"and at night they were to dance in the open air, on the upper deck, in the midst of a ballroom that stretched from horizon to horizon, and was domed by the bending heavens and lighted by no meaner lamps than the stars and the magnificent moon—dance, and promenade, and smoke, and sing, and make love, and search the skies for constellations that never associate with the "Big Dipper" they were so tired of"
Mark Twain--The Innocents Abroad
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tenn-Tom around Columbus offers opportunity for paddlers with a bent for exploration.
BY: B. Keith Plunkett
November 22, 2010--The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway is a 234-mile artificial waterway that provides a connecting link between the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers. The waterway begins at Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River, then flows southward through northeast Mississippi and west Alabama, finally connecting with the established Warrior-Tombigbee navigation system at Demopolis, Alabama.
After 12 years of construction, the waterway and its seventeen public ports and terminals opened to commercial traffic in January 1985. In addition to the original 110,000 acres of land acquired for the construction and operation of the project, another 88,000 acres have been purchased and managed by the two state conservation agencies for wildlife habitat preservation and mixed use including hunting and parks.
Sharon and I, along with fellow paddler Dawn Henderson, used one of these parks, DeWayne Hayes Recreation Area, as our base of operation to explore the waters north of Columbus Lake. DeWayne Hayes is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and is very well maintained and heavily used, especially when there is a big SEC game happening just up the road in Starkville. Despite the numbers we were able to claim a very quiet location in the primitive camping area.
We set up camp Saturday afternoon and, as luck would have it, our site was immediately adjacent to a two-foot shelf where Stinson Creek met the Tenn-Tom and was protected by a small group of cypress stumps. We were easily able to get in and out of our kayaks without worry about falling out into deep water. This private access area also gave me an opportunity to play around in the water with my sidekick Monk. Monk is my seven-year old yellow lab. I miss not having him with me on kayak-camping paddling trips. But there isn't enough room in my 14-foot Wilderness Tsunami. These trips that allow me to set up a base camp means Monk gets to come along.
Stinson Creek enters the Tenn-Tom just north of the park. The creek and the waterway are defined by the wide open areas between the tree-lined banks, but the flooded swamps in between offer some interesting sites to explore, as does the Cypress Swamp to the south of the camp that flows under and around Highway 50. We took a sunset paddle north on Stinson, paddling in and out of several swamps before hitting the big creek, turning on to the Tenn-Tom and heading south.
An evening of vittles made possible by my ever-increasing campfire cooking capabilities left us all rubbing our bellies and yawning. The encore came the next morning as I pounded out another stellar meal (if I must say so myself) accompanied by campfire coffee. Funny how it always taste better around a campfire, huh?
We then hopped in the kayaks and headed south towards the entrance to Cypress Swamp. As clearly indicated by the map of our route, we explored a great deal. The water was suprisingly clear, and the water hyacinths and grasses taking root on top of them were extremely thick in some areas.
There is something both comforting and haunting about paddling around in a swamp. Maybe because, due to the stumps and floating plants, it's impossible to get into a hurry. You have no choice but to take your time. But, there is something hauntingly familiar about it, too. With the exception of the occasional distant sounds of vehicles crossing the Highway 50 bridge in the distance, there was an eery quiet. Every so often, a suprised Blue Heron would startle ahead of me and begin a clumsy attempt at takeoff, all legs and neck and squawk. But, other than the sometimes yapping of the prehistoric looking birds, it was just the sounds of the paddles and the water.
We headed out of Cypress Swamp heading south on the Tenn-Tom for about a half mile. I noticed several other inlets on the west side of the waterway worthy of exploration. But, by this time the clock was telling me not to forget I had an appointment this evening back in Madison. I did my best to get the heart pumping on the paddle back, running off and leaving my companions to themselves. I was hoping to get in the excercise I would miss out on by not paddling the 25 to 30 mile days my body has become accustomed to. I may not have added as many miles in the 10-mile trek as I normally do, but I certainly got something out of the trip.
I hope to one day paddle the entire length of the Tenn-Tom. It's worthy of a longer closer look.
November 22, 2010--The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway is a 234-mile artificial waterway that provides a connecting link between the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers. The waterway begins at Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River, then flows southward through northeast Mississippi and west Alabama, finally connecting with the established Warrior-Tombigbee navigation system at Demopolis, Alabama.
After 12 years of construction, the waterway and its seventeen public ports and terminals opened to commercial traffic in January 1985. In addition to the original 110,000 acres of land acquired for the construction and operation of the project, another 88,000 acres have been purchased and managed by the two state conservation agencies for wildlife habitat preservation and mixed use including hunting and parks.
Sharon and I, along with fellow paddler Dawn Henderson, used one of these parks, DeWayne Hayes Recreation Area, as our base of operation to explore the waters north of Columbus Lake. DeWayne Hayes is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and is very well maintained and heavily used, especially when there is a big SEC game happening just up the road in Starkville. Despite the numbers we were able to claim a very quiet location in the primitive camping area.
 |
| Monk waits patiently for his opportunity to play in the Tenn-Tom Waterway. |
Stinson Creek enters the Tenn-Tom just north of the park. The creek and the waterway are defined by the wide open areas between the tree-lined banks, but the flooded swamps in between offer some interesting sites to explore, as does the Cypress Swamp to the south of the camp that flows under and around Highway 50. We took a sunset paddle north on Stinson, paddling in and out of several swamps before hitting the big creek, turning on to the Tenn-Tom and heading south.
 |
| Dawn took this picture at the end of the first excursion. The picture is looking back up Stinson Creek as the full moon was rising in the distance. |
We then hopped in the kayaks and headed south towards the entrance to Cypress Swamp. As clearly indicated by the map of our route, we explored a great deal. The water was suprisingly clear, and the water hyacinths and grasses taking root on top of them were extremely thick in some areas.
There is something both comforting and haunting about paddling around in a swamp. Maybe because, due to the stumps and floating plants, it's impossible to get into a hurry. You have no choice but to take your time. But, there is something hauntingly familiar about it, too. With the exception of the occasional distant sounds of vehicles crossing the Highway 50 bridge in the distance, there was an eery quiet. Every so often, a suprised Blue Heron would startle ahead of me and begin a clumsy attempt at takeoff, all legs and neck and squawk. But, other than the sometimes yapping of the prehistoric looking birds, it was just the sounds of the paddles and the water.
We headed out of Cypress Swamp heading south on the Tenn-Tom for about a half mile. I noticed several other inlets on the west side of the waterway worthy of exploration. But, by this time the clock was telling me not to forget I had an appointment this evening back in Madison. I did my best to get the heart pumping on the paddle back, running off and leaving my companions to themselves. I was hoping to get in the excercise I would miss out on by not paddling the 25 to 30 mile days my body has become accustomed to. I may not have added as many miles in the 10-mile trek as I normally do, but I certainly got something out of the trip.
I hope to one day paddle the entire length of the Tenn-Tom. It's worthy of a longer closer look.
 |
| Above is the route from campsite north up Stinson Creek and around the point heading back south on the Tenn-Tom. The next day we headed south and, as you can see by the loops in the route around Highway 50, we explored the swamp as extensively as time allowed. |
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Been there. Done that. Here is the T-shirt. . . and cap!
As promised here's the merchandise for Lucy's Revenge: The Alzheimer's Paddling Project, and just in time for Christmas. All proceeds go directly to the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and are put to use supporting caregivers in Mississippi.
Caregiver's need your help. You need a t-shirt and cap. And, we want your money for the project. It's a win, win, win!
It's guaranteed to work better than mistletoe!
Order by clicking HERE
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Lucy’s Revenge Closes in on $10K, Breaks 300 Miles in Alzheimer’s Fundraising Effort
Mississippi Paddler asks East Mississippi health care officials and residents for help.
Flora, MS. October 19, 2010—Keith Plunkett, Mississippi paddler and organizer of Lucy’s Revenge, has paddled over 300 miles in the yearlong effort to raise money for and awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease on Mississippi waterways. Joining a group of eight other kayakers on October 16, Plunkett launched from Bell Fontaine Point in Ocean Springs in route across the Mississippi Sound to Horn Island. Plunkett says he was driven to paddle a few extra miles while out on the island in order to be sure he met the 300-mile mark by the time the group may landfall to end the trip.
“South Coast Paddling Company and Mississippi Gulf Coast residents have been a huge help to the project on the coast and I wanted to be sure and hit this milestone there,” said Plunkett. “The Horn Island trip was a South Coast Paddling sponsored trip, so they did all the planning. I hadn’t mapped it before hand, and I wanted to be sure I got the mileage in.”
With that worry in mind, Plunkett awoke on the west end of Horn Island on Sunday morning and decided to put in a few extra miles before joining back up with the group. Paddling south of the island to Buoy 1 at Dog Keys Pass, he added an extra 6.6 miles, and had some unexpected but welcome company on the way back to the island.
“The first buoy is a little over 3 miles south of the island out into the open Gulf,” said Plunkett. “It was a little nerve wracking to look back and see Horn Island as a little speck behind me. I felt pretty small and vulnerable out there. But on the way back I got an escort from about 8 to 10 bottlenose dolphin, and that helped calm my nerves. They are beautiful animals.”
When Plunkett landed again at Bell Fontaine Point on Sunday afternoon he had logged another 29.5 miles bringing his totals for the project to 305.8.
The Flora resident began kayaking just over a year ago and says he wasn’t around the water much as a child, but is growing more confident in his paddling ability every day.
“In mid-July I thought I had reached the far reaches of my distance for a weekend paddling trip when Sharon and I floated a 45 mile trip on the Wolf River. Less than two months later we kayaked over 86 miles from Shubuta to Leaksville on the Chickasawhay River. About a week ago, I paddled in the Ninth Annual Phatwater Challenge on the Mississippi River. On that trip I managed to paddle nearly the same mileage that had taken me a full three days only three months earlier, and I did it in less than 6 hours. My ability and confidence has grown by leaps and bounds.”
Plunkett kicked off a yearlong effort to paddle over 600 miles of Mississippi waterways in July on the Gulf Coast. A goal he says he now expects to exceed by the projects end date in June 2011. He began focusing on waterways in the East Mississippi Region in September, but due to drought conditions and interest from other parts of the state he’s not done as much in the area as hoped.
“East Mississippi has many of the jewels of our state’s paddling waterways,” he said. “I really need some more help from East Mississippi, and some sponsors to step forward. This disease knows no boundaries. I know there are people and caregivers there that need the support, and I want to be there.”
So far, Plunkett has been on the coastal waterways of Old Fort Bayou, Davis Bayou, Wolf River, Escatawpa River and the Pascagoula River. He has paddled sections of the Pearl River, Strong River and Mississippi River. He and wife Sharon also completed an 86-mile trip on the Chickasawhay River in East Mississippi on Labor Day Weekend. Plunkett has raised $8,600 for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association since July while paddling through 14 Mississippi counties.
Stories, videos, and photos are posted to the website, www.lucysrevenge.com . General Donations and Sponsorship Opportunities links on the website connect donors directly to the Alzheimer’s Association website.
The project is named in memory of Plunkett’s Grandmother, Lucy Plunkett, who suffered from Alzheimer’s before succumbing to the disease in 1993. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of her church and the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.
Flora, MS. October 19, 2010—Keith Plunkett, Mississippi paddler and organizer of Lucy’s Revenge, has paddled over 300 miles in the yearlong effort to raise money for and awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease on Mississippi waterways. Joining a group of eight other kayakers on October 16, Plunkett launched from Bell Fontaine Point in Ocean Springs in route across the Mississippi Sound to Horn Island. Plunkett says he was driven to paddle a few extra miles while out on the island in order to be sure he met the 300-mile mark by the time the group may landfall to end the trip.
“South Coast Paddling Company and Mississippi Gulf Coast residents have been a huge help to the project on the coast and I wanted to be sure and hit this milestone there,” said Plunkett. “The Horn Island trip was a South Coast Paddling sponsored trip, so they did all the planning. I hadn’t mapped it before hand, and I wanted to be sure I got the mileage in.”
With that worry in mind, Plunkett awoke on the west end of Horn Island on Sunday morning and decided to put in a few extra miles before joining back up with the group. Paddling south of the island to Buoy 1 at Dog Keys Pass, he added an extra 6.6 miles, and had some unexpected but welcome company on the way back to the island.
“The first buoy is a little over 3 miles south of the island out into the open Gulf,” said Plunkett. “It was a little nerve wracking to look back and see Horn Island as a little speck behind me. I felt pretty small and vulnerable out there. But on the way back I got an escort from about 8 to 10 bottlenose dolphin, and that helped calm my nerves. They are beautiful animals.”
When Plunkett landed again at Bell Fontaine Point on Sunday afternoon he had logged another 29.5 miles bringing his totals for the project to 305.8.
The Flora resident began kayaking just over a year ago and says he wasn’t around the water much as a child, but is growing more confident in his paddling ability every day.
“In mid-July I thought I had reached the far reaches of my distance for a weekend paddling trip when Sharon and I floated a 45 mile trip on the Wolf River. Less than two months later we kayaked over 86 miles from Shubuta to Leaksville on the Chickasawhay River. About a week ago, I paddled in the Ninth Annual Phatwater Challenge on the Mississippi River. On that trip I managed to paddle nearly the same mileage that had taken me a full three days only three months earlier, and I did it in less than 6 hours. My ability and confidence has grown by leaps and bounds.”
Plunkett kicked off a yearlong effort to paddle over 600 miles of Mississippi waterways in July on the Gulf Coast. A goal he says he now expects to exceed by the projects end date in June 2011. He began focusing on waterways in the East Mississippi Region in September, but due to drought conditions and interest from other parts of the state he’s not done as much in the area as hoped.
“East Mississippi has many of the jewels of our state’s paddling waterways,” he said. “I really need some more help from East Mississippi, and some sponsors to step forward. This disease knows no boundaries. I know there are people and caregivers there that need the support, and I want to be there.”
So far, Plunkett has been on the coastal waterways of Old Fort Bayou, Davis Bayou, Wolf River, Escatawpa River and the Pascagoula River. He has paddled sections of the Pearl River, Strong River and Mississippi River. He and wife Sharon also completed an 86-mile trip on the Chickasawhay River in East Mississippi on Labor Day Weekend. Plunkett has raised $8,600 for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association since July while paddling through 14 Mississippi counties.
Stories, videos, and photos are posted to the website, www.lucysrevenge.com . General Donations and Sponsorship Opportunities links on the website connect donors directly to the Alzheimer’s Association website.
The project is named in memory of Plunkett’s Grandmother, Lucy Plunkett, who suffered from Alzheimer’s before succumbing to the disease in 1993. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of her church and the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Thanks to Ashlee Clapper, Lynn Boykin and Girl Scout Troop 5375 for the Strong River of Memories.
I am incredibly behind on posting Trip Logs, and editing photos and video. I have recently downloaded some software for video editing. Provided I can figure that product out, I will have something more than the raw footage of some of the trips to post. At the very least I should be able to get some slideshows up soon. With respect to my Trip Logs; I have a few, but even the ones that are complete could use another edit.
Yes. I am behind schedule--story of my life!
But, I had to take a time out here to say a big thanks to Lynn Boykin and her Girl Scout Troop 5375 for helping out with the project. Ashlee Clapper (I kept calling her Ashlee Cooper, Sorry Ashlee) is one of her girls who needed to put together a project for her Silver Award. I am extremely grateful that she picked Lucy's Revenge as her outside project. Ashlee managed to get the largest number of paddlers we have ever had for a paddle for her project called Strong River of Memories. Also participating were parents, siblings, and both the Development Director and Executive Director of the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
It was a beautiful day, a beautiful river and a beautiful group.
More to come. . . eventually.
Thanks,
Keith.
Yes. I am behind schedule--story of my life!
 |
| Keith Plunkett and Ashlee Clapper |
 |
| Now that's a good looking group of paddlers! |
It was a beautiful day, a beautiful river and a beautiful group.
More to come. . . eventually.
Thanks,
Keith.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Report: Alzheimer's disease causes global financial burden
The cost of caring for people with dementia around the world tops $600 billion according to a report released Tuesday. "70 percent of the costs occur in Western Europe and North America," according to the report.
With the release of the World Alzheimer's Report 2010, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), a consortium of 73 non-profit Alzheimer's groups from around the world, is trying to raise awareness about the global financial burden caused by dementia.
Each year ADI issues a report on September 21, which has been designated as World Alzheimer's Day.
Last year's annual Alzheimer's report estimated that 35.6 million people would be living with some form of dementia in 2010 and predicted that this number would nearly double in 2030 and reach 115.4 million in 2050.
The new report calculates the cost of medical care as well as the cost of formal services and informal services provided by family members. Researchers estimate the total cost of care just for this year will be $604 billion, which they say is equal to the gross domestic product (GDP) of what would be the 18th largest country or about 1 percent of the world's GDP.
The United States ranks highest when comes to the cost of caring for a person with dementia, which comes to more than $48,000 according to the report. Caring for people with dementia is least costly – just $903 according to the new data – in South Asian countries like Bangladesh and India.
In this report, ADI is calling on all governments to do more to recognize dementia as a health priority and invest more in prevention and developing plans for caring for the millions more who will get this disease in the coming decades.
"The U.S. is unprepared to handle the massive human and economic burden that is building as a result of the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease," Harry Johns tells CNN. Johns is the president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, one of the members of Alzheimer's Disease International. He notes that the U.S. government annually spends $6 billion on cancer research, $4 billion on heart disease research, approximately $3 billion on HIV/AIDS, which he says are all good investments and have led to lives being saved. However, when it comes to Alzheimer's research, Johns notes that funding by the National Institutes of Health is only $469 million per year.
ADI suggests in this report that many governments are unprepared to meet the challenges they face with a growing population of people with dementia. The Alzheimer's Association in the United States points out that 6 other countries, including France, England and Australia do have national Alzheimer's plans, but the United States does not. Legislation called the National Alzheimer's Project has been introduced in Congress.
CNN
With the release of the World Alzheimer's Report 2010, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), a consortium of 73 non-profit Alzheimer's groups from around the world, is trying to raise awareness about the global financial burden caused by dementia.
Each year ADI issues a report on September 21, which has been designated as World Alzheimer's Day.
Last year's annual Alzheimer's report estimated that 35.6 million people would be living with some form of dementia in 2010 and predicted that this number would nearly double in 2030 and reach 115.4 million in 2050.
The new report calculates the cost of medical care as well as the cost of formal services and informal services provided by family members. Researchers estimate the total cost of care just for this year will be $604 billion, which they say is equal to the gross domestic product (GDP) of what would be the 18th largest country or about 1 percent of the world's GDP.
The United States ranks highest when comes to the cost of caring for a person with dementia, which comes to more than $48,000 according to the report. Caring for people with dementia is least costly – just $903 according to the new data – in South Asian countries like Bangladesh and India.
In this report, ADI is calling on all governments to do more to recognize dementia as a health priority and invest more in prevention and developing plans for caring for the millions more who will get this disease in the coming decades.
"The U.S. is unprepared to handle the massive human and economic burden that is building as a result of the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease," Harry Johns tells CNN. Johns is the president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, one of the members of Alzheimer's Disease International. He notes that the U.S. government annually spends $6 billion on cancer research, $4 billion on heart disease research, approximately $3 billion on HIV/AIDS, which he says are all good investments and have led to lives being saved. However, when it comes to Alzheimer's research, Johns notes that funding by the National Institutes of Health is only $469 million per year.
ADI suggests in this report that many governments are unprepared to meet the challenges they face with a growing population of people with dementia. The Alzheimer's Association in the United States points out that 6 other countries, including France, England and Australia do have national Alzheimer's plans, but the United States does not. Legislation called the National Alzheimer's Project has been introduced in Congress.
CNN
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Sometimes what makes these trips so special are the little things.
Critters big and small are everywhere on the Chickasawhay River:
An abundance of minnows offer the mullet and other species of fish plenty to feed on in the Chickasawhay:
A school of mullet swimming upriver in the Chickasawhay at around Mile 12. The mullet are extremely aggressive in the East Mississippi river:
An abundance of minnows offer the mullet and other species of fish plenty to feed on in the Chickasawhay:
A school of mullet swimming upriver in the Chickasawhay at around Mile 12. The mullet are extremely aggressive in the East Mississippi river:
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Alzheimer's Support from IP: $10,000 for Gulf Coast Memory Walk
 |
| The Alzheimer’s Association Gulf Coast Memory Walk has received a show of support in the form of a $10,000 sponsorship from the IP Casino Resort Spa. The contribution marks the first of its size for the Walk and is demonstrated in the larger than life-sized check that is displayed by, from left, Sara Murphy and Ian MacDonald, both of the Alzheimer’s Association; Cindi Braud, 2010 Gulf Coast Memory Walk ambassador; Jon Braud; Patty Dunn, Alzheimer’s Association executive director; and Elaine Stevens, IP public relations manager. |
Motivation for the support stemmed from a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s. When Cindi Braud, an IP casino host, and her husband Jon shared his diagnosis, the company immediately made plans to work with the couple.
According to Cindi and Jon, “We are very excited to work with the Alzheimer’s Association and look forward to promoting awareness for this disease. In addition, we are overwhelmed by the support IP Casino has given us and are forever grateful to IP for their commitment to Alzheimer’s awareness.” Cindi is serving as the 2010 Gulf Coast Memory Walk Ambassador.
"IP always takes care of its own, and Cindi Braud is a vital part of the IP family. When we discovered her husband Jon was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, IP’s partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association was a given. We are proud to support Cindi, Jon and the many thousands of others impacted by this dreaded disease,” said Elaine Stevens, IP public relations manager.
In accepting the donation, Patty Dunn, the chapter’s executive director, said, “We welcome this generous show of support in our efforts to enhance the care and support for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is an escalating public health crisis that has far-reaching effects on individuals, families and businesses. This donation from IP Casino Resort Spa represents the beginning of a partnership to increase concern and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and the efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.”
On hand for the check-presenting occasion were Ms. Stevens, Cindi Braud, Jon Braud, and Tina Cantrell, executive casino host. Representing the Mississippi Chapter Alzheimer’s Association were Ms. Dunn, Sara Murphy and Ian MacDonald.
Ms. Dunn pointed out that every 70 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease, and in Mississippi, it is estimated that 53,000 individuals are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Friday, September 3, 2010
First paddle in East Mississippi Region will be longest yet.
The trip appears to have plenty of landmarks on the upper end. But, on the lower end, when our bodies are worn down and some landmarks would help our mental state, there will be none. The last 22 mile section has one landmark utility line to let us know we are two miles from the takeout. The other 20 miles is nothing but wilderness and sandbars. This one will be a test of our mental strength. I'll likely save a little battery for my GPS so I can have a fallback in case Sharon and I get ready to kill one another.
I took a moment last night to shoot a video in our garage after getting a few pictures of the signatures on the kayak. It's hard for me to believe that some of them will make it through a trip this daunting without scrubbing off. So, I wanted some shots to remember them all. You can see the pictures of the signatures on our Facebook Page.
Here's the video I shot. The lighting isn't great in the garage at night.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Lucy’s Revenge Caregiver Chronicles: Ocean Springs Couple Fighting Alzheimer’s With Help of Friends and Family
BY: B. Keith Plunkett
You don’t drown by falling into water. You drown by staying there. -- Robert Allen
 |
| Cindi and Jon Braud |
For many people, Alzheimer’s is an elderly person’s disease. Sadly, this misconception may be why some people don’t give it the attention it deserves when considering worthy causes to support. Despite her busy schedule at IP, Cindi is out to change all that. Alzheimer's is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the country and the fifth leading cause of death for those over age 65. Contrary to public opinion, it is not a normal part of aging and currently the cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. What many people don’t understand is that a growing segment of those diagnosed are much younger than 65. Cindi’s husband Jon is among that group. Jon Braud was diagnosed at the age of 40. He is now 42.
Cindi explains that the diagnosis was not a complete surprise. The Ocean Springs couple knew the genetics were there, and that the disease could touch them as it had prior generations of the Braud family. Jon’s father was diagnosed at the age of 44, a mere 23 months before his death. Likewise, Jon’s Grandmother and a cousin were taken by the disease at the ages of 50 and 51, and a Granduncle died just after turning 40. It was because of these familial reasons that Jon and Cindi decided early on not to have children. The chances were simply too great that the Alzheimer’s disease gene would be passed along. Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (EOAD) is more about genetics than any other subset of the disease. The couple made a conscious effort to end the disease in the Braud family with Jon.
The decision the Braud’s made to forego having children is an honorable one and one of necessity. It illustrates how Alzheimer’s is not only affecting individuals and their caregivers, but also generations of entire families. Strides have been made in the past decade to ease the affects of Alzheimer’s symptoms with some success, but there is still no cure. Cindi believes the lack of knowledge keeps medical professionals out of the fight. The Braud’s have visited a few medical facilities with less than supportive results. Just last July, Jon’s Neurologist summed up the current lack of medical resources when he told him, “Its Alzheimer’s, I’m sorry there is nothing I can do for you.”
Other facilities also found reasons not to help the Braud’s. The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute in Las Vegas turned the couple away because they did not live in Nevada. An administrator at the famed Mayo Clinic said, “We’re not the miracle hospital everyone thinks we are.” And, the Pennington Bio-Medical Center in nearby Baton Rouge summed up what those with EOAD face in the competitive research money race. Simply put, they said, “There is no money in saving the 1% with the disease.”
But, if there is one thing Cindi Braud is, it is persistent. She, along with 50 family members and friends, has embarked on a crusade to email every medical facility and doctor associated with Alzheimer’s at every University in the country.
“I hope that they will be so inundated with emails regarding Jon and us asking for help that someone might be able to. Squeaky wheel gets the grease,” she said.
Cindi is also hoping to toy with a few egos and the facilities desire to compete for research dollars. She says it has already worked with UCLA.
“UCLA told me there was nothing they could do for us and they referred me to a doctor at UCSD. I emailed UCSD, and they replied with a ‘yes’ as they are doing stem cell research,” says Cindi. “When we concluded our conversation (UCSD) copied the doctor at UCLA (on the email). Within 2 hours I received a phone call from UCLA inviting us out there for research.”
Cindi’s employer has joined in the fight. IP Casino’s Benefits Manager has helped with everything from insurance questions to accommodating Cindi through Family Medical Leave. IP is also donating $10K to the Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ) and will hold signups for teams for an Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk in November. In January the company will hold an event to promote awareness and provide information for Gulf Coast residents.
The Braud’s are not alone in their inability to find resources. Here in Mississippi, an estimated 148,000 caregivers are working tirelessly to provide for the 53,000 loved ones affected by the disease with little or no support. Only now are medical facilities beginning to recognize the dire need across the state, and that the disease takes a toll not only on the patients, but on those working hard to provide care.
“There is no assistance on the Gulf Coast for our situation,” says Cindi. “When I first called ALZ in September 2009 they asked me if I had my financial affairs in order and had I picked out an assisted living facility. That was unacceptable to me. It’s one of the many reasons I fight so hard.”
“I want to change the way ALZ responds when someone is calling for help,” she added. “When you hear the diagnosis for the first time you already understand the finality of the disease. Tell me who is willing to fight it, cure it…not, ‘have I picked out his tombstone?’.”
Cindi’s investigation into the disease continues to show the need for more awareness in the medical community. She says that people continue to be “shocked” when she tells them her 42-year old husband has the disease, “Most people, including doctors look at me like I’m crazy.”
Studies have been started and stopped over the years with little sharing of information. Cindi says that at least one University, UAB, destroyed the outcome of a retired doctor’s research on the genetics of EOAD.
Cindi relates the story, “In 1998 UAB was conducting a study on Jon’s family and sent his cousin a letter. She was shocked to receive the letter and knew nothing about the study. A med student named Kathryn Hanson came to Baton Rouge to meet with some family members and they never heard from her again. I contacted UAB to see if anything had been concluded with the study. No one knew who Kathryn Hanson was nor did they know about the study.”
Cindi eventually found an email address for one of the doctors mentioned in the study, and he informed her that since his retirement UAB had destroyed his research. Further attempts to get the research or have Jon added to clinical drug qualifications have been unsuccessful.
"Any clinical trial drug qualifications start at the minimum age of 50,” says Cindi. I have yet to find anyone at UAB that can give me any information regarding their study on Jon’s family.”
Jon did not qualify for three other trials at UAB due to his age and they were unwilling to make an exception. The Braud’s have found that going through their doctor and following normal protocol does not get them very far. Yet, they continue to fight.
“My husband’s motto is ‘play to win’,” says Cindi of her former High School and College athlete husband. “It has a new meaning now. I do not stop thinking about this. It’s 24/7 with me. What can I do to help him? Who can I call or write to?”
Despite the numerous setbacks, Cindi’s tenacity has had some pay off. Jon was recently enrolled into the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network (DIAN). The world-wide study by Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri is studying Amyloid Beta protein in the brain and the possible connections to Alzheimer’s.
She continues to fight every day. She fights for what little time she has left with Jon, she fights for disability benefits for her husband, and she fights for a doctor to help him. One thing is certain: Cindi Braud does not take no for an answer, and in the fight against Alzheimer’s that is a good thing.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Mississippi Paddler to Visit Gulf Coast’s Most Historic River This Weekend
Flora, MS. August 13, 2010—Keith Plunkett, Mississippi paddler and organizer of Lucy’s Revenge, will be continuing his August effort to paddle the Mississippi Gulf Coast by joining friends on the Pascagoula River August 14.
“I have been very much looking forward to the ‘Singing River’,” said Plunkett. “Part of what we hope to do with this project is not only raise funds for Alzheimer’s support services, but to highlight the beautiful waterways in Mississippi, and how those waterways support wildlife and the environment. You won’t find a better place to highlight conservation in the state than on the Pascagoula. I have my camera batteries fully charged and ready for this one!”
Plunkett kicked off a yearlong effort to paddle over 600 miles of Mississippi waterways in July on the Gulf Coast. He will begin focusing on waterways in the East Mississippi Region in September after finishing the Gulf Coast Region this month.
So far, Plunkett has paddled 127 miles and has been on the coastal waterways of Old Fort Bayou, Davis Bayou, Wolf River and the Escatawpa River. He has raised $2,231 for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in the first month.
“I have been very much looking forward to the ‘Singing River’,” said Plunkett. “Part of what we hope to do with this project is not only raise funds for Alzheimer’s support services, but to highlight the beautiful waterways in Mississippi, and how those waterways support wildlife and the environment. You won’t find a better place to highlight conservation in the state than on the Pascagoula. I have my camera batteries fully charged and ready for this one!”
Plunkett kicked off a yearlong effort to paddle over 600 miles of Mississippi waterways in July on the Gulf Coast. He will begin focusing on waterways in the East Mississippi Region in September after finishing the Gulf Coast Region this month.
So far, Plunkett has paddled 127 miles and has been on the coastal waterways of Old Fort Bayou, Davis Bayou, Wolf River and the Escatawpa River. He has raised $2,231 for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in the first month.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Spinal-Fluid Test Is Found to Predict Alzheimer’s
Researchers report that a spinal fluid test can be 100 percent accurate in identifying patients with significant memory loss who are on their way to developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Although there has been increasing evidence of the value of this and other tests in finding signs of Alzheimer’s, the study, which will appear Tuesday in the Archives of Neurology, shows how accurate they can be. The new result is one of a number of remarkable recent findings about Alzheimer’s.
After decades when nothing much seemed to be happening, when this progressive brain disease seemed untreatable and when its diagnosis could be confirmed only at autopsy, the field has suddenly woken up.
Alzheimer’s, medical experts now agree, starts a decade or more before people have symptoms. And by the time there are symptoms, it may be too late to save the brain. So the hope is to find good ways to identify people who are getting the disease, and use those people as subjects in studies to see how long it takes for symptoms to occur and in studies of drugs that may slow or stop the disease.
Researchers are finding simple and accurate ways to detect Alzheimer’s long before there are definite symptoms. In addition to spinal fluid tests they also have new PET scans of the brain that show the telltale amyloid plaques that are a unique feature of the disease. And they are testing hundreds of new drugs that, they hope, might change the course of the relentless brain cell death that robs people of their memories and abilities to think and reason.
“This is what everyone is looking for, the bull’s-eye of perfect predictive accuracy,” Dr. Steven DeKosky, dean of the University of Virginia medical school, who is not connected to the new research, said about the spinal tap study.
Dr. John Morris, a professor of neurology at Washington University, said the new study “establishes that there is a signature of Alzheimer’s and that it means something. It is very powerful.”
A lot of work lies ahead, researchers say — making sure the tests are reliable if they are used in doctors’ offices, making sure the research findings hold up in real-life situations, getting doctors and patients comfortable with the notion of spinal taps, the method used to get spinal fluid. But they see a bright future.
Although the latest PET scans for Alzheimer’s are not commercially available, the spinal fluid tests are.
So the new results also give rise to a difficult question: Should doctors offer, or patients accept, commercially available spinal tap tests to find a disease that is yet untreatable? In the research studies, patients are often not told they may have the disease, but in practice in the real world, many may be told.
Some medical experts say it should be up to doctors and their patients. Others say doctors should refrain from using the spinal fluid test in their practices. They note that it is not reliable enough — results can vary by lab — and has been studied only in research settings where patients are carefully selected to have no other conditions, like strokes or depression, that could affect their memories.
"This is literally on the cutting edge of where the field is,” Dr. DeKosky said. “The field is moving fast. You can get a test that is approved by the F.D.A., and cutting edge doctors will use it.”
But, said Dr. John Trojanowski, a University of Pennsylvania researcher and senior author of the paper, given that people can get the test now, “How early do you want to label people?”
Some, like Dr. John Growdon, a neurology professor at Massachusetts General Hospital who wrote an editorial accompanying the paper, said that decision was up to doctors and their patients.
Sometimes patients with severe memory loss do not have the disease. Doctors might want to use the test in cases where they want to be sure of the diagnosis. And they might want to offer the test to people with milder symptoms who want to know whether they are developing the devastating brain disease.
One drawback, though, is that spinal fluid is obtained with a spinal tap, and that procedure, with its reputation for pain and headaches, makes most doctors and many patients nervous. The procedure involves putting a needle in the spinal space and withdrawing a small amount of fluid.
Dr. Growdon and others say spinal taps are safe and not particularly painful for most people. But, he said, there needs to be an education campaign to make people feel more comfortable about having them. He suggested that, because most family doctors and internists are not experienced with the test, there could be special spinal tap centers where they could send patients.
The new study included more than 300 patients in their 70s, 114 with normal memories, 200 with memory problems and 102 with Alzheimer’s disease. Their spinal fluid was analyzed for amyloid beta, a protein fragment that forms plaques in the brain, and for tau, a protein that accumulates in dead and dying nerve cells in the brain. To avoid bias, the researchers analyzing the data did not know anything about the clinical status of the subjects. Also, the subjects were not told what the tests showed.
Nearly every person with Alzheimer’s had the characteristic spinal fluid protein levels. Nearly three quarters of people with mild cognitive impairment, a memory impediment that can precede Alzheimer’s, had Alzheimer’s-like spinal fluid proteins. And every one of those patients with the proteins developed Alzheimer’s within five years. And about a third of people with normal memories had spinal fluid indicating Alzheimer’s. Researchers suspect that those people will develop memory problems.
The prevailing hypothesis about Alzheimer’s says that amyloid and tau accumulation are necessary for the disease and that stopping the proteins could stop the disease. But it is not yet known what happens when these proteins accumulate in the brains of people with normal memories. They might be a risk factor like high cholesterol levels. Many people with high cholesterol levels never have heart attacks. Or it might mean that Alzheimer’s has already started and if the person lives long enough he or she will with absolute certainty get symptoms like memory loss.
Many, like Dr. DeKosky, believe that when PET scans for amyloid become available, they will be used instead of spinal taps, in part because doctors and patients are more comfortable with brain scans.
And when — researchers optimistically are saying “when” these days — drugs are shown to slow or prevent the disease, the thought is that people will start having brain scans or spinal taps for Alzheimer’s as routinely as they might have colonoscopies or mammograms today.
For now, Dr. DeKosky said, the days when Alzheimer’s could be confirmed only at autopsy are almost over. And the time when Alzheimer’s could be detected only after most of the brain damage was done seem to be ending, too.
“The new biomarkers in CSF have made the difference,” Dr. DeKosky said, referring to cerebral spinal fluid. “This confirms their accuracy in a very big way.”
NYT
Although there has been increasing evidence of the value of this and other tests in finding signs of Alzheimer’s, the study, which will appear Tuesday in the Archives of Neurology, shows how accurate they can be. The new result is one of a number of remarkable recent findings about Alzheimer’s.
After decades when nothing much seemed to be happening, when this progressive brain disease seemed untreatable and when its diagnosis could be confirmed only at autopsy, the field has suddenly woken up.
Alzheimer’s, medical experts now agree, starts a decade or more before people have symptoms. And by the time there are symptoms, it may be too late to save the brain. So the hope is to find good ways to identify people who are getting the disease, and use those people as subjects in studies to see how long it takes for symptoms to occur and in studies of drugs that may slow or stop the disease.
Researchers are finding simple and accurate ways to detect Alzheimer’s long before there are definite symptoms. In addition to spinal fluid tests they also have new PET scans of the brain that show the telltale amyloid plaques that are a unique feature of the disease. And they are testing hundreds of new drugs that, they hope, might change the course of the relentless brain cell death that robs people of their memories and abilities to think and reason.
“This is what everyone is looking for, the bull’s-eye of perfect predictive accuracy,” Dr. Steven DeKosky, dean of the University of Virginia medical school, who is not connected to the new research, said about the spinal tap study.
Dr. John Morris, a professor of neurology at Washington University, said the new study “establishes that there is a signature of Alzheimer’s and that it means something. It is very powerful.”
A lot of work lies ahead, researchers say — making sure the tests are reliable if they are used in doctors’ offices, making sure the research findings hold up in real-life situations, getting doctors and patients comfortable with the notion of spinal taps, the method used to get spinal fluid. But they see a bright future.
Although the latest PET scans for Alzheimer’s are not commercially available, the spinal fluid tests are.
So the new results also give rise to a difficult question: Should doctors offer, or patients accept, commercially available spinal tap tests to find a disease that is yet untreatable? In the research studies, patients are often not told they may have the disease, but in practice in the real world, many may be told.
Some medical experts say it should be up to doctors and their patients. Others say doctors should refrain from using the spinal fluid test in their practices. They note that it is not reliable enough — results can vary by lab — and has been studied only in research settings where patients are carefully selected to have no other conditions, like strokes or depression, that could affect their memories.
"This is literally on the cutting edge of where the field is,” Dr. DeKosky said. “The field is moving fast. You can get a test that is approved by the F.D.A., and cutting edge doctors will use it.”
But, said Dr. John Trojanowski, a University of Pennsylvania researcher and senior author of the paper, given that people can get the test now, “How early do you want to label people?”
Some, like Dr. John Growdon, a neurology professor at Massachusetts General Hospital who wrote an editorial accompanying the paper, said that decision was up to doctors and their patients.
Sometimes patients with severe memory loss do not have the disease. Doctors might want to use the test in cases where they want to be sure of the diagnosis. And they might want to offer the test to people with milder symptoms who want to know whether they are developing the devastating brain disease.
One drawback, though, is that spinal fluid is obtained with a spinal tap, and that procedure, with its reputation for pain and headaches, makes most doctors and many patients nervous. The procedure involves putting a needle in the spinal space and withdrawing a small amount of fluid.
Dr. Growdon and others say spinal taps are safe and not particularly painful for most people. But, he said, there needs to be an education campaign to make people feel more comfortable about having them. He suggested that, because most family doctors and internists are not experienced with the test, there could be special spinal tap centers where they could send patients.
The new study included more than 300 patients in their 70s, 114 with normal memories, 200 with memory problems and 102 with Alzheimer’s disease. Their spinal fluid was analyzed for amyloid beta, a protein fragment that forms plaques in the brain, and for tau, a protein that accumulates in dead and dying nerve cells in the brain. To avoid bias, the researchers analyzing the data did not know anything about the clinical status of the subjects. Also, the subjects were not told what the tests showed.
Nearly every person with Alzheimer’s had the characteristic spinal fluid protein levels. Nearly three quarters of people with mild cognitive impairment, a memory impediment that can precede Alzheimer’s, had Alzheimer’s-like spinal fluid proteins. And every one of those patients with the proteins developed Alzheimer’s within five years. And about a third of people with normal memories had spinal fluid indicating Alzheimer’s. Researchers suspect that those people will develop memory problems.
The prevailing hypothesis about Alzheimer’s says that amyloid and tau accumulation are necessary for the disease and that stopping the proteins could stop the disease. But it is not yet known what happens when these proteins accumulate in the brains of people with normal memories. They might be a risk factor like high cholesterol levels. Many people with high cholesterol levels never have heart attacks. Or it might mean that Alzheimer’s has already started and if the person lives long enough he or she will with absolute certainty get symptoms like memory loss.
Many, like Dr. DeKosky, believe that when PET scans for amyloid become available, they will be used instead of spinal taps, in part because doctors and patients are more comfortable with brain scans.
And when — researchers optimistically are saying “when” these days — drugs are shown to slow or prevent the disease, the thought is that people will start having brain scans or spinal taps for Alzheimer’s as routinely as they might have colonoscopies or mammograms today.
For now, Dr. DeKosky said, the days when Alzheimer’s could be confirmed only at autopsy are almost over. And the time when Alzheimer’s could be detected only after most of the brain damage was done seem to be ending, too.
“The new biomarkers in CSF have made the difference,” Dr. DeKosky said, referring to cerebral spinal fluid. “This confirms their accuracy in a very big way.”
NYT
Monday, August 9, 2010
Lucy's Revenge Tops $2K in General Donations in First Month
Thanks to a great many friends, both old and new, for helping us reach the two-thousand dollar mark in general donations for the month of July. We had until today to reach the goal. Sharon sent out a plea over the weekend, and the response was great. As of today, general donations are at $2231.
We appreciate the push to the mark. But, that was lap one of twelve, and our August goal is $3000. We need you to encourage your friends to join us in the effort. Exposure is everything. You'll find a link above to share the website with friends, and the task bar at the bottom of the page offers a quick link to share via Facebook, Twitter and more.
Merchandise is being finalized this week. So check back to order those caps and T-shirts.
Thanks again to everyone for the prayers and support!
We appreciate the push to the mark. But, that was lap one of twelve, and our August goal is $3000. We need you to encourage your friends to join us in the effort. Exposure is everything. You'll find a link above to share the website with friends, and the task bar at the bottom of the page offers a quick link to share via Facebook, Twitter and more.
Merchandise is being finalized this week. So check back to order those caps and T-shirts.
Thanks again to everyone for the prayers and support!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Kind commentary on the project from a paddling friend.
It was an honor to be a part of Keith and Sharon's kickoff of the Lucy's Revenge Paddling Project. The paddle was the same path as the Battle on the Bayou -- started at Gulf Hills Hotel and ended at the Shed. Doug and I did a shortened version of it, going up halfway and heading back, saving the logistical difficulties of a one-way trip.Read more at Kayak Blogs From Mississippi
I had some thoughts about this intriguing concept that Keith came up with, to embark on a physical journey involving fitness of the body, in order to connect with a mental/emotional/spiritual inspiration involving fitness of the mind. Alzheimer's... a particularly damaging disease of the brain, but just like the body -- can suffer devastating afflictions, or small deteriorizations. Mental fitness is so important. Those of us who get caught up in physical fitness sometimes forget to tend to the mind. Feed it, use it, care for it, nurture it... Your mind and your body need each other and make up YOU.
Related thoughts. Tyler was telling me about adrenaline and how it makes your mind work faster, explaining the slow-motion feeling when you're in the midst of a crisis. Makes me wonder if a lower level of adrenaline is kicking in when I ride my bike, fast pace ride in a paceline when you are so alert at all times. Just afterwards, things seem to move in slow motion. As I'm driving home, everyone is in my way. At home, I trip over the dog... somehow she isn't as quick as usual. I wait for D or T at the sink or refrigerator, why are they taking so long? Everything seems slow. Maybe my brain waves take a while to settle back into a normal pattern.
The mental and the physical. Keith put in his blog "Whatever mental filing or head-work needed to organize a persons hustle and bustle life, it has been my experience that out on the water is not the place to do it. I simply can't. There's too much else to think about. Being on the water strips things down to the bare, meaningful essentials. There is plenty of time for thought, plenty of time for discussion, plenty of time for prayer and meditation. But, no time for false worries, or self imposed problems. It's time for refocusing away from such things." I love this thought and how he expressed it. How true this is of paddling, bike riding, running, hiking... anything where you get away and your activity demands that you focus on it. It's a forced break from what normally weighs you down. I have so many thoughts to keep track of -- things to do at work, issues, lists of things I need to buy, appointments to make and things to arrange, needs of my family, groceries, home care, correspondence, etc. etc. So nice to take breaks from that load.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Mississippi Paddler to Hit Century Mark on Big Black River to End First Month of Paddling for Alzheimer’s Awareness
Flora, MS. Saturday July 31, 2010—Mississippi paddler Keith Plunkett will mark 100 miles of paddling for the month of July Sunday afternoon after paddling 30 miles from Highway 16 to Highway 49 on the Big Black River. Plunkett is expected to arrive at the Highway 49 Bridge sometime late Sunday afternoon. The Yazoo County native and Flora resident announced in April the schedule for a year of paddling Mississippi’s waterways. The effort started on July 10 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and will take Plunkett on a journey across 5 regions of the state ending in June of 2011. During the trips Plunkett is interviewing Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers in each region, and will highlight ongoing efforts by the Alzheimer’s Association and medical professionals to defeat the disease. Video and photos of the trips are posted online at http://www.lucysrevenge.com/.
Plunkett has been speaking with groups across the state to raise awareness, and to sign up corporate sponsors for the journey. He has set a goal of 600 miles, or roughly 120 miles per region, and hopes to entice a few others to join him on some of the excursions. Anyone interested can follow his travels on his Facebook page through a real-time GPS mapping service provided by the newest sponsor, I-Tech of Madison.
“I think it’s a significant symbol to hit the hundred-mile mark in the place that my Mamaw always called home,” said Plunkett of the river that marks the Yazoo and Madison County border. “
Plunkett’s grandmother was Lucy Plunkett. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Trip Log: July 21, 2010--Pearl River, Ratliff Ferry to Highway 43--Some Things Just Happen (Video Included)
Sometimes things just happen, and you CAN explain why: it’s because they’re intended to. Agnostics and atheists try their best to explain away these circumstances. But, they can’t. Those of us with Faith know when divine intervention happens. Those without faith simply aren’t prepared to recognize divine circumstances, or they are too married to their perception of life as primordial suffering and explain it away as chance. But, life sure is good here on the other side. Over here, every happening offers an opportunity for a response that puts all of us in line with God’s intention. When these marvelous interventions are life affirming, all feels right with the world.
Such was the case for me on Wednesday, July 21.
Sharon and I decided last Tuesday we were going to find a body of water somewhere for a mid-week paddle. We weren’t sure exactly where. We have been discussing a mid-week paddle for a while in order to take advantage of the long summer days. So, despite the unknowns, we loaded the kayaks Wednesday morning. This was the first time we loaded the boats on a whim without specific plans. Sharon took off to her office, and I mine.
At lunch she ran into a paddling friend of ours who, when seeing the boats on top of the vehicle, said, “Oh, you and Keith must be going to meet Scot at Ratliff Ferry this afternoon.”
My wife’s response was simple enough, “Who?”
You see until Wednesday afternoon, we had never heard of, yet alone spoken with, Scot Thigpen. But because of divine providence, within two hours he, Sharon and I, along with six of Scot’s paddling partners, lovingly referred to by Scot as the “River Rats,” were on our way for a sunset cruise on the Pearl River. Had the circumstances stopped there it would have been fortuitous enough, but there was more for me to learn.
It turns out that Scot wrote a book called Chasing Solomon. It is a book about his faith, a book inspired by his grandmother’s exemplary life which steered him towards a path of redemption when he began re-examining his life in his late 30’s.
Any of that sound familiar? If you’ve read any of this website before now it should.
Scot joked that he and I may have been separated at birth. His story and my story very closely parallel. Our grandmother’s examples helped shape both of our lives in such a way that led to new perspectives for us. We both love the water and believe the outdoors is a gift from God. And, we both have been led by faith to rediscover the importance of the legacy we are called to carry forward.
Our group of paddlers launched from Ratliff Ferry and paddled the eight miles to Highway 43 on the north end of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. It was a beautiful trip. We saw alligators, plenty of birds, flowering lilies, and a sunset that only the pictures can hope to represent. We talked about our love of paddling, how the paddling bug bit each of us, and we traded adventure stories and paddling techniques. But, eight miles and three hours aren’t nearly enough time to catch up with someone you were destined to meet, let alone separated from at birth. So, we still have some catching up to do.
You can check out Scot’s passion at the Chasing Solomon website
Such was the case for me on Wednesday, July 21.
Sharon and I decided last Tuesday we were going to find a body of water somewhere for a mid-week paddle. We weren’t sure exactly where. We have been discussing a mid-week paddle for a while in order to take advantage of the long summer days. So, despite the unknowns, we loaded the kayaks Wednesday morning. This was the first time we loaded the boats on a whim without specific plans. Sharon took off to her office, and I mine.
At lunch she ran into a paddling friend of ours who, when seeing the boats on top of the vehicle, said, “Oh, you and Keith must be going to meet Scot at Ratliff Ferry this afternoon.”
My wife’s response was simple enough, “Who?”
You see until Wednesday afternoon, we had never heard of, yet alone spoken with, Scot Thigpen. But because of divine providence, within two hours he, Sharon and I, along with six of Scot’s paddling partners, lovingly referred to by Scot as the “River Rats,” were on our way for a sunset cruise on the Pearl River. Had the circumstances stopped there it would have been fortuitous enough, but there was more for me to learn.
It turns out that Scot wrote a book called Chasing Solomon. It is a book about his faith, a book inspired by his grandmother’s exemplary life which steered him towards a path of redemption when he began re-examining his life in his late 30’s.
Any of that sound familiar? If you’ve read any of this website before now it should.
Scot joked that he and I may have been separated at birth. His story and my story very closely parallel. Our grandmother’s examples helped shape both of our lives in such a way that led to new perspectives for us. We both love the water and believe the outdoors is a gift from God. And, we both have been led by faith to rediscover the importance of the legacy we are called to carry forward.
Our group of paddlers launched from Ratliff Ferry and paddled the eight miles to Highway 43 on the north end of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. It was a beautiful trip. We saw alligators, plenty of birds, flowering lilies, and a sunset that only the pictures can hope to represent. We talked about our love of paddling, how the paddling bug bit each of us, and we traded adventure stories and paddling techniques. But, eight miles and three hours aren’t nearly enough time to catch up with someone you were destined to meet, let alone separated from at birth. So, we still have some catching up to do.
You can check out Scot’s passion at the Chasing Solomon website
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Trip Log: July 9-11, 2010--Kickoff Weekend, Old Fort Bayou and Davis Bayou, Ocean Springs
BY: B. Keith Plunkett--Lucy's RevengeAs coastal areas go, Mississippi’s coast is still a little known gem. Some see it as a diamond in the rough with opportunity for improved infrastructure for economic development. Others see an already polished jewel with environmental resources, recreational opportunities, and a rugged beauty and serenity. Much sound opinion believes man-made infrastructure is needed for the Mississippi coasts future economic development. For some of the business-first-and-last believers, the conviction overrides most every other concern.
Let me state clearly that I save my hugs for friends and family, not trees. I love the simple joys of nature, but I’m no Unabomber or neo-luddite. The point I attempt to make is that the only infrastructure needed to attract visitors to the Mississippi coast is already in place. In fact, it’s been in place for millions of years, and we should never lose sight of that.
When I decided to spend the next year of my life paddling some of the thousands of miles of Mississippi’s waterways, it was only natural for my mind to think of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. After all, there is plenty of water there. It may come as a surprise to people from outside our state that there is more to Mississippi’s coast than sandy white beaches and monstrous casinos. The diverse ecosystem of the barrier islands, back bays, rivers and marshes support an incredible array of wildlife and touring opportunity. For paddlers this is a seemingly endless menu.
In many ways, Mississippi’s gulf coast is a microcosm of the same opposing forces and troubling conundrums that exist for beautiful coastal areas everywhere. Due to the beauty of the environment, people want to be there. Good, right? But, more people lead to the need for additional man-made infrastructure that pressures, and sometimes destroys, the very reason for the initial attraction.
In the end, a fully understood compromise of these two opposing forces is as impossible to reach as the eternal dispute between night and day. But, everyone knows that both the sun and moon are required to make the tides move, and the world go round. There is a happy medium. As author and artist Alexandra Penney says, “The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but hold hands.”
Old Fort Bayou Blueway
Without attracting people to appreciate such beauty, conservation efforts are seriously diminished. So, it becomes necessary for environmentalists to look at ways to recruit visitors to aid in preservation efforts. Old Fort Bayou in Ocean Springs, Mississippi is just such an example. There, the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain (LTMCP) has created the Old Fort Bayou Blueway. This trail for paddlers is a way to give conservation minded people a water level view of how conservation can integrate with outdoor recreation. LTMCP is working on this concept in other areas of coastal Mississippi, and I’ll highlight those efforts in the future.
Recently, thirty paddlers joined me on Old Fort Bayou. I happily led this excursion of first time paddlers and long time paddlers alike; from young to old. We witnessed the benefit of this beautiful resource from a personal and social perspective from our boats. The benefit of the personal experience came from the exercise, physically and mentally. Nothing pushes someone’s body to the limit quite like July heat in Mississippi. But at the end, the look of exhaustion on my fellow paddler’s faces was tempered by the great sense of accomplishment.
We all paddled to bring awareness to, and raise money for, Alzheimer’s research and support services. Many of the first-timers smiled at the idea of having completed the 10-mile trek, but to raise money and awareness for a good reason was cause for a smile on every face.
Our journey began at eight-o’clock on Saturday morning, July 10. We launched our boats heading east from mile marker number one. By mile marker two, the nervousness of some of our first time paddlers gave way to one of excitement as we spotted a pod of dolphins heading in the opposite direction towards the Bay of Biloxi. By miles four and five, the expressions were more along the lines of, “What have I gotten myself into?”
There were beautiful examples of coastal marsh flowers with butterflies all over them around markers seven and eight. At this point, the look of dread on some faces began to turn to one of determination. Upon crossing under the Interstate Ten Bridge, I settled into a turn in the bayou and one by one as tired boaters passed I informed them that our destination was right around the next bend. The reaction ranged from big smiles and sighs of relief to celebratory squeals and backslapping “attaboys”.
Paddlers landed boats and prepared to enjoy lunch. The adventure stories ensued, and all the range of emotions were in full display. It was obvious that my friends were hot, tired and hungry. But what was also obvious is that they had been nourished on the water in ways that only nature and its challenges provide.
Davis Bayou
Nothing tests new paddlers quite like open water. On day two of Lucy’s Revenge Kickoff Weekend, ten paddlers took on that challenge. This time, with the exception of me, my wife and youngest son, EVERY paddler was a newbie. Davis Bayou is protected from the Mississippi Sound by a single marsh to the south. But, choppy waters and surf from the west can cause some issues. Some of our boats didn’t quite have the length needed to deal with this very easily. But once across the bayou to the marsh a half-mile away, it became much easier for the paddlers with shorter boats to handle.
In no time at all the gulf breeze and the loosening of muscles had us all relaxed enough to carry on easy conversations. This was billed as a “fun paddle.” It could have just as easily been called the laid back paddle.
We traveled east alongside the grassy marsh until the bayou began closing in to a width of about a quarter mile before we crossed back to the north shore. Here, an uninhabited point loaded with ancient windswept live oaks, and endlessly circling gulls lulled me into forgetting how close civilization really is. Homes are a mere two-tenths of mile to the west. But, without being in view, it may as well be hundreds of miles. Paddling along the north shore, and further to the east the bayou narrows to fifty feet across. Here homes of all shapes and sizes show the challenge of coastal living. Decades of construction and destruction resulted in homes from different eras and styles standing in close proximity, from geo-domes to Spanish style haciendas to beach cottages.
We turned back and paddled the north shore to the mouth of the waterway entering Gulf Islands National Seashore. This is where we spotted the only dolphin pod for the day, but the second of the weekend. I allowed the paddlers to cross to East Beach and continue ahead, while I shot a short video. This trip was one that invited introspection and caused me to think this would be the best time to offer a recap of the weekend’s events.
After shooting a short video, I paddled hard and rode the wakes of a few fishing vessels to catch up with the other paddlers just before landing. We had put in another eight miles toward the cause.
Unlike the Old Fort Bayou trip this one offered the other side of the paddler’s coin: peace and tranquility. Such is paddling, and it sure as heck beats lying on the couch watching television.
Until next time…………………………..
Friday, July 16, 2010
Alzheimer’s Paddler To Be on Wolf River For 45-Mile Trek July 16-18
Flora, MS. July 16, 2010—Keith Plunkett, Mississippi paddler and organizer of Lucy’s Revenge, will be paddling his longest trek yet on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Plunkett, along with his wife Sharon, will launch south of the Wolf River Game Management Area outside of Poplarville today. The 45-mile trip will end at W. Wittman Road in Pass Christian just a mile upstream from St. Louis Bay on Sunday afternoon taking the kayaking couple through 4 coastal counties.
The effort will continue on Mississippi Gulf Coast Regions throughout July and August, before moving to the Eastern Region of the state in September.
The effort will continue on Mississippi Gulf Coast Regions throughout July and August, before moving to the Eastern Region of the state in September.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
SUN HERALD REPORTING: BP HAS STOPPED OIL FLOWING INTO GULF
NEW ORLEANS -- BP says oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April.
BP has been slowly dialing down the flow as part of a test on a new cap. Engineers are now monitoring the pressure to see if the busted well holds.
Sun Herald
BP has been slowly dialing down the flow as part of a test on a new cap. Engineers are now monitoring the pressure to see if the busted well holds.
Sun Herald
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
UMC to lead $26M Alzheimer's study
The University of Mississippi Medical Center is poised to become a world leader in Alzheimer's research.
UMC and four collaborating academic centers have received $26 million from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study to determine risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related forms of cognitive decline.
UMC will take the lead role in the study.
Also, UMC announced today the creation of a research center that will go along with the study.
"This puts the University of Mississippi Medical Center as one of the world leaders to deal with Alzheimer disease, dementia and memory loss," said Dr. James Keeton, UMC’s Dean of the School of Medicine.
The study will build on data collected from 16,000 individuals over 20 years to determine risk factors from heart disease and stroke.
Some things are already in place, but overall Alzheimer study is expected to kickoff May 2011.
Mostly private funds will be used to operate the new research center. A $9 million fund-raising campaign will go toward the effort.
Clarion Ledger
UMC and four collaborating academic centers have received $26 million from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study to determine risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related forms of cognitive decline.
UMC will take the lead role in the study.
Also, UMC announced today the creation of a research center that will go along with the study.
"This puts the University of Mississippi Medical Center as one of the world leaders to deal with Alzheimer disease, dementia and memory loss," said Dr. James Keeton, UMC’s Dean of the School of Medicine.
The study will build on data collected from 16,000 individuals over 20 years to determine risk factors from heart disease and stroke.
Some things are already in place, but overall Alzheimer study is expected to kickoff May 2011.
Mostly private funds will be used to operate the new research center. A $9 million fund-raising campaign will go toward the effort.
Clarion Ledger
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES TRIALMATCH. A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND CLINICAL TRIAL MATCHING SERVICE IN ALZHEIMER’S
Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatchTM Connects People with Alzheimer’s with Potentially Life-Altering Clinical Studies
July 12, 2010, Ridgeland, MS – The Alzheimer’s Association announced today the launch of Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatchTM, a confidential and free tool that provides comprehensive clinical trial information and an individualized trial matching service for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The Internet (www.alz.org/TrialMatch) and phone-based (800-272-3900) service debuted during the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Honolulu, HI.
As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with the disease, and every 70 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2010 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.
“Alzheimer’s disease is reaching epidemic proportions with devastating impact on families, and the potential to wreck Medicare, Medicaid and the health care system,” said William Thies, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The immediate need for advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention has led to an unprecedented need for clinical study participants. This, combined with challenges specific to recruitment and retention of participants with Alzheimer’s, has created a particularly difficult situation for the field. That’s why the Alzheimer’s Association has launched Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch.”
Recruiting and retaining participants for clinical studies is one of the greatest obstacles to developing the next generation of Alzheimer’s treatments, according to the National Institute on Aging.
“We’re looking to physicians to play a leadership role in referring their patients to clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Marilyn Albert, PhD, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and director of the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience. “As healthcare professionals, there is more we can do to help our patients post-diagnosis. By referring our current patients to trials, we offer access to potential cutting-edge treatments while unlocking the door to potentially more widely available treatments for people with Alzheimer’s in the future.”
No treatments are available to slow or stop the brain cell deterioration that occurs with Alzheimer’s. However, more than 100 clinical studies in Alzheimer’s and dementia are currently taking place and dozens more experimental compounds are moving from the laboratory to clinical testing.
“Families affected by Alzheimer’s need better diagnostic and treatment options now, and the lack of participants in clinical studies is a significant public health issue,” Dr. Thies said. “Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a powerful and user-friendly tool for people with Alzheimer’s, their healthcare professionals, caregivers, and healthy volunteers to learn about and take part in cutting-edge research going on right now. By volunteering for clinical studies, people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers can play a more active role in their own treatment while also contributing to scientific discovery and benefiting future generations. It is public service in the best possible sense.”
Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a “dementia friendlier” service than others in this space, with Web and phone support, specially trained staff, and tools developed with input from people with Alzheimer’s.
The strength of this Web- and national 800 line-based service is that Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch contains a comprehensive, constantly updated database of institutional review board-approved Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment and other dementia trials taking place across the U.S. Specialists at the Alzheimer’s Association’s national Contact Center – available 24-hours a day – assist in the process of matching individuals to clinical trials for which they are eligible based on study inclusion/exclusion criteria, diagnosis, treatment history and location. The technology and platform for Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is provided by EmergingMed.
Alzheimer’s Association Contact Center specialists will not recommend any particular clinical trial but will describe all studies for which the person is eligible. They will answer questions about the trial process and connect individuals with trial sites based on their unique profile. Patients and caregivers will be encouraged to share their trial matches with their healthcare professionals to help decide whether a clinical trial is appropriate.
Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch can be accessed at www.alz.org/TrialMatch or by calling toll-free, (800) 272-3900.
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research, with a vision of a world without Alzheimer’s. The mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, visit www.alz.org.
July 12, 2010, Ridgeland, MS – The Alzheimer’s Association announced today the launch of Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatchTM, a confidential and free tool that provides comprehensive clinical trial information and an individualized trial matching service for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The Internet (www.alz.org/TrialMatch) and phone-based (800-272-3900) service debuted during the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Honolulu, HI.
As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with the disease, and every 70 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2010 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.
“Alzheimer’s disease is reaching epidemic proportions with devastating impact on families, and the potential to wreck Medicare, Medicaid and the health care system,” said William Thies, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The immediate need for advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention has led to an unprecedented need for clinical study participants. This, combined with challenges specific to recruitment and retention of participants with Alzheimer’s, has created a particularly difficult situation for the field. That’s why the Alzheimer’s Association has launched Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch.”
Recruiting and retaining participants for clinical studies is one of the greatest obstacles to developing the next generation of Alzheimer’s treatments, according to the National Institute on Aging.
“We’re looking to physicians to play a leadership role in referring their patients to clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Marilyn Albert, PhD, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and director of the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience. “As healthcare professionals, there is more we can do to help our patients post-diagnosis. By referring our current patients to trials, we offer access to potential cutting-edge treatments while unlocking the door to potentially more widely available treatments for people with Alzheimer’s in the future.”
No treatments are available to slow or stop the brain cell deterioration that occurs with Alzheimer’s. However, more than 100 clinical studies in Alzheimer’s and dementia are currently taking place and dozens more experimental compounds are moving from the laboratory to clinical testing.
“Families affected by Alzheimer’s need better diagnostic and treatment options now, and the lack of participants in clinical studies is a significant public health issue,” Dr. Thies said. “Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a powerful and user-friendly tool for people with Alzheimer’s, their healthcare professionals, caregivers, and healthy volunteers to learn about and take part in cutting-edge research going on right now. By volunteering for clinical studies, people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers can play a more active role in their own treatment while also contributing to scientific discovery and benefiting future generations. It is public service in the best possible sense.”
Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a “dementia friendlier” service than others in this space, with Web and phone support, specially trained staff, and tools developed with input from people with Alzheimer’s.
The strength of this Web- and national 800 line-based service is that Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch contains a comprehensive, constantly updated database of institutional review board-approved Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment and other dementia trials taking place across the U.S. Specialists at the Alzheimer’s Association’s national Contact Center – available 24-hours a day – assist in the process of matching individuals to clinical trials for which they are eligible based on study inclusion/exclusion criteria, diagnosis, treatment history and location. The technology and platform for Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is provided by EmergingMed.
Alzheimer’s Association Contact Center specialists will not recommend any particular clinical trial but will describe all studies for which the person is eligible. They will answer questions about the trial process and connect individuals with trial sites based on their unique profile. Patients and caregivers will be encouraged to share their trial matches with their healthcare professionals to help decide whether a clinical trial is appropriate.
Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch can be accessed at www.alz.org/TrialMatch or by calling toll-free, (800) 272-3900.
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research, with a vision of a world without Alzheimer’s. The mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, visit www.alz.org.
It's just now becomes "official," but she's been UNofficially working for several months
Patty Dunn has been recognized for her role as the new executive director of Alzheimer's Mississippi. But despite what the news blurb would lead you to believe, she's been on the job for a while now. Patty, along with development director Ian Macdonald, has played a key role in helping us get Lucy's Revenge off the ground. Congratulations on being recognized, Patty . . . even if it is a little late.
Rankin County Ledger
Resident tapped to lead Alzheimer's group
Brandon resident Patty Dunn is the new executive director of Alzheimer's Mississippi.
Dunn officially took the post as the chapter opened its new Ridgeland office.
Patty has served as the chapter's state operations director for the past five years. She earned a bachelor's in accounting from Texas Christian University and a master's in business administration from Millsaps College.
Rankin County Ledger
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thanks to everyone for making Kickoff Weekend a huge success!
Special thanks to Camellia Home Health and Hospice for being a Gold Level Sponsor, and to the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain for their conservation work and providing such an excellent resource for paddlers on Old Fort Bayou. Also, a big thank you to Gulf Hills Resort and Hotel for providing such incredible hospitality, and The Shed BBQ Joint for helping us end the paddle with some excellent grub. Finally, thanks go to South Coast Paddling Company. Melissa Johnson was available to take my call anytime over the weekend, and Paul Nettles did an excellent job giving our first time paddlers a quick lesson and shuttled us anywhere we needed to be.
To my friends at the Alzheimer's Association, thank you for the support, we're off to an excellent start! Next up: 35 miles on the Wolf River July 16-18. Details will be available soon.
Miles traveled in July: 18
Miles Traveled this Region: 18
Total Miles Traveled: 18
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Little "Refocusing" Before I Get Started
In her book Rowing To Latitude, Jill Fredston wrote of her adventures rowing in some of the most beautiful, challenging and isolated places in the world. She writes that she has received comments from well-wishers about how nice it must be to get out away from it all so she could "think". Fredston's reply? A shrug.
People who don't put themselves in the position to experience it simply can't understand. Going "off-grid" is not about thinking about anything in particular. It's about responding. Responding to weather, to conditions, and yes, even thoughts. But, those thoughts about the office and whether you left the iron on disappear quickly. What is left is a life minus the baggage, minus the background noise. You're left with what matters.
It was the uncertainty that had to be dealt with that mattered most at that moment. Little lessons are everywhere when you are forced by necessity to learn them. We found a beautiful and secluded sandbar just in time to make camp. Just as the uncertainty was immediate, so was the joy of having come through it in time to set up camp before dark. Nothing can be more scary or more rewarding than immediate feedback from a decision. You can't put it off, and you can't pretend it's not there.
Earlier in the day it mattered not one bit that my boss may have come into the office over the weekend and saw that I had left a huge mess behind my desk while working on case files. As I, my wife and my two sons explored a shaded and quiet creek that fed into Black Creek, and I watched the wonder on my boys faces from their canoe I was thinking, "nothing else matters." Later, as I watched them laughing and joking with one another while splashing from a rope swing I was thinking, "my family is a gift from God."
People who don't put themselves in the position to experience it simply can't understand. Going "off-grid" is not about thinking about anything in particular. It's about responding. Responding to weather, to conditions, and yes, even thoughts. But, those thoughts about the office and whether you left the iron on disappear quickly. What is left is a life minus the baggage, minus the background noise. You're left with what matters.
It mattered little to me late Sunday afternoon whether I had returned all phone calls at the office Friday. I had made a snap decision to leave Cypress Creek Campgrounds and return to the waters of Black Creek, and my worries were a little more pressing. Forty Five minutes of paddling and the trees were beginning to shade out the afternoon sun. My wife was behind me in a kayak, and between us were my two sons in a canoe. We were all loaded with gear for the weekend that had to be unloaded and assembled. I couldn't find a sandbar to make camp, and I was thinking, "STUPID! You had a bird in the hand and you were looking for the one in the bush."
It was the uncertainty that had to be dealt with that mattered most at that moment. Little lessons are everywhere when you are forced by necessity to learn them. We found a beautiful and secluded sandbar just in time to make camp. Just as the uncertainty was immediate, so was the joy of having come through it in time to set up camp before dark. Nothing can be more scary or more rewarding than immediate feedback from a decision. You can't put it off, and you can't pretend it's not there.
Earlier in the day it mattered not one bit that my boss may have come into the office over the weekend and saw that I had left a huge mess behind my desk while working on case files. As I, my wife and my two sons explored a shaded and quiet creek that fed into Black Creek, and I watched the wonder on my boys faces from their canoe I was thinking, "nothing else matters." Later, as I watched them laughing and joking with one another while splashing from a rope swing I was thinking, "my family is a gift from God."Whatever mental filing or head-work needed to organize a persons hustle and bustle life, it has been my experience that out on the water is not the place to do it. I simply can't. There's too much else to think about. Being on the water strips things down to the bare, meaningful essentials. There is plenty of time for thought, plenty of time for discussion, plenty of time for prayer and meditation. But, no time for false worries, or self imposed problems. It's time for refocusing away from such things.
I begin a journey on July 10, 2010. It is a journey that I believe was God-given. It was inspired by one of the most influential people in my life. It is to honor her memory, her Faith, and her example. The idea came to me while on the water, while nature had me, and was refocusing me.
A years worth of paddling as many Mississippi waterways as I can get my boat in will take a toll on the false worries and the self imposed problems. Even though I hope my family will be there as often as possible, it will no doubt lead to tensions with them, too. But, I know it is the right thing to do.
"I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" —Philippians 3:12
It was only fitting that I use the Independence Day Weekend to get my head right before starting the Alzheimer's project this week. With the press releases, the interviews, the marketing to sponsors, and the organizing, I needed to remember why I was doing it and what this is all about. Where exactly this will take me I don't know. But, I know where it's headed, and I know why.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Ocean Springs to reopen beaches (Updated 5:40 p.m.)
OCEAN SPRINGS - The city has rescinded its closure of Front Beach and East Beach after being told by MDEQ officials that matter washing ashore was not oil.
Earlier today, gooey globs of what appeared to be weathered oil and tar balls washed ashore on portions of Front Beach and East Beach.
By late afternoon, Moran said the oily orange mousse had made it to shore, prompting city leaders to close the area but they reversed the decision after learning the mousse-like substance was not oil.
The Sun Herald
Earlier today, gooey globs of what appeared to be weathered oil and tar balls washed ashore on portions of Front Beach and East Beach.
By late afternoon, Moran said the oily orange mousse had made it to shore, prompting city leaders to close the area but they reversed the decision after learning the mousse-like substance was not oil.
The Sun Herald
UPDATE On Conditions In Ocean Springs
I've spoken with someone with the City of Ocean Springs today, and it appears that oil has made its way to the mouth of Davis Bayou. I am headed to the coast tomorrow afternoon and hope to meet with city officials and will get a look for myself. This is NOT expected to affect the Old Fort Bayou area at this time, and it is comforting to note that both Mayor Moran and Governor Haley Barbour are ramping up efforts to protect Biloxi Bay. Once I have a clear update on the conditions in Davis Bayou, I will let everyone know.
I hope to speak with Melissa at South Coast Paddling and find a suitable Sunday afternoon paddle for those who were planning to stay and paddle with us the second day. But, please note, as of now this does NOT affect our Saturday paddle.
Stay Tuned
I hope to speak with Melissa at South Coast Paddling and find a suitable Sunday afternoon paddle for those who were planning to stay and paddle with us the second day. But, please note, as of now this does NOT affect our Saturday paddle.
Stay Tuned
Ocean Springs closes front beach
OCEAN SPRINGS - Effective immediately, the city of Ocean Springs is closing Front Beach and East Beach as a result of an orange oil mousse that has come ashore, Mayor Connie Moran said.
Gooey globs of weathered oil and tar balls washed ashore on portions of Front Beach and East Beach this morning.
By late afternoon, Moran said the oily orange mousse had made it to shore, prompting city leaders to close the area.
The beachfront walkways remain open, she said.
Sun Herald
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