The Excuses We Believe Are True

I have always felt like I've had an impediment in my life that keeps me from doing things others do.

When I was eight, I was diagnosed with severe asthma. Almost every other Christmas break I spent time in the hospital because my asthma presented complications when I inevitably brought home pneumonia from the holiday party at school. For any other kid, a light case of pneumonia looks like a common cold, but for me, I was gasping for breath and couldn't walk for lack of breathing. My friends would always keep an eye on me to make sure if I was just tired or if my wheezing was so harsh they would need to get my parents or a teacher. When I was in my early twenties, medication finally became available to get my asthma under control, but in the time before that, I kept my physical activity to a minimum and I think I missed out on a lot of the fun stuff kids can do with youth.

When I went to college, I gained the obligatory freshman fifteen my first year. And my second. And so on and so forth. I didn't start thinking about my health until it was too late and I was well over "normal" weight. I didn't feel like I could do anything to reverse it because there was so much to reverse.

When I was 24, I had my aneurysm treated. My husband called me a delicate flower, and although I hated that such a small thing in my brain could suddenly make me "delicate," I believed him. I moved slowly through life for a while, not wanting to bring on a dizzy spell. I had to have regular check ups because it was possible... no, likely that I would have recurring aneurysms. Knowing the outcome of what a ruptured aneurysm could do, I lived my life halfway, never fully committing to anything that might break the delicate flower.

In 2011 I gave birth to the first of two little miracles in my life. Everyone told me how much being a parent changes your life and I believed them. But you never really understand how much you sacrifice for your children until you're in that situation. And I sacrifice more than I should. I have a very hard time thinking that I am important enough and that I should do things for ME. In everything, my family comes first.

These are the reasons I don't do things. These are my excuses. I have been using these excuses my whole life for why I can't... or shouldn't... or won't. But whatever truths lie in these excuses, they remain lies I tell myself to keep my world simple and stress free. (Or at least as stress free as it can be.) I know I lie to myself with my excuses and I know I need to stop, but another excuse lends itself to try to truth itself into my story.



I am not a delicate flower. I am a strong warrior.
I am not a victim. I am a survivor.
I am stronger than my excuses.



I have been focusing on ME a lot this past year, reclaiming the life that I've always wanted for myself. And on Sunday October 11, 2015, I crossed off one of my to dos that I've been using every one of these excuses to keep from doing. I ran my first 5K race. I've been wanting to run one for years, but, excuses.

This one touched my heart. This was the Brain Bolt 5K in Indianapolis, IN. The money raised from this event would benefit Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine for aneurysm awareness, screening, and support. So I signed up and set a moderate fundraising goal for myself, $150. But my friends and family believed in me. They believed in what I have overcome and what I could do.With the overwhelming support they showed, I was able to raise $500 for the cause!

I did it, excuses be damned. I finished the race with a time of 40:10. I was the first survivor to finish the race. I kicked the excuses and found the reasons that I could... I should... I will.

Special Thanks to my donors!
Margaret "Cioc" Mrozek
Adele "Mom" Mrozek
Thomas "Dad" Mrozek
Popabilities Gourmet Popcorn
The Maksl/Petrina Family
Terri Connolly
The Copeland Family
Mandi Hutchins
The King Family
Cheryl Marsh
Katie Walz
Rebecca Hitt
Meghan McGuire