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Posted 1/30/2014 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
www.opb.org/news/article/npr-bellingham-skier-overcomes-strength-sapping-disease-to-make-olympic-team/ Watch for this gal in the Olympics this year. Use the link at the bottom of the article to watch the documentary about her. Some of you have probably seen it before, but it's good to be reminded that you can get your life back. Living in the PNW caused her to get diagnosed well into the illness since it's not as well known here.

Keep fighting!
Posted 1/30/2014 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for sharing, my favorite line (besides the one that says February 10th she will be in remission for 2 years) is, “I’m really grateful to have the chance to share my story on a platform like the Olympics because I can reach so many more people and spread the word about Lyme awareness and touch more lives,” VanLaanen says.

God bless her!!! This is beyond hope!!!!!! I have tears in my eyes because I am so happy for her and everyone that has totally healed and been in remission. That will be me one day soon!
Posted 1/31/2014 4:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hope is what keeps us going, although frankly, being an Olympic athlete seems a bit much to hope for.

I'm going to start thinking about what my next goal is. My first goal was to live to the age of 50, and I've accomplished that much.

Maybe clearing out my house and moving. One thing I've always wanted to do is to go running. It just seems kind of freeing. I tried running down a mountain road once, and it was fun, but boy was I tired and painful afterwards !!

M
Posted 1/31/2014 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
Wow this is a great great story! So much of the story resonates to me being a young competitive athlete and having to take time off right now to get better. Some days I wonder if I will ever play soccer to the same level I did before, but this has given me hope that it is possible.

I will be rooting for her in the Olympics! (even if I am Canadian haha)

Garden Peace, thanks for the share....it will truly help me through out my healing process as her story relates so many of the same feelings I have.

LC
Posted 1/31/2014 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Don't want to ramble again about this topic but just wanted to add another thing from my previous post.

Her decline in her performance as a professional athlete and the frustration that can cause just struck me so hard. Near the end of my season my performance dipped severely. I had no reason why I was struggling so much. I had been having a great season and really taken on a lead role on the team. Needless to say I lost my starting position, and had to watch the playoffs from the bench. I think the hardest part was feeling like I had let down my teammates, but I had no way to make it better. Looking back this was likely around the time I contracted the disease.

Just felt I had to get it off my chest because I haven't told anyone from my team, not the coaches or athletic trainer. Only the friends I have from the team outside of soccer.

Thanks and sorry for rambling!

LC
Posted 1/31/2014 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
LC, ramble all you want! I'm glad you talked about your experience. It would be hard to accept when you're an athlete and have to give up. Bookmark the video so you can watch it when you get discouraged.

It looked pretty scary when she started losing track of where she was when doing the jumps. She just fell out of the sky and was lucky she wasn't badly injured.

It would be fun to be there to support her.
Posted 1/31/2014 11:51 AM (GMT 0)
I love Angeli! She is a great role model.
Posted 1/31/2014 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Lyme Contractor, if you don't share here, in this safe place, others won't be able to benefit from your experience.....and you don't ramble - you should see the size of my posts when I start to ramble!! shocked

Although I wasn't an athlete per se, I was a horse trainer, and had that same decline happen to me - it's scary and frustrating beyond belief!! I'm glad that you 'got it out' now!!
Posted 2/2/2014 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
Garden Peace, bluebyyou, Traveler:

Thanks for the responses and support! Definitely won't be the last time I watch that video. Thanks again.

LC
Posted 2/11/2014 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
/www.facebook.com/angeli.vanlaanen You can follow her Olympic journey if interested. She's supposed to have her turn on the 20th. Enjoy!
Posted 2/12/2014 7:09 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for posting this....great story. I hope she medals and gets a chance to bring Lyme to the forefront. I wish these reporters would learn to really research the facts (see the comments at the bottom). I wish her the best and it is great to see even after 14 years one can recover and get life back.
Posted 2/12/2014 7:22 AM (GMT 0)
Just noticed there is an audio interview of the skier and a doctor at the top of this article.
Posted 2/12/2014 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
You're welcome! Hope is a good thing with this infection!
Posted 2/12/2014 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
I too listened to the audio a couple of times and plan on watching the documentary. Lyme Contractor...I too am an athlete. I ran marathons and was about to start training for another when my body fell apart. I also African danced, performed spoken word and I'm a Mom to a toddler. I know deep in my heart I will get back to the trail, dance floor and the stage. But this young lady truly gave me hope! We will get there!!!! And when we do we will pay it forward and come back to the Healing Well with our stories of hope and inspiration!

Peace and blessings.
Posted 2/12/2014 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for posting this. A little reassurance goes a long way.
Posted 2/13/2014 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
TheWryter:

Sounds like a really active lifestyle! I never ran any marathons, but ran long distance. It was sooo good to see that she was able to return back to being an elite athlete after Lyme. I kept thinking to myself if it was possible for me to return to sport, and this just proves it is! And we will return and be even better than before!

How are your joints? Mine have some pain, but cracking, popping and slipping are my major issues. My ligaments are almost hyper mobile, snapping overtop of the bones when moved. This is a concern for me as I don't want to go out and tear a major ligament when I return to sport. Any experience or thoughts on this? Are you using antibiotics or herbals?

Thanks!

LC
Posted 2/13/2014 6:56 AM (GMT 0)
I just cant wait to see her on the 20th! I hope she does well. I hope our news channel will mention her and tell about her Lyme infection that took her away from her sport for a while. I wrote the station and suggested it, but we'll see if they do anything.
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