Jessica the Marathon Runner

    
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JESSICA THE MARATHON RUNNER…..

 By Joyce “redbird” McEntire

Oklahoma Mastocytosis Support Leader

 

Jessica came to the Oklahoma Support Team in 2003.  She had just been diagnosed with Mastocytosis.  Even though Jessica worked in the medical field she was not familiar with this “word”.  She came to the support group looking for tools to help.  She soon found that “knowledge” was the very best tool she could have.  Jessica is a tiny lady and she had dark circles under her eyes.  She had lost weight and for her this was not good.  She soon discovered that her office had mold.  Finally her office was moved into another little building outside the main office.  She also went to her doctor with knowledge and slowly Jessica got better.  Now if you ever get to meet her she is a small bundle of energy, hopes and dreams. 

 

As Jessica got better her plans got bigger.  She decided that she wanted to run a marathon in honor of her nephew that had died shortly after birth.  She decided that she wanted to run in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in his honor. So in 2003 she began the process of training.  Yes it was hard and there were days she did not think she could go on.  But knowing that she could possibly be the first woman with Mastocytosis to run in a marathon she pressed on. Jessica had a lot of hills to climb.  One of those, she needed to find a team that would let her train with them and of course with her determination she found that team. So Jessica trained long and hard as much as her health would allow.

 

On the day of the race in 2004 she visited the grave of her nephew and prayed for strength.  She ask her nephew to send an angel to run with her and then left for the race.

Now that year Jessica had lots of folks helping her.  It was known that Jessica might have problems on the race route.  All kinds of help were offered and Jessica even had a reporter who interviewed her about Masto.  Firemen rode bikes along side of her to be sure she did not need Epi.  But the thing that Jessica remembers most is a lady at the starting line.  This lady she did not know but the lady spoke to her.  During the race this lady ran right behind Jessica.  When Jessica thought she could not go another step this lady would encourage her.  She kept telling Jessica that she could do it, she could do it.  Jessica knew that she would not be able to finish the 26 mile race but her goal was to run 9 miles. When she crossed that finish line she tried to find the lady but she was not to be found.  Could this have been the “angel” that she needed and her nephew had sent?  We will never know.

 

So Jessica reached her goal of the first woman to run in a marathon.  What will she do next?  With her goals firmly in mind she now decides that this year (2005) she will run the Memorial Marathon to the half way mark…13 miles.  Now I will tell you that she also plans to be able to run the whole race…all of the 26 miles in the future.  And knowing Jessica she will.  Jessica is also hoping to run in the “Marine Corps Marathon” in October of this year.  My understanding is this race is in Washington D.C.  We will offer her our support and hope that this dream will also come true.

 

Jessica has given Mastocytosis lots of publicity here in Oklahoma and we thank her for that.  This year again she was interviewed  by one of the large Television  Stations in Oklahoma as well as an interview with our large state paper The Oklahoman.  Below is the article that appeared on Friday April 25.

UPDATE…

I just spoke to Jessica. She made the whole 13.2 miles.    During the first mile Dr. Coniglione, who was the doctor for the race ran with her.  He was encouraging her as she was really having a rough time. She told me that the first four miles was really hard but the EMTs stayed right with her.  She also did another Television interview and was able to again talk about Mastocytosis.  She wants me to let all of you know that she will see you On October 30 at the Marine Corps Marathon and she will run the entire race.

 

WOMAN TO SET MARK AT MARATHON

By Justin Harper, Staff Writer

 

There is a lot about this disease that remains a mystery to Jessica.  One thing she knows for certain is this: heat, physical exertion and being outdoors in spring are to be avoided when you have it.

That rules out a lot of things.

Apparently, running a marathon is not one of them.

For most with systemic mastocytosis, just running down the street is hazardous.  Attempting to run long distances, well, that could kill you.

“I think running saved me.”  Jessica said.  “It’s hard to explain.  But there’s something about running. I feel free. Like electricity is running through my body.  It’s become something very important to me.”

Jessica, a 29-year-old psychotherapist from Oklahoma City, will take another step toward her ultimate goal of completing a 26.2-mile marathon when she takes part in the inaugural half marathon Sunday at the fifth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

In doing so, Jessica will run right through a barrier.

“There is no record of a woman who has been diagnosed with mastocytosis running a marathon or a half marathon.” Said Jessica, who researched the topic through the International Mastocytosis Society.  There is one man, from South Africa, and he and Jessica have been in touch.  But for ladies: “No woman anywhere in the world has ever done this.”

There is a reason.  Mastocytosis causes a person’s body to release histamine from the slightest provocation.  Histamine causes inflammation and contraction of muscle tissue.

It can also cause massive amounts of histamine to be released in the body resulting in shock or death if not treated immediately with epinephrine, an emergency treatment for severe allergies.

While things such as airborne pollen and mold can induce allergies, in the average person, all kinds of foreign substances can cause a severe allergic reaction and extremely dangerous drop in blood pressure for those with mastocytosis.  Jessica for example once had her throat close up on her just from heavy cologne on a man nearby.

“I don’t know what all my triggers are,” Jessica said.  “But physical activity and heat are generally two of the worst.”

So, how exactly, will she pull off Sunday’s 13.1 run?  First there’s the two and a half years of training Jessica has endured.  Second, a nurse carrying an Epi-Pen an auto-injector that administers epinephrine will ride behind her on the course.

Mastocytosis is a rare disease.  Only 20,000 people nationwide have been diagnosed with it and just 60 in Oklahoma.

“And finding a way to live with it is so important because there is no cure,” said Joyce McEntire, who heads up the Oklahoma Mastocytosis Society support group.  “You have to find a way to live with it, because for most of us, we’re not going to get better.”

So Jessica, who also is diabetic, turned to running.  And it wasn’t easy.  For starters she primarily has to train indoors and must have someone nearby with an epi-pen.  Then, aside form the normal rigors of running; Jessica has to deal with dizziness, severe shortness of breath and vomiting.

“It’s something to note that Jessica is able to run,” McEntire said. “A lot of people with mastocytosis are not.  Their bodies just won’t let them.”

Sometimes, neither will parents.

“I had to lie to my family about it,” Jessica said.  “They didn’t want me to risk trying to run.  So, I told them that I wasn’t.

“But I’d rather die running than die hiding.”

“She’s an inspiration for anyone who has mastocytosis,” McEntire said.  “Not just our support group in Oklahoma, but the whole world.

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