

 

As we walked we came upon a large glass and silver building which I soon found out was the Icelandic University.  I believe it is the only university in Iceland. 

The further we went I thought we were going into the middle of nowhere, suddenly around the corner there was a low building with large panels of glass.  The glass was open and we were treated to the view of a beautiful dining room.  Two months earlier we were asked to make choices for our dinner meals.  None of my dinner mates could remember what they ordered or what was being served.  Neither could I.  All I remembered was there was fish, chicken and lamb, which restaurant I was not sure.  Our salads were brought to us.  Mine was very thin paper like slices of meat with a sauce drizzled on it.  It was delish.  I guess I should have asked what it was and taken a picture but I was ravenous and gobbled it up like the beast in Beauty and the Beast. 



I guess I ordered the Salmon



Dessert: Creme Brule, Vanilla Ice cream and grilled pinapple

  

During our meal individuals at my table introduced themselves and shared a bit about themselves and their experiences with the JIM.  I was astonished to hear that two members at our table were alumni with 4 or more events under their belts. (amazing)



Jennifer and Jeff Salvage



Cynthia our fearless leader got up to start the welcome.  She introduced our trainer Jeff Salvage and his wife Jennifer, then she asked each of us to introduce ourselves, tell everyone where we were from and why we made the decision to join JIM. 

I was brought to tears several times as I listened to the introductions.  Especially Wendy's introduction and her story about her husband Eric.  A year ago Eric was walking with a cane, Wendy would have to do up the buttons on his shirt.  Her love for him shone through as she described how hard it was to see her husband suffer from RA.  With the training and some changes to medication Eric and now walking without a cane and doing so much better.  He nolonger requires help with his buttons and has joined Wendy on this adventure.  I had to wipe my tears and prevent myself from having an all out bawl with hiccups and sniffling because I know what it is like to have to ask someone to help you dress, it a very humbling experience.  



After the introductions we were introduced to our guest speaker Evan. Evan shared his story, and is another alumni with JIM.  He shared how he started and why he started.  More tears formed in eyes as I listened to this amazing mans story.  There are so many people out there who do not suffer from Arhritis but are out there doing things to help those who they love battle this formidable disease.

Picture Courtesy of Jeff Salvage

Our group of 31 individuals, 6 of us who suffer from one form of Arthritis or another raised a total of $220 000.00 for the research and support.  The four or five individuals who have been participating in JIM for 10 years or more have raised an astounding 1.5 million dollars.  It just astounds me the dedication of these individuals.  I am truly surrounded by some amazing people.

After the picture above everyone returned to the hotel, I chose to wander along the shore and get a picture of my feet in the ocean.  Here they are.  So far I have dipped my feet in the Pacific Ocean on the shores of the Queen Charlotte Islands, Stanley Park in Vancouver,the Atlantic Ocean in Halifax and now the North Atlantic in Iceland.  Mind you it didn't take four hours for my feet to warm up in any of the other locations.

Oh yes, I was told Iceland didn't have any rabbits, but look what I found while wandering back to the hotel.  Them's look like wabbits to me!

These Boots are made for walking....

I left late today, last minute details that always seem to pop up. Perhaps I dragged a little slower because Gus was being buried today....Gus was adopted by my grandma Clara, long story.  Anyway before I left I had to say see my mother and father.  I was a bit frustrated that I was leaving late but that all dissipated once I saw my mom and dad.  Seeing them before I leave is always a must.  I hugged my mother a little longer than usual, trying to absorb some of her never ending strength.  Before I give my Dad a hug he asks if I need money, thankfully I don't.  As I prepare to leave they both reach for their cameras....something I remember from our early elementary school days, pictures before we leave.  I am a little sad as I stop by at my sisters home, I knock on the door knowing she is probably fast asleep.  I am happy she answers the door.  She is looking amazing even though she has been ill this past week and I've woken her up.  Quick hugs and I am off to Paula's, her truck is not there and I am surprised as she must be off on some exciting adventure...at the casino!

As I leave M'chigeeng I am mentally reviewing the list in my head, I can't remember if I packed my passport, I pull over and check my bags.  Its there.  Soon I am on the road again, I realize nearly an hour later I have forgotten my moccasins and swimsuit bottom on the couch...along with my towel.  I still need to pick up my socks and return the jacket that I won't need.  Before that however, I am going to have breakfast with my grand babies.  Breakfast is over way to soon and I am back on the road again.  I am making good time and am in and out of MEC in no time flat. Miraculous actually since as my daughter can attest, I can spend hours in that store.  I'm running low on time and have to make the decision as to the quickest way to the airport.  I opt for the 400/401 soon I am racing down the highway.

Once I get to the airport, I pull into an empty parking lot.  I pull out my bags and redistribute my belongings.  20 minutes later I am pulling up to the valet parking and on the shuttle to terminal 3.  It isn't long before I see Shelagh and more of the JIM team.  Its brutally hot and I am sweating like there is no tomorrow.  I take some time to clean up a bit, get some supper than its off through security.  Soon I am standing with the remaining JIM team members from across Canada.  28 in total, 3 are already on their way or in Iceland waiting for us.  I turn toward the window and watch as I see my bag being loaded onto the plane our boarding call is made and we line up.  I find my seat the reality that this is really happening is beginning to sink in.  I make small talk with Shelagh for a bit and am out before we take off.

I wake occasionally throughout the flight checking our progress on the screen before falling back to sleep.  I wake 20 minutes before landing, raise the window blind and am treated to a bright red/pink sunrise.  Soon I see the shore line it looks like muskeg...then rock.  We land with a slight bump, there is nothing surrounding the airport...its the middle of  no where.  We disembark only to have to go through security once again.  I take my boots off, open my purse and spill my water out of the jug.  It isn't long before I am changing my Canadian dollars to the Icelandic Korons.  I feel rich as I hold 17 5000 korona bills in my hands...little do I know how quickly these money will disappear.

The group is led to a chartered coach which takes us through the countryside to our hotel in Reykjavik.  We are all left to our own devices until the first meeting then the welcome dinner....I opt to SLEEP!

The Plan

Tomorrow is the day! Actually I can't really believe this day has come....quick someone pinch me!  The excitment is slowly building...it will hit me full force once I pass through security and the guards tell me to drink my bottle of water or spill it.

The plan for tomorrow is wake at 6am have a quick visit with my mama and papa at 7am...and off to Sudbury where I will have breakfast with the two greatest grandkids in the world.  Dylan and Zaagaasge.  Then off to Toronto...my flight leaves Pearson at 9:15 or there abouts, this means I have to be at the airport 3hrs before hand to meet with the rest of Team Ontario.  My flight will arrive in Reykjavik Sunday morning at around 6:25am.  We will be met at the airport by a driver and taken to the hotel where we will check in upon arrival.  There is an information session at 5pm with the mountain guides then a welcome dinner at the Nauthoil Restaurant.  This means I will have an entire day to walk along the ocean shore and check out the seaside lagoon.

Take those people out of the pic and put me in there, that may be me on Sunday :) before the big hike.  So Monday morning will be the last you will hear from me for 5 days.  This is what our itinerary looks like:

Monday July 15th-Entering the volcanic Landscapes of the Highlands
Tuesday July 17th-Hiking into the Colourful Rhytolite Mountains of Landmannalaugar
Wednesday July 18th-Access the Hrafntinnusker Plateau
Thursday July 19th-Crossing the inland Dessert of Maelifellssandur
Friday July 20th-Hike into the Lush Porsmork Valley
Saturday July 21st-break camp at Langidalur and return to hotel.
Sunday July 22nd- Awards Dinner @ Fjorukrain
Monday July 23rd- Depart Reykjavik 3pm arrive in Toronto @6:55pm

I'm sure I will enjoy me hotel after the trek, showers are $5 US for 5 minutes on the trail...I'm cheap :)  Check me out tomorrow night when I will have pictures of Team Ontario departing Pearson.

Did you know there are 20hrs of daylight in Reykjavik right now?  I'm taking my sleeping mask...think I'm gonna need it  :)

Packing for Iceland :)

48 hrs till take off.  I am feeling the pressure of having everything test packed and weighed.  18kg is what I am allowed in my duffle bag...NO SUITCASES....duffle bags are highly recommended.  I told you about the duffle bag I was thinking of getting, well I purchased it, its in the black bag.

Here are the items to go into the bag: Sleeping Bag

and now the sleeping mat and pillow.  The sleeping pad is supposed to measure from my head to my bottom...but because I am short, it nearly fits!!



Deflated Size





Full Sized



So now I have my sleeping bag, pillow and sleeping mat in the duffle...still room for clothes, these are my neoprene socks for the glacial river crossing we will be doing.

Clothes: 3 under garmets, 1 under armour shorts, 1 under armour tshirt, 1 pair quick dry pants.

Long johns!!!

Swimsuit-for healing lagoons

the bag...still missing: towel, 3 pairs of wool socks, toilet paper and duct tape......I ran out of money for my socks. :(  Now for the daypack.

and....everything that is going to fill it...still need water bottles and water shoes.  Plus I am missing 1 mitten :(  thank you mama mafia for the rain suit....it smells like you :) that will comfort me when I am crying in pain and yelling at everyone to wait up! LOL

Rain suit, World Youth Day Bandana, Wet Wipes, Batteries, Hat, Mitt, Passport, Sunscreen, Power Bar, Safety Kit, Medications, Toiletries and Oh and the camera.  Test pack is done...now I have to weigh it all!

It's a GO!

The final roadblock to my going on the Iceland Trek has been lifted.  I thought I would be overjoyed and ecstatic but that wasn’t the feeling I had, it was more like a feeling of ok, I got myself into this and there is no turning back now…I guess my biggest fear is that I am  not going to be able to keep up.  Partly because everyone at the Ontario training team meet was so fit and skinny! Then there is me, round and well, not as fit as they are.  Even though I have traveled overseas before and completed 20km days walking through the cities of Madrid, Koln, Bonn, Brussels and London often in heat that would kill you....….well it’s different.  I’ve never doubted myself or my abilities as much as I have now.  I knew I could raise the money and somewhere in the back of my brain I know I could complete the trek.  What I can’t really count on 100% is my body holding up.  I’ve been ill so much lately and it’s not just the arthritis.  I guess this is where they would say mind over matter.  I have to make up my mind and just do it.

Today I saw my Rheumatologist, at my last appointment I had 11 out of 18 joints in full flare up.  Today I had two (hip hip hooray!) but the two joints are in my feet, specifically the 2^nd and 3^rd toe joints thus the injections.  I have been given strict orders to stay off my feet for 24hrs absolutely NO walking but I had to do some so I very carefully walked on my heel and when standing stood like a flamingo, plus I sat as often as I could.  I HAD to walk, because I still had to purchase gear for the trek. 

My daughter and I drove to Barrie and went to Mountain Equipment Co op (MEC) where I was able to purchase my hiking boots, daypack, shirt and pants and pillow (a real necessity if you ask me) all for a measly $486.00…(remember everything is supposed to last a life time J ) Truthfully, I almost fainted at the price of everything…especially the $140.00 dollar jacket that is supposed to be wind proof….I think that one is going back, even though the colour is fabulous and it fits like a dream.  At Sport Chek I was able to get a pair of under armour shorts, no luck on the sports bra’s….Kat says go commando.  I am still waffling on getting the North Face duffle/backpack at Romakos.  It’s got a 42L capacity is water proof and in my favourite colour of late-neon green.  The downside…its $99.00 plus tax but…it supposed to last a lifetime right?  If I buy it I will pass it on to my granddaughter Zaagaasge, who seems to be a real risk taker and may have inherited my adventurous spirit  J I still haven’t decided but I did buy a beautiful puma duffle bag in baby blue…which I think will clash with my neon green daypack….Kat say think practicality not fashionality…teehee, I just want to match a little bit!

Ok so you all remember the list I posted before, here it is again this time the bolded words are the items I have…um two days before takeoff and I still don’t have everything.  This list has two purposes; one to show you how little I am taking and two to show me how far behind I am on packing J 72hrs till take off! 

• Hiking boots
• Underware 
• Wicking T-shirt
• Long sleeved shirt
• Long Johns
• Light wool sweater or fleece-
• Trousers -have to get these hemmed.  Mom??????
• Rain jacket with hood Thanks MOM!!
• Rain Pants Thanks MOM!
• Mittens
• Hat or Balaclava
• Daypack
• Sleeping Mat
• Sleeping Bag
• Towel
• Toothbrush/paste
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• 2 pairs of neoprene socks
• Liner Gloves
• Socks-
• Rivercrossing shoes
• Travel sack-
• Water bottle-two collapsable water bottles-may get another one...hmmmm.
• Sun/rain -I gots my Tilly!
• Camera-need batteries and memory cards have to remember to pick up

So according to the list I am not doing bad...maybe.  Stay tuned and watch me pack tomorrow!

The Time Draws Near

With all the drama of the missing money and missing forms plus my health issues there has been a real question as to whether I am going to make the Iceland Trek or not.  Well, the missing money was found.  The mystery of why the JIM Manager was not responding to my emails was all cleared up. **note-she was not on vacation or away ill....for some strange reason some of my messages were sent to her junk mailbox.  I think there is a lesson in this, always check your junk box and if your emails aren't being recieved call them. :) and instead of tracking down the forms I just called and left my credit card info.  So now it looks like all the barriers have been cleared.  With the exception of my medical clearance...which even though its been a rough couple of months I am still on the clear for take off list.  Final decision is Wednesday.

I was at a loss as to why some trekkers had already had their bags packed and I had yet to recieve my packing list...turns out it was in a newsletter I did not recieve but Jeff our fearless trek leader was quick to respond to my paniced call.

The packing list:

Hiking boot- I'm going to wear these on the plane cause if my luggage gets lost at least I have my boots!
Long sleeved shirt-thermal underware (hmmm thought it was supposed to be nice there)
Long Johns-again....getting scared its gonna be a cold one out there.
Light wool sweater or fleece-the fleece I have.
Trousers (2nd layer---I was going to bring my clam diggers, guess thats out of the question!!) Strong, light material that dries quickly, wind resistant and water repellent---do they make these kinds of pants in my size???
Rain jacket with hood-ummm, how many pound is this gonna be? Will a garbage bag do? LOL
Rain Pants-arrrg do they not realize I am not a small petite qwe?
Liner Gloves-umm getting worried again.
Mittens-really worried
Socks-got these-need one more pair- BUT 3 pair for 8 days????
Hat or Balaclava-guess its gonna be cold out there!

Other Gear

Day pack-to carry rain gear and food. 30-50 litres-approximate cost $129.00CA
Rivercrossing shoes- while I was away meeting the team a dog ran off with one of the shoes I was drying off.
Sleeping mattress-got it, cost $95.00 gonna last the rest of my life apparently.
Sleeping Bag-got it, cost $189.00 its down and it better be damn warm another thing that is going to last me the rest of my life..or so they say.
Travel sack-which is not a suitcase but a waterproof duffle bag that is less than 18kg when filled. $99 plus tax-still have to buy this (insert sheepish grin)
Towel-am not purchasing a teenie tiny towel for 40 dollars, just taking one of my old, old, old beach towels that is light but still absorbant and dries quickly.
Toothbrush-I remember buying these chewable toothbrush balls in the UK-I wonder where those are.
Sunglasses-got em.
sun protection-got it-thank you Lawerence/Marie Memorial Golf tournament
Water bottle-two collapsable water bottles-may get another one...hmmmm.

Other Optional Gear

Walking poles-nope not gonna get or take these-my wrists won't allow it.
Neoprene Socks-got em have to keep my feet and ankles warm or I am done for.
Gaiters-needed for snow-God Please don't let it snow while I am on the trek...Thank you.
Pen knife-no knives for me...I am sure someone will have one :) I'll just make friends and borrow.
Sun/rain hat or Cap-I gots my Tilly!
Camera-need batteries and memory cards have to remember to pick up

Hmmm, notice there is no soap, shampoo, toilet paper, wet wipes, personal medications (which will end up costing me about 2lbs!) and no mention of underware? What kind of trek is this? Oh yes....showers at base camp cost $5 US...when we were in Germany, we went three days without a shower...wet wipes were our friends...ok gross I know.

Keep looking back as I prepare and pack for this wonderful adventure!  I will also be carrying with me a beautiful notebook which I recieved from my daughter on mothers day.  I will be blogging up to the 15th of July after that I will not have access to the internet as I will be out in the wilderness of Iceland.  I will journal each morning before the day's trek and again each night before I go to sleep reflecting on the days activities.  When I return to the hotel on the 21st I will begin to transcribe my journal into this blog with the pictures I took along the way.

Clara

I'm back, again :)

Everytime I hear those words "I'm back", somewhere in the back of my brain I remember hearing those words...ominously. LOL, 

Well I have had a real roller coaster of a ride since I last posted (way back in March)  I have held several fundraisers and they were quite good but not good enough.  I am $2169.00 short of my 75% goal of $6000.00.  To continue my journey of raising dollars for the Arthritis Society I am having to personally pay the shortfall.  My goal is $8000.00 so I still have an additional $2000.00 to raise to reach my ultimate goal.  I will continue to work diligently toward raising the funds and hopefully it won't be necessary for me to pay the additional $2000.00

I don't put much stock in rumours but individuals in my community have been talking, and wondering about the money I raise.  Some have come right out and asked me if the money I raise is going into my pocket.  (I thank those individuals for being honest and truthful about their questions)  My response is this: I am raising funds for the Arthritis Society, I am a registered participant with the Joints In Motion Ontario Division, just like individuals who get sponsors for skate a thons, walk a thons or bike a thons, I am fundraising and accepting sponsorships but instead of doing a 20km walk or a 30km bike ride I am trekking for 6 days for a total of approximately 120kms.  Every cent I have raised goes to the Arthritis Society and if you wish to see what I have raised you can visit my fundraising page at http://arthritis.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2152&mid=9&pid=762930

Another question I am asked is why would I want to raise funds for the Arthritis Society, is it all about the "Free Trip"?  I guess people don't understand the enormous amount of time and personal contributions I have dedicated to my "cause"  I chose to raise funds for the arthritis society because it is a non profit group that works to find the cure for arthritis, offers programs to control arthritis and supports people who suffer from it.  

The TREK to ICELAND is not a free trip, not only am I dedicating all my time and energy to it but I am also training for it.  Training is not easy when I am in a flare up.  If you've read my earlier blogs you will know I live with pain on a daily basis the only thing that changes about the pain is the degree to which it appears.  My last appointment with the specialist showed 11/18 joints were active meaning I am in a flare up.  Training with swollen joints that aren't flexible is difficult add the pain and even I question why I have chosen to do this.

I chose to do this, to prove to myself that having arthritis does not mean the end, that I can still my life to the fullest, that some way, somehow maybe the funds I raise will be the dollars that find the cure to ensure me and millions like me will wake up each morning for the rest of our lives pain free with no symptoms, that we'll be able to sleep through the night and never have to worry about a sleepless night due to arthrits again.

I'm back!

So much has happened since my last post.  I guess having a blog means making time to blog!  There's a joke in my family about Art, mom, dad or I will greet each other and ask how Art is doing or if he has been around lately.  If you haven't guessed who Art is.....its Arthritis.  Both my parents suffer from one form or another and lately I've come to see some signs in my 17 year old daughter.  I hope I am wrong.

February and March passed with varying levels of pain, trying different methods of pain control without the use of medications.  On my reserve Arthritis suffers have been targets in the past for break and enters.  Young people looking for a quick high think Arthritis suffers will have narcotics or medications that will give them that feeling they are seeking.  There is also an Island wide medical professional agreement to limit the amount of narcotics prescribed to the individuals, unfortunately this has made it difficult for chronic pain suffers to find quick relief from pain.  I don't condone the use of narcotics but at the same time I know how great the need is to be pain free especially when it hurts to wear clothing or having anything touch your joints.

Training for my trip to Iceland begin March Break approximatley 7 weeks ago  below is my training schedule for the entire 16 weeks.

Week Sunday Monday Tuesday Thursday Saturday

1 4 km walk 4 flights 4 km walk 5 km walk 6 flights

2 6 km walk 5 flights 4 km walk 5 km walk 7 flights

3 8 km walk 6 flights 5 km walk 5 km walk 8 flights

4 3km walk extra day off 3 km walk 3 km walk 3 flights

5 9 km walk 7 flights 4 km walk 4 km walk 10 flights

6 10 km walk 8 flights 5 km walk 5 km walk 12 flights

7 11 km walk 9 flights 6 km walk 6 km walk 14 flights

8 4 km walk extra day off 3 km walk 3 km walk 6 flights

9 12 km walk 10 flights 5 km walk 5 km walk 17 flights

10 13 km walk 11 flights 6 km walk 6 km walk 20 flights

11 14 km walk 12 flights 7 km walk 7 km walk 24 flights

12 5 km walk extra day off 4 km walk 4 km walk 10 flights

13 15 km walk 13 flights 12 km walk 6 km walk 27 flights

14 16 km walk 15 flights 13 km walk 7 km walk 30 flights

15 18 km walk 17 flights 14 km walk 8 km walk 33 flights

16 20 km walk extra day off 5 km walk Travel Day Iceland

wave if you see me!

Beginner Schedule

I have moved!

The other night after the wonderful story in the Manitoulin Expositor, my daughter Kat took a look at my blog and said "Mom, you gotta move to tumbr.  You'll get a lot more hits there."  So here is the address.  Thank you to Kat for setting it up for me and making it look so beautiful!

http://adventurousorange.tumblr.com/

See you on tumblr!

Claras Joints In Motion Auction Page

Well the FB auction page is up and I have a few pictures posted.  I continue to seek donations from various businesses and individuals in and around the community.  Please visit my page and share it with all your friends. 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Claras-Joints-In-Motion-Auction-Page/372759099419475

I've got one wonderful lady who has offered to help me with my fundraising and has given me some fantastic suggestions.  I look forward to implementing them in the future and meeting my goal. 

I have purchased my envelopes and 100 stamps.  I've made 100 copies of my donation request form and my letter.  Its amazing, when I sat down and really had time to think I I realized I do know 100 people who I can ask.  I will be stuffing the envelopes tomorrow and hand deliver as I see the people.  So far this fundraiser has cost me nearly 100 dollars, for printing, envelopes and stamps.  I hope it works.

Please share this blog with your friends, the more people who know about my fundraising efforts the better.  Please help me help the the Arthritis Society assist the millions of people who suffer from this disease.

My own RA has been moderate, the flare up stopped  after 9 days and I am back to my usual routine.  I'm able to walk and even wore high heeled boots for a day. :)

Clara

JIM Fundraising.....the PLAN!

Hi All!

I feel a bit abash at the fact I have not posted in a while.  Life as it does sometimes gets in the way of the best laid plans.  I am thankful for Sarah from JIM Ontario for giving me the nudge by inviting me to the fundraising conference call.  I met others who are currently fundraising for their individual events.  They shared what they have done to raise their funds and offered some excellent suggestions as well.

Being in a relatively remote location compared to those who live in the larger cities such as Toronto, Markham or Pembroke; Manitoulin offers it own different challenges.  Number 1 I don't have a large number of "people" who I ask for $100 donations.  Number 2 My "company" or workplace does not offer a fundraising matching policy. 

One great suggestion was to have a Facebook Auction.  I am working out the details but to put it simply I would have an array of items. I would create a FB page and load images.  I would post the rules of the auction and set a date for the auction to be held.  I am thinking about March 31.  I will open bidding at 6 am and close bidding at 12 midnight.  The successful bidder will be that last one at midnight on the 31st.  I will then contact the winner and we will work out the details for payment and delivery.  I've already got some pretty good prizes and am continuing to make requests for donations.  I will have the pictures loaded for viewing two weeks prior to the auction.  I've just decided the 31st will be the date.  Keep an eye out and once the page is up please share with your friends.  The more I have bidding the better this fundraiser will go.

I am having another pie sale this coming Thursday February 23th.  I will have available 10 apple pies, 11 Lemon Meringue, 10 Banana Cream, 10 Coconut Cream, 3 Raisin, 3 Cherry, 3 Mixed Berry $10 each.  Pick up between 3 and 6pm.  Pre-Orders accepted.

I am continuing to work on my fundraising page.  All the funds I have raised thus far do not show up yet but they will.  If you wish to make an online donation please go to my web page at http://arthritis.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2152&mid=9&pid=762930  You will receive a charitable donation receipt for anything over $15.00.

With your help and the help of others I will be able to meet my fundraising goal!!


Miigwetch.

Coin Boxes and Pies

I am afraid the coin boxes are a bust, I dropped by Richie's Supply today to fuel up and the box was there right where the public could see it but without someone pushing it I think the coin boxes are a bust.  I have to rethink my strategy.

On another note my son and I were discussing the pie sales, it got to the point were we figured out how many pies it would take for me to reach the $8000.00 dollar mark.  I think I previously stated I have $510.00 raised thus far, if I were to bake and sell 749 pies then I will have reached my goal....can I do that ? Can I really bake 749 pies and sell them by the deadline?

It takes me nearly 1/2 a day to bake 30 pies but I am never sure I will sell them all.  Perhaps I will make 50 pies every two weeks that would be 100 pies a month.  Is that even doable?  Help me out here folks, give me some ideas on how I can fund raise to reach my goal.

Its late and my brain is burnt from trying to figure this one out. :)

You all have a great night!

Fundraising Updates

So I delivered the coin boxes last Wednesday.  I am not sure what my expectation was but seriously I was not expecting the surprise I got today.  I had to deposit some cheques and saw the coin boxes by the tellers wickets.  The coin boxes sat there EMPTY!! Not even a penny!  I was shocked to say the least, the bank manager said they usually make at least $600.00 a month for other organizations.  This was just one bank so I am hoping there will at least be something in the coin boxes in Gore Bay or Ritchie's Supply.

The newspaper article is not going to well, an appointment was made to meet with the reporter but due to unforeseen circumstances we never met.  I emailed her today to give her some information along with some photo's.  I am hoping she will be able to develop a story out of that.

The donation letters have gone out, it won't be long before I hit up my doctor for a donation.  After all he is the one who is always harping about me getting more active! 

On another note, my son has started a raffle for a painting by Stan Panamick. See picture above.  He is selling tickets $2 each or 3 for $5.00.  The draw will be March 12th.  If you are interested in purchasing tickets you can contact him at jtcb09261988@gmail.com and he will get back to you.

On a positive note, I added another $50.00 to the pie sale total which brings that total to $360.00.  Making my fundraising total $510.00.  $7490.00 more to go!

Catch ya'll later!

Weigh In

Today is the day.  Today I started my training for the Iceland Trek.  Not much of a work out but more of a beginning.  I got myself weighed at the Health Centre.  184lbs.  I am not pleased with the number but at the same time I am not overly disapointed either.  I've weighed a lot more in the past and I know that I will not weigh nearly as much in the future.

Crew from Germany, not ALL of us got to ride a bus!

9 years ago I went to Germany, I was far more overweight than I am now.  For six days I carried a 37lb back pack and managed to hike in upwards of 20km a day.  PLUS I climbed 425 uneven steps up the side of a mountain in Lorelei along the Rhine River....a real huffer and puffer.  My Sister and I took it easy going down the mountain by the road way. Did I mention SHE got to RIDE the BUS up to the top of the mountain while her much older and out of shape sister had to climb the stairs?  Jump ahead 6 years to this past July where I hiked throughout the streets of Madrid, Spain for 6 days at approximately 20km per day.  My back pack wasn't nearly as heavy as Germany but it weighed enough.

Taking a break after a long, long day in Madrid!

So, I wasn't in such great shape for either Germany or Spain but I will be for this trek.  I am not really sure of the terrain I will will be trekking through but you can be assured it will not be cobble stoned streets.  There are a few hills around here as well as the bluff that I will be using for my training.  I've already marked out a 20 km route and have timed my walking speed to be nearly 4 hours for the full 20km.  Not great but doable and I can definitely improve upon it. 

I had a flare up this past week that was a real kicker, it nearly knocked me on my bottom and it took me a few days to get back on track.  Man I hate those days when the pain is unbearable and all I want to do is crawl under the covers and whimper in pain, but I am back and on the attack....watch out world, here comes Clara!

It Began

Yesterday after work I delivered coin boxes to the Bank of Montreal in Mindemoya and Gore Bay.  Nelson at Ritchie's was also kind enough to place one in his business.  I will be driving out to Little Current and ask both the BMO and TD banks to have the coin boxes in by their wickets as well.

These coin boxes will be in each of the businesses for the month of February.  I have been in contact with the local paper and am waiting to hear back about a story on my journey.  Its not only going to be a story about my efforts to fund raise but also to see if what doctors say will actually happen.  If I lose weight the symptoms of Arthritis and Diabetes will decrease.  We will see.

Letter campaign will begin today as well I am going to send out 100 letters to local businesses.  I will contact them within 7 days to see if they are willing to support my cause.

I will also make contact with our Local Radio Station 100.7 the island to do an interview so I can get my information out there, that I am fundraising for the Arthritis Society and how they can contact me.

Another pie sale will be held in two weeks hopefully we can raise another  $310.00 maybe more now that people know how delicious my pies are. :)

Wish me luck!

5,10, 30 minutes how do you measure your day?

Every appointment I have with my Rhumatologist begins with him asking, "how is the stiffness? How much time does it take for the stiffness to go away? 5, 10, 15 minutes?  I now measure my mornings as a 5 minute morning or a 20 minute morning based on how long it takes for my joints to become flexible.

I am in a full blown flare up which means every inch of my body is in pain.  My ribs, spine, shoulders, neck, elbows, wrists, hands fingers, knees ankles and toes.  The pain is so bad that I have only had 7 hours of sleep in the last three nights.  I am fuzzy brained, I can't remember the easiest things and can fall asleep sititng up for brief moments of time.  My left hand is so swollen it was usless to help with anything today.

A while back I had the bathroom taps changed into the lever kind, I no longer need to grip the tap but can merely push it with the entire hand or wrist....a simple convenience that allows me to turn on the shower without the help of m daughter.

My flareups usually last 7 days and I do try to keep moving to keep my joints flexible, but there are times where it is sooo much easier and less painful to lay in bed.  I did walk today, an abreviated  walk but I walked.

This morning was a 60 minute day, with no real relief from the stiffness or pain.
Pain Level out of 10  today is a 9.

I've taken a sleeping pill to help me get some sleep this evening.  Gonna need my wits about me tomorrow.

Goodnight and thank you for following along.

More Arthritic Adventures

By 4pm yesterday I knew I had over done it.  I didn't do any extreme physical activity like snowshoe 4km or take the boot camp activity at the local school.  What I did was not pay any attention to what my body was telling me and that was take it easy, slow down and rest.

I knew I was in trouble the Friday before when my grandson was playing in an out of town tournament.  Early mornings (5am) and late evenings (10pm) over the entire weekend contributed to my slow demise on Monday evening.  I worked a full day and had not thought about the extra class that evening nor did I plan ahead for supper so it was a rush trip to the grocery store, a mad race home whipped up a quick meal and it was time to go back to work. 

By 9pm the pain was becoming unbearable.  I couldn't sleep in my bed so I made myself comfortable on the couch, this wasn't working either so I logged into facebook and tried to other wise occupy my mind by reading what my friends were up to...this usually helps me to relax enough to go to sleep but it didn't work so I shut the computer down at 11pm and tossed and turned until 2:30am when I finally fell asleep, I woke several times through out the night with pain by the time my alarm went off it felt like I had not gotten any sleep at all.

I moved slowly as I prepared for my day (this was a 30 minute day) and took some time to post on facebook that if I were to race a turtle today the turtle would win....and it would! I wished everyone a good day because I was going to have one regardless of the pain I was feeling.  A past co-worker posted that foods may trigger these flare ups and that I should start lifting weights. I've done all the food trigger tests, and have been advised by a Rheumatologist not to lift weights because it could do more damage than good during a flare up.  This brought me to what has been on my mind alot lately of how to explain my pain to my students, a few of them think its a "getting old" symptom or it only happens to old people.  I've been trying to explain to them that RA is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system goes a little nuts and attacks the healthy tissue in the body.  When I think about a lot of people look at me and think there is nothing wrong with me  I move, I try to be active yet some still think the pain must be all in my head.  Close friends and family members know how painful RA and Fibro can be.  They've seen me cry because the pain is so intense.  They've seen me have to get needles in my ankles and toes just so I can walk.  I have this disease and I know that I need to listen to my body so that I can take preventative measures to avoid the worst pain.  Yet at the same time I am not going to stop living my life and do the things I dream of doing like the Iceland Trek.  I may be the last one in the group or I may be the first one all I know is that I have challenged myself to raise the 8 thousand dollars for arthritis research so that someday there will be a cure or a better life for those with arthritis.

Have an awesome day ya'll!

Clara

Fundraising for JIM

Since registering for the Joints in Motion Training Team I have been desperately trying to think of ways to fundraise the 8 thousand dollars I committed to raise for the Arthritis Society. 

I decided to hold a pie sale and kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes.  My students had been talking about how their grandmother's and mother's made pies but they had never learned how....always being the teacher I decided this would be a great independence learning experience for them and it would fullfill our community service for a funding application we were completing for gym memberships.

The students learned how to make pie dough, roll the dough, and flute the edges.  They learned how to make pie filling from scratch and bake it to a beautiful golden brown.  By the end of the lesson we had 31 delicious pies.

People called in reserving pies but I was still a bit worried they would not go.  Thankfully word got out and the pies all sold out.  One customer commented "are you going to do this every week?  If you are let me know and I will order again."

We sold the pies for $10 each...you do the math.  Todate I have raised $460.00  only $7540.00 to go!  If you want to keep up with the totals I will be placing my fundraising address soon.

Good night ya'll!

Arthritis Society Joints In Motion (JIM)

Keep moving

The mission of the Arthritis Society is to provide leadership and funding for research, advocacy and solutions to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by arthritis. 

The Joints in Motion Training team is designed to raise funds to find a cure for arthritis; a disease that affects over 4 million Canadians of all ages.  To date, over 5000 Joints In Motions participants have raised over $30 million in support of The Arthritis Society http://www.arthritis.ca/jim/introduction/default.asp?s=1

As I previously stated, I have RA and Fibromyalgia.  My sister also has arthritis as do my parents and other relations.  Not long ago I was put on a medicaiton that was not covered by OHIP or Indian Affairs.  I did not have health coverage through my work and the medication was quite expensive.  I paid for it 7 pills at a time because that was what I could afford but there were times when I had to skip doses just to make sure I had enough to keep going.  I've heard of others who have never filled their prescriptions because it was not covered and they didn't have the money to pay for the medication.  This was one of the reasons why I decided to join the Joints in Motion Training Team.

I will be training to participate in the Iceland Trek this July.  To participate I must raise $8000.00.  All of the money I raise goes directly to supporting Arthritis research and programs to help Canadian's living with Arthritis.

I hope you will follow along on my journey as I prepare and train for this once in a lifetime opportunity.  At some point I will have a thermometer on this blog so you can see how much I have raised to date.  As of today I have raised $150.00 only $7850.00!

Arthritic Adventures

Having arthritis is not fun!  I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) about 6 years ago.  Since then I have also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  Each of these diseases have had a significant impact on how I live my life.  I can no longer just jump out of bed and start my day.  On a good day it may take only 5 to 10 minutes to work out the stiffness in my hands and joints.  On a bad day it can take in excess of 30 minutes and I may have to ask my daughter to help me dress. (not a very good feeling at all)

Its funny, well no it isn't but there are so many things that we as human beings take for granted.  Take for instance holding a coffee cup or pop can if your fingers are swollen and sore you will need to use two hands to hold that cup or can.  Round door knobs are my enemy as are jar lids.  My students wonder why I am always sore or why I am sick, its because I am taking medication that alters my immune system and makes me susceptible to other illnesses.

The Arthritis Society has been a big help in helping understand this disease and how I can make positive changes to my life.  Last year I registered for the Joints in Motion Dublin 1/2 Marathon.  I wasn't able to make the fundraising deadline so I was able to transfrer my commitment.  I will tell you more about that in another post.  For now please take some time to read this article it will help you to understand RA and why its called one of the invisible diseases.

http://voices.yahoo.com/rheumatoid-arthritis-lupus-fibromyalgia-invisible-7492300.html