Oh the Olympics.
Growing up, I remember watching swim meets, gymnastic competitions and figure skating routines with my Mom. But, if I’m honest, I can’t say I was ever fully into the Olympics. They were entertaining for the moment, but they came and went and were just a small blip on my radar.
That is until London 2012.
I found myself on short-term disability leave and had the time to sit and watch the games for hours on end.
That summer, my high school aged brother and I watched a lot of the Olympics together. I remember laying on the love seat, with my stim machine on my leg, while G laid on the couch.
We watched Michael Phelps win gold medals, Usain Bolt run like lightning, the Fab Five tear it up . . . and I mean, who can forget the Spice Girls reunion? (Obviously I cannot.)
I remember loving the Olympics and being bummed that I probably wouldn’t have time to watch so much of them in the future.
At that time, I still had hope that I’d be back to work in a relatively short time period. The whole psoriatic arthritis, aka chronic illness, thing hadn’t truly come to light yet.
2 short years later, I found myself watching the opening of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. By then, I had officially switched over to long-term disability and I still had the time to watch them! It was bitter-sweet.
As I sat watching the 2016 Rio Olympic Opening Ceremonies a few weeks back, I was flooded with memories and emotions.
Highs and lows from the past 4 years, lots of pain, lots of fatigue, lots of medications, lots of treatments. . . lots of stuff.
But I’ll tell you this, the past 4 years have completely changed me.
They’ve changed my daily routine and life norms, they’ve changed the people and things around me and they’ve changed my outlook on life. You could even argue that perhaps they haven’t changed me, but pushed me to be the person I was meant to be.
The past 4 years have given me never-ending obstacles and challenges to face, but they’ve also brought opportunities and chances of a life time.
When I think about how this journey all started 4 years ago – surgeries, pain and the Olympics come to mind.
So how crazy is it that 4 years later, I had the chance to talk with Dara Torres, five time Olympian and 12-time Olympic medalist, about her psoriatic disease?
I mean, you can’t even make this stuff up people? You just can’t.
Show More Of You
Fresh off of her trip from Rio, Dara took some time to chat about her psoriasis and the Show More Of You Campaign.
SHOW MORE OF YOU aims to inspire people living with psoriasis to raise awareness about their condition and celebrate their accomplishments. Celgene, the makers of Otezla (apremilast), has teamed up with Olympic swimmer and author Dara Torres to dive in and help. Join us in celebrating the accomplishments people living with psoriasis achieve every day, and share how you show more of you.
Take a few moments and watch this interview I had the chance to conduct with Dara Torres and Dermatologist Dr. Cather about Celgene’s Show More Of You Campaign.
I invite you to head over to Show More Of You, check it out (let’s be honest, you at least have to go look at my pictures I submitted) and then submit your own pictures!
As the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics come to a close today, I can add even more {positive!} memories to my Summer Olympics collection.
August is Psoriasis Awareness Month, but awareness for psoriatic disease doesn’t have to just occur now.
Let’s continue to spread awareness, and MOST IMPORTANTLY our stories, all year long.
Wishing You A Pain Free Day!
