Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Lincoln Half 2014
Well, I pulled it off! I have to admit, I was way under trained this year. I definitely didn't log the miles I should have and hurt my ankle on my last long run prior to the race.
I was super nervous I would not be able to do it but taking a few days off, ice, and some KT tape did the trick.
I was hoping for a few minutes less on my time but beggars can't choosy, right!?
I raised $330 for Research Down Syndrome! Thanks to everyone who donated to this great cause!
The whole fam went down to Lincoln the night before the race and went to the Natural History Museum on Nebraska's campus and out to eat at the Haymarket. All was well until the hotel sleeping. Clay didn't let anyone get much sleep but we all had fun nonetheless!
This was Clay on the way home from Lincoln. I hear ya, dude!
Happy Mother's Day
I am so lucky to get to call this amazing woman my mom! I don't know what I would do without her. She has taught me so much and I still have so much to learn from her.
She is my biggest cheerleader in life and my best friend.
I love you, mom!
I had such a great day with my littles and my partner in crime. Luke made me breakfast this morning and went and got me a "fancy coffee" from Scooter's. That is always a great way to start the day!
It rained this morning but we didn't let that stop our fun!
The Safari Park in Ashland has become our Mother's Day tradition so we were glad when the rain cleared up! This year we "hiked" the nature trail around the wolf area. The kids were pretty excited about their first hiking experience!
....AND we ended the night hanging out in the basement bathroom with the iPad because the tornado sirens were going off!
Clay decided Wyatt's lap was the safest spot. So stinkin' cute!
Best Mother's Day EVER!
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Running for Research Down Syndrome
I have created a fundraising page for the Lincoln Half Marathon I will be running on May 4th.
Research Down Syndrome has a great program called RDS Runners whose miles help raise funds for Down syndrome research.
I love their slogan, "Let's Race for the Extraordinary!"
http://www.crowdrise.com/leahsrun/fundraiser/leahjanke
Research Down Syndrome has a great program called RDS Runners whose miles help raise funds for Down syndrome research.
I love their slogan, "Let's Race for the Extraordinary!"
http://www.crowdrise.com/leahsrun/fundraiser/leahjanke
(Pics from the June 2013 Buddy Run)
Research Down Syndrome
I recently had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Patricia White from Research Down Syndrome present to our local Down syndrome group. I was seriously blown away! So much information! Thank goodness my mom was still up at 10PM, on my drive home, because I was so excited to share everything I had just learned!
Let me try to sum up some of the main things I learned-
1. The reason people with Down syndrome are at a greater risk for childhood Leukemia and early onset Alzheimer's disease? The precursor gene for these are found on the 21st chromosome. People with Down syndrome have 3 copies of their 21st chromosome, therefore increasing their likelihood.
2. People with Down syndrome have LESS (possibly zero) risk of developing breast cancer and colon cancer. Why? This has yet to be discovered but is something that researchers are very interested in, specifically those researching for cures for breast cancer and colon cancer.
3. In a trial including people with Down syndrome and mice engineered to mirror people with Down syndrome, every single test subject had sleep apnea. Although not all subjects showed the obvious signs, when their brain patterns where studied during the trial they ALL had sleep apnea. The correlation between untreated sleep apnea and cognitive ability is yet to be determined but we all know how important sleep is to the way our bodies and brains function.
4. Dr. White explained one of the main "malfunctions" in the way cognitive learning is affected in people with Down syndrome. Think of our brain as a long hallway with a series of doors that must open and close with precise accuracy in order for a message to get through. This accuracy of opening and closing doors malfunctions in people with Down syndrome. The doors do open and they do close but not in the timely manner they should, so not all information is processed by the brain.
5. Research Down syndrome has created a drug that regulates the way these doors open and close and puts them on the "correct" timing pattern.
6. This drug was first tested on mice who genetically resemble those with Down syndrome. The results remarkable. The mice who were unable to get through mazes prior to taking the medication, were then able to navigate their way through. Several of the mice had unsuccessfully nested with the materials provided prior to taking the medication and successfully nested after taking the medication. CRA-ZEE!
7. The drug is now being tested on individuals with Down syndrome in several drug trials around the world.
8. There are 3 phases of a drug trial before it reaches FDA approval and this drug is currently in phase 2.
9. The FDA can take YEARS and YEARS to approve a new drug but Dr. White is hopeful that this drug *might* have a speedier process because it is the first drug to improve cognition in people with Down syndrome. First drugs often get approved more quickly because of "imminent need".
I was SOOO blown away by all this information. It makes me so hopeful for what is in store for Clay's future! If there is a way to make his learning easier, improve his self help skills, and broaden the possibilities for his future in the work force and living independently - that is a no brainer to me! ...and obviously, one day Clay will be able to make this decision for himself.
Let me try to sum up some of the main things I learned-
1. The reason people with Down syndrome are at a greater risk for childhood Leukemia and early onset Alzheimer's disease? The precursor gene for these are found on the 21st chromosome. People with Down syndrome have 3 copies of their 21st chromosome, therefore increasing their likelihood.
2. People with Down syndrome have LESS (possibly zero) risk of developing breast cancer and colon cancer. Why? This has yet to be discovered but is something that researchers are very interested in, specifically those researching for cures for breast cancer and colon cancer.
3. In a trial including people with Down syndrome and mice engineered to mirror people with Down syndrome, every single test subject had sleep apnea. Although not all subjects showed the obvious signs, when their brain patterns where studied during the trial they ALL had sleep apnea. The correlation between untreated sleep apnea and cognitive ability is yet to be determined but we all know how important sleep is to the way our bodies and brains function.
4. Dr. White explained one of the main "malfunctions" in the way cognitive learning is affected in people with Down syndrome. Think of our brain as a long hallway with a series of doors that must open and close with precise accuracy in order for a message to get through. This accuracy of opening and closing doors malfunctions in people with Down syndrome. The doors do open and they do close but not in the timely manner they should, so not all information is processed by the brain.
5. Research Down syndrome has created a drug that regulates the way these doors open and close and puts them on the "correct" timing pattern.
6. This drug was first tested on mice who genetically resemble those with Down syndrome. The results remarkable. The mice who were unable to get through mazes prior to taking the medication, were then able to navigate their way through. Several of the mice had unsuccessfully nested with the materials provided prior to taking the medication and successfully nested after taking the medication. CRA-ZEE!
7. The drug is now being tested on individuals with Down syndrome in several drug trials around the world.
8. There are 3 phases of a drug trial before it reaches FDA approval and this drug is currently in phase 2.
9. The FDA can take YEARS and YEARS to approve a new drug but Dr. White is hopeful that this drug *might* have a speedier process because it is the first drug to improve cognition in people with Down syndrome. First drugs often get approved more quickly because of "imminent need".
I was SOOO blown away by all this information. It makes me so hopeful for what is in store for Clay's future! If there is a way to make his learning easier, improve his self help skills, and broaden the possibilities for his future in the work force and living independently - that is a no brainer to me! ...and obviously, one day Clay will be able to make this decision for himself.
DC West Soccer
Wyatt is playing soccer this spring through DC West, our local school district. So far, he is loving it! The games are played right near the school, which is about 5 minutes from our house. Awesome! Nothing is 5 minutes from our house.
Several kids from Wyatt's preschool class are playing this year so Wyatt has been a lot less shy and more aggressive than he has been in past years when playing through the YMCA.
Go Wyatt!
Aunt Molly and Uncle Pat were in town to cheer Wyatt on for his first game!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Clay's First Haircut!
Thanks to the iPad, Hazel's help, and M&M's - Clay survived his first haircut!
I should have taken before pics.
There use to be a ringlets, that *slightly* resembled a mullet back there!
Working on the Walking Thing!
About a month ago, while we were playing outside, Clay stood up on his own for the first time. This is HUGE people! Clay has been pulling up on furniture (or pretty much anything he can find) to stand and cruising along things since last summer but has never stood on his own. I cried. Seriously. He works so hard and to see him be so proud is something I could never explain in words.
So fast forward to now (a month later), Clay is standing on his own AND taking steps!!!! Look out world, Clay is on the move!
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