Lisa Doggett

I feel great today! I am sore and tired, but I accomplished my goal. I rode 168 miles from Houston to Austin on my bike this weekend. I raised over $5600 to fight MS. I bonded with my funny, caring, thoughtful cousin who I've barely seen in the last twenty years, and I made dozens of new friends. I shared my story on the CBS-Austin news: http://cbsaustin.com/news/local/traffic-delays-expected-as-2018-bp-ms-150-kicks-off  And I was proud to speak at the finish line. I've included my speech here. Please share your comments below:

What an exhilarating weekend! I am so proud and fortunate to have been a part of it. I didn't know if I'd ever make it through those Bastrop hills, but somehow I did and it is thrilling to be at the finish line. I want to thank the National MS Society, the Tacodeli team who took me in at the last minute, my friends who donated, my family who came out to support me and have been a critical part of my MS journey. Most of all i want to thank my cousin Bates and my new friend Cesar who drove all the way from El Paso to be my cheerleaders and companions on the awesome adventure we had this weekend.

I was diagnosed with MS 8 1/2 years ago, and I know that receiving such a diagnosis can be a scary and lonely experience. I didn't know if I'd be able to work or to parent my daughters. I certainly didn't think I'd be able to ride 168 miles from Houston to Austin on a bike! But after riding the MS 150 for the first time, I know I'm not alone and I'm not afraid any more to take on new challenges. Over ten thousand people came out with me this weekend to fight MS, to fund new research, to support people living with MS, many of whom were not able to be here riding with us. I am here, healthy enough to be able to finish this ride, because of my fellow riders and the many many riders who came out to fight MS over the years. I am so grateful to all of you.

Congratulations and thanks for making a difference in my life and the lives of so many others with MS.

When I was a kid, a favorite family activity was biking on the weekends around Town Lake (now called Lady Bird Lake).  Before I could ride my own bike, my parents would carry my sister and me in little seats on the back of their bikes.

My mom first taught me – and later both of my daughters - to ride a bike. She pulled off the training wheels, gave me a good push, and cheered me on as I wobbled and then balanced on the bike, pedaling through soft grass in case I fell. Once I could ride alone, I would follow my parents as we pulled out of our garage, rode through nearby Westenfield Park, and hit the trail that carried us to the lake.  Sometimes we would take a break on the way, stopping under a tree where my dad would pull out his newspaper and maybe some Jolly Rancher candies. (I liked cherry; he liked cinnamon.)

Over the years and decades since, my parents have continued to bike regularly, and I go with them, usually around the eastern section of the lake, a few times a year. They also ride often in Washington D.C. I'm inspired by their commitment to this fun and healthy activity.

Today it was a treat to be joined by both my mom and dad on my last training ride on the Southern Walnut Creek Trail. We talked about my kids, the week ahead, my upcoming bike ride; I don't think we even bothered to taint the morning with complaints about Trump. My dad wrote about our ride here: https://www.facebook.com/lloyddoggett/.

The bluebonnets are starting to fade, but other wild flowers are taking their place. We greeted many other cyclists, some training for the MS150 like me, and others just enjoying the cool, sunny morning. What a great celebration of Earth Day!

My family's support sustains me, and it will help me through those last tough miles next weekend to know they are waiting for me at the finish line.

I'm dizzy after my bike ride today: 40 miles on the Southern Walnut Creek Trail and around Lady Bird Lake with a little time on the road too. Dizziness is my most significant reminder of MS – it was the first major symptom I ever experienced and the annoyance that prompted me to seek out the doctor, who ordered the MRI, that led to my diagnosis.

But never mind! Today, my dizziness is overshadowed by gratitude. I am grateful for my mom, who accompanied me on my ride today (she is 71 and had a knee replacement last summer, but is unstoppable on the bike); for the cool, sunny weather (though maybe not so much for the overly exuberant breeze); for a functioning new bike; for my kids, who got themselves up and ready for the day without my help, while I completed my ride; for the support circle of people who helped cart my kids around to activities later today, giving me space to recover and write.

When I was out on the trails today, I realized that I am able to ride because of the millions of people who have trained and fundraised for this ride – and similar rides around the country – in the past. The commitment and concern of so many people over the years has enabled the discovery of medications and other treatments that now keep me, and so many others, healthy.

I remember hearing that just a couple of decades ago, the medical approach to MS was "diagnose, then adiós," meaning that after confirming a diagnosis of MS, the doctor would say good-bye because nothing else could be done. Back then, it was "5 years to a cane, 10 years to a wheelchair." But now -thanks to new medications, vitamin D, and a healthy lifestyle - 8½ years post-diagnosis, I am training to ride a bike 160 miles from Houston to Austin. Hallelujah!

I don't really know what I'm doing. I decided to ride the MS150 – the two-day, 150ish-mile bike ride from Houston to Austin - just two weeks ago. I'm a runner, not a cyclist. And I have MS.

I like a good challenge. And this ride, for which I am woefully unprepared, seems like a good challenge in part because I am woefully unprepared.

Today my attempts to get prepared backfired: I set out for a long ride with a friend on my brand-new road bike. ("You gotta have a road bike," everyone has advised. My 17-year-old rusty mountain bike wouldn't cut it).

Seven miles into the ride, while going down a small bumpy hill, the chain derailed from the chainring on my new bike. (Of course, I didn't know what the chainring was called, but this diagram helped: http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/bicycleparts.html)  I placed the chain back in its place, only to have it slip out again and again. My friend tried to help, to no avail. Finally, I realized the chainring was so loose that the chain couldn't stay on it, rendering the bike unrideable.

We walked back to my friend's house – just a mile away at that point. She lent me an extra bike, and we took a shorter ride - 15 miles or so. Then she drove me to the bike shop for my 6th or 7th visit in two weeks, where they tightened the chainring, and I rode the bike home.  

For many with MS or another chronic disease, including me sometimes, it feels like the chain slips off the chainring a lot. I just found out about another friend of a friend with MS today. We are out there, sometimes too uncomfortable or embarrassed to say anything, fearful of losing jobs, friends, opportunities. One in every 750 people.

MS can be paralyzing, literally and figuratively. But we have to learn to improvise, to change plans – to take the shorter bike ride – and to reach out for help.

Thanks for the great feedback and encouragement from everyone on my first blog post. I am feeling well-supported, indeed!

I wanted to share some thoughts now about how to strengthen your support circle, and I welcome readers to add more ideas in the comments below.

For those feeling disconnected, here are some suggestions to meet others and start to build or expand your support circle:

1)      Get involved in groups you care about: your kid's school, a place of worship, a nonprofit fighting for a good cause. This is a way to meet people with common interests and shared values.

2)      Volunteer! I recently met many of my neighbors at It's My Park Day here in Austin as we pitched in to clean up our community garden. Local newspapers, radio stations, and websites advertise upcoming volunteer events.

3)      Reconnect with long-lost friends and family: Track down those with whom you once were close but have lost touch. Reach out to more distant family members who you may not have seen in a while. Social media can help you reconnect, but a phone call or even meeting in person is better!

4)      Join a support group: This idea may seem obvious, but it can be daunting to reach out to a group of strangers to discuss a painful topic. However, support groups can be extremely beneficial. While I believe getting together face-to-face can be more healing, even online support groups and chat rooms can offer a certain level of camaraderie and advice.

5)      Take a class: Schools, colleges, art and athletic organizations offer classes for adults on a myriad of topics. Some classes are free, or scholarships may be available. I met one of my now-best friends in a mountain biking class 15 years ago, offered by the local community college. I rarely get to mountain bike these days, but I still see my friend regularly.

6)      Start a meet-up group: Pick an activity you love and invite others to join you. Find friends to exercise with you. Invite other parents to meet up for a regular playdate for your kids. Start a book club, a supper club, or a movie group.

7)      Meet your neighbors: Getting to know the people who live nearby can be fun and beneficial. Offer to pet-sit or water the plants when your neighbors are out of town. Double the recipe if you bake cookies, and take a plate next door.    

Please add more ideas below. Also, check out this wonderful post in Psychology Today about the importance of relationships for our well-being and more suggestions for building connections.

And remember, the best way to develop and maintain a strong support circle is to be part of the support circle for others. The reciprocity principle is alive and well in our culture. If you reach out to help others, they will likely be there for you when you need support.