Morgan Cross Country Banquet

Morgan had a rough cross country season being so sick throwing up several times at each practice. Her Aunt Lindsey was helping coach and sometimes it was so hard for Lindsey to hear Morgan behind her throwing up. Morgan had to quit running right before region when the doctor was going to have an endoscopy done. Trying to find out what is wrong with Morgan has been so hard. After many doctors appointments, tests of every kind, the doctor thinks she has POTS, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

This an increase in heart rate from the supine to upright position of more than 30 beats per minute or to a heart rate greater than 120 beats per minute within 12 minutes of head-up tilt. This tachycardic response is sometimes accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure and a wide variety of symptoms. Low blood pressure of any kind may cause the following: lightheadiness, dizziness, exercise intolerance, fainting, excessive thirst, fatigue, cold extremities, abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, brain fog. Morgan has all of these symptoms. It affects all aspects of your body. Morgan is still undergoing testing. We just had a heart monitor test done and a brain MRI. Doctors are trying to rule out that she might have something else on tops of POTS. POTS is not curable but can be treated. There are so many things affected by POTS, it is by trial and error trying to get feeling better. Morgan was told if she can tolerate a little bit of exercise it would be good. To just jog 10 minutes her heart rate is 216-225 which is very scary. She is so determined she can run track but I am not sure if that is even possible.
Morgan had a cross country banquet and her Aunt Lindsey(Asst. Coach) was asked to present an award to Morgan. It was the Spirit Award. Here is how Lindsey introduced it, "This next award goes to someone who has shown an unconquerable spirit through this cross country season. For the past year she has battled everything from mono to low iron to stress fractures, and most recently underwent surgery for a hernia. With her body trying to give up, her spirit kept her going. She pushed through practices and meets, refusing to give in. When we told her she could stop, she fought harder. As the final meets of the season came, her body finally gave out, and with no other choice, she put her dreams on hold. The spirit of courage she displayed, even in the face of devastating trials, is why we are giving her this award tonight." This brings tears to my eyes everytime I think about what she has gone through and still going through. Thanks to everyone for their prayers on her behalf. Above are a few pictures from the banquet.