Dave Ryan - Think Before You Speak

Originally Written:  Oct. 20, 2009

Vol. 1, Issue 8

Dear Friends,

Earlier this month [Oct. 2009] an on air radio personality, Dave Ryan, Twittered a comment that "People With Fibromyalgia Should be Shot". I would like to stress that he has since apologized; however, I have developed an unexpected resolve to bringing awareness to FMS and other invisible illnesses. I hope to help educate the healthy world how these diseases can impact a person’s life. So, in this blog I have included a copy of my email response to him, as well as two links, one is to Jen Reynolds' video response to Dave Ryan and Clear Channel Communications, as well as a link to my video, which exposes my story to the world.

Let's just hope that more people are compassionate and understanding and I don't find myself shot the next time I leave a plane! My last flight was horrific and I had to be helped down the skyway.

On a side note - Dave, thank you for the apology. I should also thank you for bringing attention to a disease that is so commonly misunderstood. Perhaps now people will think twice when they hear the word Fibromyalgia, and instead of scoffing, they will stop and be thankful for their blessings of good health.

In that regard, here are the links to the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLsqxImKI5c
(Jen's video)


and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNKj7hmTgX8
(my video response)

Finally, this is my personal email to Dave Ryan.

Dear Dave,

I would like to share a little about myself with you. I've heard a lot about you and thought maybe you should learn a little about me.

I'm presently a member of an all ladies drill team. Well, to be more specific, I'm a small part of a 2 time/back to back National Championship Drill team. My son is a member of their Advanced Youth team, which also won the Youth National Championship this last June in Tyler, TX. 

Since I cannot ride hard on back-to-back days because of my health, in fairness to the team I have chosen to provide ground support at large competitions and I ride with the team in parades to help raise money for the trips to competitions. I'm always there in the background, providing support to all the ladies who have accomplished what no other drill team has EVER done.
Three weeks ago, my son and I rode a 16 mile trail ride fundraiser called "Hooves for the Cure" to raise funds for breast cancer research. There would be two different groups, a two hour ride and a five hour ride. We took the long ride. We were told to go 16 miles in 5 hours we would have to "trot" a little. Well, that was an understatement. We had to flat out lope and gallop a large portion of the ride. We started out with 38, many dropped out in the middle, but not me, not my son. We stayed and rode the whole 16 miles, walk, trot or gallop. I was going to finish it for the memory of a former drill team member, in fact the horse I ride once belonged to her before she died from cancer the year I joined. Also, we rode for a former co-worker who survived breast cancer twice and now is 10 years down the road and still cancer free. We rode fast and hard, the greatest way to ride! I loved every moment of it and let myself feel the freedom of riding across the countryside with the wind in my hair. At the moment I felt truly alive, free, and perhaps pure joy.

All the while on this trail ride, I was thinking wouldn't it be nice if something like this was done for research of FMS/CFS/Lupus? All the invisible illnesses that we still don't know how to cure?
You need to know even more about me. I am a survivor as well. Not of breast cancer, but I have survived a serious car accident that took everything away from me in 2002. I had a severe neck injury and now I have a plate fused in my neck. I thought once I was done with that surgery I could get back to living, but that wasn’t the case. There was this disease that I had no knowledge of. Two years later, I developed FMS as a result of that devastating auto wreck. I lost almost everything, my career, my health, my friendships at that time.
I rebuilt a new life in it's place. That's when I first met the Rangerettes and began to pursue my passion for horses. If you see me on a plane, you won't know I have FMS. But if you want to say 'hi" or exchange a smile or kind word, you can recognize me by my western boots and the Championship belt buckle I may be wearing. The buckle was given to me by my teammates out of appreciation for my hard work and support at the competition. Even they did not know I have FMS until this year.
I'm not going to slam you for your comments. I just wanted to put a face on the disorder. We all say things in the heat of the moment without thinking.
Were you thinking? Will you think now? Please, please help us turn this into something positive for the millions of FMS survivors who are NOT as fortunate as me. Who did not get the care they need or are lost and don't know where to turn. We need to raise awareness in a positive way. Can you help us with that?
Would you care to?
Please think of me often. I'll be the one riding the big black horse, knowing that tomorrow I'll pay for it, but living life in that moment.
Thanks, Dave.
Sincerely,


R. Dinse



To all my readers, I hope that this finds you well and looking forward to a blessed holiday season. If you take anything away from this blog, please let it be empathy and compassion for others. We can't know someone's circumstances unless we are walking in their shoes.

Blessings to you all!


Bobbie© Robynn “Bobbie” Dinse / Bobbie’s World Blogs

Please note that this short story is copyrighted and should not be reprinted in any form without permission from the author.  

Feel free to link to "Bobbie's World Blogs"

Thank you!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNKj7hmTgX8

Horses, Friends, Teammates and Dedication. Our USEDC Success Story

Originally Written:  July 22, 2009

Vol. 1, Issue 7

Welcome back, Everyone! 

I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer!  I’ve been away from my writing lately as I’ve been out of town and recovering from our exciting trip to the United States Equestrian Drill Competition - the National Championships held near Lindale, Texas.

Since the beginning of February, our team members have braved freezing temps, walked through pastures to catch horses in sub-freezing wind chills, loaded them before we changed our minds, then headed to some nearby arena, (hopefully indoors) to get to drill practices so we would be “up to speed” for Nationals. Eventually, Old Man Winter would say his goodbyes and the cold wind would give way to high heat, humidity and sunburn.  Our ever-faithful horses performed like troopers.  They probably adjusted faster to the changes and the physical demands with far less complaints than we did.

Cold temperatures are my worst enemy since my diagnoses with FMS.  There were some practices that all I could do was sit in the chair with a blanket and pray that when I got back up, my muscles would actually do what I told them to do.  Riding in those temperatures for me was out of the question.  Those times were strictly for Peyton and done out of love for him.  I would watch my son ride from the sidelines.  On these cold practice days, I would pay dearly the next day.  The knowledge of hot temperatures just around the corner kept my hope alive and I persevered.

Why do I put my body through this?  Well that’s easy.  I love my son dearly and I would do anything I could for him.  I have a deep passion for horses and have all of my life.  Truth be told, I love this team.  Some of the members are so dear to my heart I couldn’t even begin to tell them how I feel.  I just don’t have the words.   So I keep that inside, like a safe treasure only for me to hold.  Many of the veterans of this team I consider mentors, not just to me, but true examples for new riders of all ages.

This year there was a lot of excitement, new friendships were made and great times were had.  While there have been groundbreaking changes and thrilling successes, it hasn’t been an easy year by any means.  It has been hard for many of the people on the team.  Some members have been overworked, some are riding with injuries, and all of us were struggling with our children's church programs, school schedules and conflicts with performance schedules.  There were times when tempers were short, but the teams pulled together as always, to do what they do best, ride the drill.

I joined our drill team in 2005 when I was invited to ride in a parade late in the season. I loved it so much that the next year I purchased my horse and continued riding with the team in parades when I could.  It was that next season that Peyton also fell in love with my horse Filly and with a little encouragement he joined the youth drill team.  It only took one practice and he was hooked, just like his mom.

Since I rode in that first parade, there have been many changes in our club.  I have watched a team that was struggling to get enough people to win parades, loose a few teammates, and then come back strong the next season with 10, then 12 drill riders, and as of now we have 16 official riders, with several riders lined up eager to fill backup positions in a moments notice.  We have had to turn people away because there just has not been the room. 

We have also had fabulous blessings.  This team was the first ever to win two back-to-back National Championships.  In addition, the team won three consecutive Rodeo Division 1st Place Titles, and two consecutive Ride of Champions, quest for the SuperCup wins!   We have come a long way in those five years.  A team once severed almost in two, pulled together and came back stronger than ever.   Why?  I think it’s love and respect.  Love for the horses, love for the drill.  Respect for each other.  I believe that is the secret to the success of this team.  They rise and fall TOGETHER!

We added a youth team last year so our kids could ride instead of sit and watch their mothers and grandmothers compete.  They did well that first year with 8 members at Nationals and 10 at Regionals.  All along there would be sacrifices.  Equipment is expensive, uniforms and hats are costly, gas was almost $4.50 a gallon and pulling a trailer full of horses all over the country doesn’t get you the best gas mileage.  There were hotel rooms to pay for, stall fees, shavings and in some cases you had to pay just to get in to the event you were riding.  Meals on the road add up and take a chunk out of your pocket book.  But, every child deserves something to pursue.  I loved every moment I spent with my family as we drove to events and watched performances.  I did a little riding myself.  Last year I carried the team flag during grand entry at a local rodeo and had the time of my life.

This season [2009], we have been blessed with so many eager young children that we were able to put together a youth novice team of 8 and a youth advanced team of 12.  These children are the future of drill.  They will be the ones who keep the sport alive when we are too old and broken to perform at such a demanding level.

Our Novice team came in an impressive 3rd place at Nationals.  The Advanced Youth team captured the Advanced Youth Division Championship that eluded them last year by only a few points.  There were tears of joy, exhaustion and pride from both parents and children.  This is a family sport and by the time you get this far into competition, well, you become somewhat of a family.  I’ll never forget the smiles on the little faces of the 7 year old girls as they proudly carried their ribbons to mom and dad.  I still tear up when I see the three ribbons won by my son’s team, and I think of all the other teams that worked just as hard and are just as deserving of that respect.

While I would have loved to ride with these wonderful ladies on the adult team, I know that my disease will not be conducive to this sport.   That is okay with me.   It was in the beginning and it still is okay.  It’s okay for the same reasons.  Love.  Love for the horses and the sport.  I’m perfectly content to ride my horse on my own and enjoy the parades. I cheer the team on from the sidelines, just as the rest of the families do, and I love it just as much.  I also get tremendous joy out of assisting the team as part of their ground crew.  From water, to holding horses, to switching out tack, you name it I’m there to help out!  I want these teams to succeed!  If I can help in some small part, it is my honor for these wonderful families.

It is my hope that someday my disease will somehow be put in check so I can compete and enjoy that same thrill and excitement of success.  But, until that time comes, there is enough love in my heart to go around and be thrilled for all those out there giving their best and leaving their heart and soul out there in the arena dirt!

See you all next year!

Bobbie

[Writer’s note:  As of June 2011, the ladies team has won the Ride of Champions three out of the four years it has been in existence.   They hold three Division 1 National Titles and 3 Rodeo Division Championships.  The youth team returned to capture the Advanced Youth Division 6 Championship again in 2010.   The new youth team, a mixture of a few advanced and a few very young riders received ribbons and placed very well considering the age and experience they have had.]

© Robynn “Bobbie” Dinse / Bobbie’s World Blogs

Please note that this short story is copyrighted and should not be reprinted in any form without permission from the author.   

Feel free to link to “"Bobbie's World Blogs"

Thank you!