'Anybody can run on a fine day'

Despite the set backs, regardless of the obstacles, and in the face of what almost feels like systemic, organised resistance Stacy and I have finally found a good non-chain breakfast restaurant. Oh yeah!

The Stone House Cafe is a top notch little restaurant with great food, relaxed garden style setting and apparently divinely inspired customers.

After having a great meal there last week, this morning we headed back out to the cafe with Deb for a Sunday morning breakfast. Excellent. After we sat down and ordered we noticed a couple of blokes who had finished their meal a few tables over. I noticed them because the waiter said "hang loose and enjoy the shade fellas". Sweet US vocab.

We ordered and enjoyed, relaxed, slowly savoured our meal and soaked up the excellent Sunday morning - being outside has become an appreciated novelty for us after nearly two months sitting in the clinic getting treated.

After we had finished eating one of the blokes from the 'hang loose' table made his way over to our table and asked if he could sit down. Jeff introduced himself and said that he noticed that Stacy is a bit ill at the moment. Jeff is a 50 year old Reno local who works as a photographer. He has eyeglasses and likes to wear a baseball hat on his Sunday morning.

While talking to Jeff we found out that he had Lyme disease and ten years ago he experienced a range of symptoms similar to Stacy's current condition. He said that he saw us walk in and it reminded him of the way he used to walk around. He lost his voice and his ability to swallow effectively at the height of his symptoms.

This morning Jeff was a healthy looking and highly functioning breakfast eating human. He really wanted to come over and tell Stacy that she needs to continue fighting, believing and participating in her treatment. She can get her solution and she can be healthy again. Jeff was a marathon runner and a firefighter and he said during his illness his mantra became that "anybody can run on a fine day". I took this to mean that its the people who keep running when the wind blows up and the rain sets in who make a difference in the world. Jeff told Stacy that its not firemen who follow their training and fight fires who are heroes, its Stacy who keeps battling everyday, and insists on living her life and eating her cafe breakfast who is a hero.

It really was a divine experience for us. We are very grateful to Jeff for coming over and injecting himself and his story into our day.

As we were walking back to the car Stacy said to me "Maybe that was God saying shut up and start believing". Meeting Jeff was a great influence on Stacy and gave a real boost to all of us as we move towards the next phase of our treatment.

Great breakfast. Loved it. Independent restaurants people, the way forward.

Thanks for all the love,

Mike and Stacy