Amy Adamy

I am now creeping closer and closer to the 48 hour marker of when I board the plane to head to Ghana (finishing my Master’s in Public Health for those playing catch up). I have a list of things to still accomplish before I go, but as people continue to come talk to me, to wish me well and give their best, I realized I needed to give a background on the trip and where I’m going a bit better.

During one of my Master’s courses, I listened to what I have to believe is the best Ted talk I’ve heard to date (listen here). It talks about the idea and danger of a single story. What’s a single story? A single story is when you only know one story of something, apply it to the broad idea and miss out on a critical understanding. You miss the richness and depth that can be waiting in the details. This has proven to be very true for people about “Africa.”

What I’ve learned from telling people that I’m going to Ghana is most don’t even know where it is. So let’s start there:

Upon my explanation that it’s in Africa, people immediately jump to their single story of what an entire continent looks like, usually a combination of this:

Believe me when I say I’d love nothing more than to be in that safari truck with those people snapping photos of that beautiful elephant, but NONE of those things represent where I’ll be or what I’m doing. Mud huts, war, disease riddled-starving babies and exotic animals DO exist in parts of the CONTINENT (because let’s remember it’s NOT a country), to say otherwise would be unfair. And it’s likely I’ll cross paths with someone whose in worse health than me, maybe even a hungry or sick child, but this should not be representative of the entire population.

It breaks my heart that a land full of such diverse culture is generalized as “bad” because it’s different than our Western traditions. All of Africa gets jammed together by this single story of war and terrorism, and poverty, and animals we only know from zoos. But if we dare to challenge our pre-existing beliefs, maybe we’ll learn there’s more to the people there than initially meets the eye. Perhaps will be invited to learn their depth.

So back to Ghana. I’ve heard Ghana be called “Africa light,” as it’s one of the most Westernized nations with one of the most stable economies in all of Africa. I’ve used this comparison to ease the fears of many loved ones, though to little avail. The capital of Ghana is Accra, where I’ll fly into and home from, and where we’ll spend a portion of our time at. Many are surprised to learn they have a mall (that one person said was nicer than Meridian for those local Lansing folk), and even an Apple store (anyone need a Mac while I’m there?). Most of my time will be spent in Larteh (pronounced like your Starbucks order), where I’ll be doing research on water and sanitation. The village is situated in the mountains, and I’m hopeful I’ll get the chance to do some running and see a landscape different than what I’m used to here at home.

I am likely not to share many pictures while I’m gone, but with good reason. This trip is less about me standing, smiling in a picture in front of something showing I’ve been there. This trip is for me to learn and grow and develop my public health skills. I am not a super hero in a cape coming to save the people of Ghana, and so they shouldn’t be treated or represented as such. Here’s a good, quick article with more detail why our group won’t be posting selfie after selfie. Regardless, I still want to tell this story because it needs to be heard.

These ramblings all have a point, and it’s to worry less about me and more about your concerns and your single story. If you don’t know about an area, don’t generalize it. Ask questions. Google. Dig deeper. Challenge your beliefs.

Here’s an example. Think of how different cultures are in Jersey and Los Angeles. People live very different lives, with different ideals and different values. Their accents are different, and so are their fashion styles. The same is true for Africa. So why shove Ghana and other areas of Africa that are so different from one another into the same sphere, just because they all fall into the category of “Africa?”

Africa is BIG. Like, this big:

Think if we generalized all of these nations into one “idea” because they were geographically comparable. Imagine how much culture we would lose out on. Chinese food suddenly becomes the same as Spanish, Indian and Japanese. So why classify all of “Africa” this way?

Do I expect to be challenged while I’m abroad? Of course. Do I expect culture shock? Who wouldn’t? Will I be faced to deal with my own biases? Yes. Will I be greeted with some of the stereotypes regarding African culture? Perhaps. 

But I am fairly well traveled for my age and I’ll be with a group of people, led by a woman who has been traveling to Ghana for over 30 years all under the advisement of Michigan State. What I have learned is to be vigilant, as any traveler should be, and be open, as Ghanians are warm and welcoming people. I know I will be just fine. Worry is natural when a loved one goes somewhere new, this I know. All I’m asking is for your worry to be informed.

If for no other reason, let my journey break you of your single story of “Africa.” Let me show you that what is often portrayed in the media isn’t representative of what the entire continent has to offer. Give me the chance to tell you that even though people live on the same land mass, their cultures aren’t necessarily the same. Learn with me.

... which is indicative that we didn’t win last night’s $1.5 billion Powerball. Hell, we didn’t even win back our $2. But something about a few dollars delivering you several hours of hope and wonder of what you’d do with all that money is fun and seemed worth it.

The hubs and I have been buying tickets for the last three drawings, when it started to become “the biggest it’s been” and when it morphed into the “biggest it’ll ever be.” 

I ended up quite sick the last week with an assortment of crap floating through my poor little vessel of a body, so I never though to take a picture of the rest of the cards. But this crosses off another list item!

98. Buy a lottery ticket when the jackpot is huge

Hard to imagine what we’d have done with all that money. I’d like to think we’d take a million every year and just go play around the world. I’d finish my degree and consider a PhD just for funsies, because why not. As an animal lover, I’d probably try to buy a zoo because I mean, why the hell not, right? Donations to charities that matter to us. Blah blah blah.

And speaking of sickness, while I was kicking my own body’s ass, I spent a week in bed doing literally nothing but movies and tv shows. So I’m definitely counting this.

80. Have a 12 hour movie day and never leave bed

Just to name a few of things I watched: Pretty Little Liars season 4 and 5; Secret Life of the American Teenager part of season 1; Chopped; Cut Throat Kitchen; Side Effects; Titanic; Holes; Gravity; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Don’t judge me. I’m easily amused with a vast interest in cinematography. Lol

This feels like a million years behind, but here we go. An update on my 101 in 1001:

72. Visit 5 new local restaurants

Omi Sushi in East Lansing

MSU Dairy Store in East Lansing -- aka Heaven on Earth

Hall of Fame Cafe in East Lansing

Leo’s Lodge in Okemos - and further proof I desperately need a new phone, as mine corrupts the photo files

Hibachi Grill & Sushi Buffet in Lansing

All of these were good. The better part of them were the memories made at each. My mom and I, or Jon and I, went to all of them together. We celebrate at some, remembered lost love ones at others. They each bring back happy feelings of love and support from two people who mean the world to me. That’s the best part about food, isn’t it? The memories you can take away from sharing a meal together?

75. Leave a 100 percent tip

This is one that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now, but I just haven’t had the service I thought deserved it. Until last night. We’ve been to this Red Lobster before and had Andie as our server--she was phenomenal then, and was phenomenal again. Andie is the best example of awesome customer service. Jon and I went out to eat to celebrate life and we shared with her some of our news (still not prego, world). She later shared her feel good story: she found $2,500 in a store, later heard a woman crying it was her savings and they were moving and gave it back despite desperately needing it. Everything about this felt good. So on the copy I left on the table, I wrote, “Keep smiling and working hard. Good karma. :)” I hope it made her day a little brighter.

Okay, IBD community. We’re absolute go-getters when it comes to raising awareness and spreading a message, so let’s get this one moving, ASAP!

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It's one small thing that could be the difference to help us all find a cure!

Four years ago on October 7, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Today, I proudly stand as an advocate for research and creating public awareness for the disease and its effects, including having surgery. I act as a brain to pick when friends have questions about IBD and a public voice at charity walks to represent a group of people I relate all to well with.

Suffering with a chronic illness has taught me quite a bit. For starters, it’s true that you don’t know your own strength until your faced with overcoming something. I know my strong will can pull me through whatever I set my mind to. I’ve learned that your perspective influences everyone else’s. How I look at my health and my life is reflective of how I want others to see it. Though I may sometimes have limitations, do not let them fool you into thinking I can’t accomplish something I want to do. Take advantage of your good days. There is life to be lived and I don’t plan to wait around to get to living it because who knows what tomorrow will bring. And maybe more than anything, it’s reminded me to not let one thing define who I am. We are more than our circumstances.

No one thing defines me. Including my disease. And I will never let it.

I am more than a diagnosis. I have always been more than that. I refuse to let one thing define me, including my UC. I am a wife. I am a friend. I am a puppy mom. I am a grad student. I am a world traveler. I am a working professional. I am an athlete. I am a dreamer. I am a doer...

I do not greet people with my surgery on my sleeve. It’s not the first thing that I share about myself when I make new friends. I try to talk about my life as a whole in person and on social media. I am a wonderful combination of all the events in my life that have led me to today. And that is one of my biggest accomplishments.

Of course there are days where I’m crunched in a ball asking the universe “why me,” and they are far less frequent now, which makes this easier. But I have a zeal for life that energizes me. There are so many pieces to my soul that make me who I am and I wish more people could celebrate themselves as an entirety more.

You are more than a label. Be a holistic version of you, be the best version of you. Because you’re worth more than a diagnosis from a doctor.

So on this crummy diagnosis anniversary day, I say to the birds! And instead, celebrate EVERYTHING that makes you YOU. Because you’re wonderfully constructed and perfectly unique.

When your doctor puts you on prednisone... and it’s not even for your gut.

Given the choice, I will always choose to be defined by what I can accomplish, not simple adjectives that describe me. I have ulcerative colitis, but I am strong. And I don’t let anything stop me.

Checked another one off the 101 in 1001. Technically, my list says to finish a marathon. Recently, I was part of a relay team with work that finished a marathon. While I don’t know that this was exactly what I had in mind when I wrote it, I am nonetheless proud of finishing. I ran some pretty intense miles, which set the pace for a half marathon my husband and I are doing in less than a month.

But I will run a full marathon one day. Hopefully one day soon. But for now, I’d rather stand among a team of powerful women who accomplished a goal together.

A year ago, I specifically remember writing a post how I am not a runner. I was training for my first half marathon to benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Team Challenge. I ended up raising nearly $4,000 and crossed the finish line holding my now-husband’s hand after quite the struggle.

But a quick sidebar, it was perfect symbolism. For the greater part of our relationship to that point, I had been sick. He really hadn’t known me healthy. Our life was marked by my next trip to the hospital or doctor’s appointment. But he always held me up, always held my hand. He has been and always will be a force when it comes to protecting me and loving me. And that’s how it should be. So when he needed me, there’s no other place I would have been that day but helping him cross the finish line.

I know it’s something he holds a lot of guilt about, “not letting me finish.” And despite the fact I think it’s bullshit, we’ve signed up for a second half marathon in October this year. He’s got something to prove. And quite frankly, so do I.

Because somewhere in healing from losing a major organ, I have found running. Some days it sucks and I hate every second my legs are moving, and then there are days like these:

53. Do the Labor Day Bridge Walk

Despite my loving husband’s face in this picture, we both had a really great run. Plus, it crosses off yet another 101 in 1001 item. Additionally awesome, this picture was featured on MLive.com! We felt good, even up the hill and through the rain. It was a really great time, even after the lead up...

On Sunday night we celebrated my college athletic trainer’s wedding in Muskegon. It was a beautiful night and I’m so happy to see her so happy (love you, Jenny!). We left the reception a little after 9pm, drove 4 hours and landed in St. Ignace shortly after 1:30am. Asleep by 2am and a 4am wake-up/check-out was brutal and probably the most expensive “nap” I hope to ever take. Standing in the pouring rain and dark at 5:30am waiting for the start also had both of us looking at each other wondering whose idea it was (admittedly, it was mine).

But it’s doing crazy things like this that remind me how lucky I am, for a variety of reasons. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful man who will take these ridiculous adventures with me; who will wake up after just 2 hours of sleep and run 5 miles then drive another 3.5 hours home. I’m lucky to have someone who holds my hand when life is too hard to stand at it alone.

I’m lucky to have a health status that allows me to even take these adventures. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve still got my issues and am recently on a new round of antibiotics to try and right the wrongs my body tries to deal me. But all in all, I’m doing fairly well (nothing to worry about, mom and dad!). I’m lucky to have had a great surgeon and GI to encourage me to take the jump toward better health. As I cross off these things from my 101 list, more furiously now that I’m running out of time, it’s a testament to just how lucky I am.

My husband is the best kind of man. He’s always up for my ridiculous adventures, and is patient with me when I’m struggling to complete them.

This weekend was filled with productivity and last minute fun before I start back into school again. So of course we had to cross off another 101 item.

74. Make something new from Pinterest

First, our weekend began in the kitchen on Saturday meal prepping for 35 frozen dinners. It’s a horrible photo, of this I’m aware.

But 5 hours, 30lbs of chicken, 6lbs of turkey, 10lbs of pork, 18 onions, 15 cans of beans and a shit ton of other veggies and assorted deliciousness later, we have dinners for the next month plus. Pictured above you’ll find 35 Ziploc baggies of crock pot meals ready to defrost and cook.

I followed a few food blogs I’ve come across on Pinterest to make this Kitchen Nightmares dream a reality. If you’re interested, let me know. I’m happy to send you along some links. We’re trying the first one today--stay tuned to see how it goes.

68. Ride every roller coaster at Cedar Point in one day

And so God help us, we did it. Nothing like a good three hour drive both ways to make you appreciate being in the midwest and close enough to accomplish this one, though.

But let me say, this was a difficult thing to complete. 16 roller coasters in one day is quite the equilibrium shaking event, especially for an uncertain gut. 

And either we’re getting old, or the rides are because we both agreed some of them were much more shaky than we remembered--looking at you, Magnum. I also decided I wasn’t a fan much of Rougarou, again for the reason I don’t enjoy turning my brain into scrambled eggs. 

Thankfully, between going on a Monday and scoring fast passes, we got to hit some of the classics a few times, like Millennium, Maverick and Gatekeeper. Which also ultimately helped us complete the entire list before the day’s end.

Wow does time go quickly. The last time I was active on here I still had my maiden name wrapping Christmas gifts. A lot has happened since, and I figured it time to update my 101 in 1001, since that deadline is QUICKLY creeping up.

That’s really a crazy thought in and of itself. I quietly passed the two year mark since my surgery last month.

So here we go! More items off the list:

12. Learn to ballroom dance

Before the wedding, Jon and I took ballroom lessons for our first dance. We learned to rumba to Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. It was wonderful and beautiful and perfectly ours. And the crowd surely loved it!

18. Ride in a limo

For my bachelorette party, we rode around in a limo to different wineries up near Traverse City. So much fun. Love these ladies heaps.

38. Throw someone a surprise party

Pulling this one off was some kind of miracle. For my husband’s 25th, I told him we were going to tour Grand Rapids (where we met and fell in love) and go back to all of our favorite places--there are a zillion restaurants where we have great memories, so it was totally plausible. We started at our favorite thai place, went to the GR Art Museum where we had our first date, checked in to the Amway Grand and relaxed. When we walked into our favorite bar/restaurant, we were led upstairs, where 20 some people yelled surprise. The look on his face said it all. He was completely surprised and totally thankful.

46. Travel to South America

This whole get married thing really helped my list. For our honeymoon, we traveled through Ecuador for two weeks. Here we are traveling by canoe to our hotel in the Amazon Rainforest, a highlight of the trip.

48. Travel to the Bahamas

In October, we just wanted to get away for a while. I found some crazzzzzy deals on cruises during hurricane season--I wonder why!--and we snagged this one way back in March of last year. It was just a quick little hop around the Atlantic, but so worth it.

67. Camp in the middle of nowhere for at least two nights // 95. Sleep under the stars

Okay, so this one might be a tiny bit of a stretch. We technicallllly weren’t in “the middle of nowhere,” HOWEVER, we didn’t have electricity or water and we were in a tent. So I’m counting this. We got a tent and sleeping bags as a wedding gift, so we tried them out looking over the Mackinac Bridge. We got engaged just 5 miles from our campsite, so staying there as husband and wife this summer was quite an amazing journey to look back on! Also being in the middle of nowhere-ish, the sky was beautiful and fully lit with stars.

69. Take Bean to puppy school

To be a part of our wedding, Bean had to go through some puppy school. Happy to say after 18 weeks, this little graduate has three certifications!

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It’s pretty crazy to look back on the last few months and see how far my life has come. NONE of these adventures would have been possible if I had to bring my colon along for the ride.

I remember how afraid I was of change, and really, who could blame me. Having new hardware that was different from everyone else was intimidating. But when I finally settled on having my surgery, I decided to let it enhance my life, and not hold it back. I was the “sick friend” for so long, I finally saw my opportunity at being “normal” and healthy and to live again, and my gosh am I glad I did.

While driving through Ecuador, Jon and I chatted about how that trip wouldn’t even be a dream two years ago. I was simply too sick. We also talked about how sad it was that had I been born in Ecuador, odds are I wouldn’t have lived to see 25. My health probably would have killed me considering their healthcare system, and it sort of breaks your heart.

I feel like I walk around on the day to day forgetting my history. Forgetting the modern miracle that medicine is that saved my life. I am among the lucky some who got another chance. And every day I wake up, I try not to waste it. I try to surround myself with positive and happy people, and it’s translating into every part of my life. Having gone through my surgeries, I can see through bad days and tough times. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to keep chugging. And you know what makes it easier? When you smile and laugh as you keep fighting.