Inspiration

Rick is the president of the Oley Foundation, which is a non-profit foundation for patients on home Parenteral, or enteral nutrition (like me), caregivers, and medical professionals. It is a wonderful organization that provides vital news and information pertaining to long term nutritional assistance.

I heard about Rick a few years ago in one of my Oley newsletters. Rick suffered a stroke about 8 years ago and lost his ability to swallow. He cannot eat or drink by mouth. He administers nutrition directly into his stomach via a tube.

Think about what is like not to taste food, or feel refreshed by a cool drink of choice on a hot day. I can’t imagine. Rick, however, does not just survive on his tube feeding, he thrives.

I was approached this past fall to design a T-shirt for a Hike-A-Thon that Rick was embarking on. This hike was to take place in the Grand Canyon. Rim-to-rim as he called it. The distance was over 23 miles! In one day! Over extremely rough terrain. The hike was a fundraiser for the Oley Foundation.

What impressed me most was that not only was Rick taking this challenge on as a patient requiring tube feeding to survive, but he also was 67 years old. I would be impressed just with the 67 year old part. Not many healthy people that age would consider taking something on like that. And what’s more, this was not the first time Rick had accomplished the rim-to-rim hike. He had completed this challenge many times before.

I look at Rick as an incredible inspiration in that; he does not let his condition stop him from enjoying life to the fullest. He is someone who leads by example. When the going gets tough while training I will follow Rick’s lead.

Carpe Diem!

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