SWIMMING AND DIVING: Mind over matter
After swimming, Kaitlin Jasmon must be lifted out of the pool because of the muscular disease she continues to battle
Matt Hudson
After her classes, Kaitlin "Kosh" Jasmon reports to practice like the rest of her teammates. That's where the similarities end for the Ball State University swimmer. Instead of joining her team in the pool, Jasmon is forced to sit and watch the team from the sidelines. For the junior, having to sit and watch her team compete is almost as painful as actually swimming. When Jasmon does swim, she goes until her body has almost shut down completely. Her body is so battered and fatigued after practicing that she has to have teammates pull her out of the pool. Jasmon has a disease called myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes severe weakness in the muscles. "It's a really weird feeling," Jasmon said. "You can't move. It's a type of paralysis. It hurts a lot immediately after practice. It feels like I've been beaten with a baseball bat while my muscles are cramping up and they're on fire on top of that." MG fatigues the muscles so much that something as simple as chewing can cause the jaw muscles to fatigue, and eating has to halt until the muscles rest for an extended period of time. Muscles that open the eyelid are also often affected, causing the eyelids not to open all the way, if at all. Because of a flare up of her disease during Winter Break, Jasmon was sidelined as a precaution until her specialist re-releases her to practice again. Jasmon said she saw her doctor and expects to be released for offseason workouts and hopes to be ready to compete next season. When Jasmon can practice, she swims until she feels she can't literally go anymore. Once she is done, a couple of her teammates pull her out of the water and help put her in her wheelchair because she can't stand on her own power. She is then wheeled to the team trainer, who packs her in ice. For the next few hours, Jasmon cannot walk, move her arms well or be able to talk well. Though she missed half of the competition season, what she goes through just to practice is still fresh in the minds of her teammates. "Whenever I see Kosh get out of the pool, I just think, 'Man, it must really suck to have to push yourself that far,'" Lisa Maertin said. "I like to think I push myself but never to the point where I literally can't do it anymore." Jasmon was diagnosed during the summer of 2006, in between her freshman and sophomore years. She said she woke up one morning and couldn't open her eyes. She thought it was a severe case of pink eye. After seeing eight doctors, she was admitted to the emergency room for the night. After many missed diagnoses, doctors finally discovered she had MG. "When they told me I had MG, I didn't believe them," Jasmon said. "They had been wrong so many times before, I figured that wasn't me. They gave me info on it and told me I wouldn't be able to exercise. I was training for an Olympic-distance triathlon and told them this wasn't going to fit into my schedule." Jasmon's parents, Richard and Michelle Jasmon, had a much different reaction. "We were devastated by the news, especially due to the fact that she was so healthy and in such great shape," Richard Jasmon said. "The best way to describe our emotions was pure shock." Many people close to her call Kaitlin Jasmon a fighter; this fighter wasn't going to let MG be the end of her goals to be a Division I swimmer or to become a pediatric oncologist. "When I was told I wouldn't be able to swim or go back to school, I just didn't accept it," Jasmon said. "I said if I have this disease, those things are going to happen on my time." Her parents said after she was diagnosed, she started to do research on other athletes with the disease. The only other Division I athlete competing at the time was Auburn University's starting quarterback Brandon Cox. Through this finding and other research, Jasmon decided to see about returning to Ball State to continue her academic and swimming career. Her parents and coaches accepted her decision but knew a lot of work had to be done to make this dream a reality. Coach Bob Thomas said he and co-coach Laura Seibold-Caudill wanted to do everything they could to make sure she could still swim. After Jasmon gained approval from her doctor and signing many release forms, both coaches had to learn about the potential risks and emergency procedures in case she develops respiratory problems. Once she was able to return to the pool, the biggest setback Jasmon had to face was not being able to train for as long or as hard as she used to be able to because of her limitations. She pushed these limits past their breaking point last year, a mistake she said she is not soon to make again. Aside from the adjustments at the pool, other adjustments had to be made at her off-campus house. Jasmon lives with three other women on the swim team. One of her roommates, Lauren Harger, said each of the roommates had to be educated on what actions to take and what medications to give Jasmon in case something were to happen to her while she was there. Jasmon said the support system of coaches, roommates, teammates, friends and others at Ball State is vital to her being able to be at Ball State. She said it would be impossible for her to still swim or even be in college if these people weren't willing to help her when she cannot help herself. Jasmon frequently answers others' questions about why she would put herself through all the pain just to swim. "I think at first, by still swimming, I was proving to myself that I was better than this disease," Jasmon said. "It was going to take a lot of things out of my life, but I was going to come out on top. There are a lot of others that don't think I'm going to be able to do this, even after all I have gone through. I guess it is my willingness that if you believe in yourself you can do whatever you want." Roommate Megan Ploetz said Jasmon's belief that she can do anything she sets her mind to is what makes her such a strong person. From a very young age, many people are told some things are "mind over matter." For Jasmon, it takes a tremendous amount of mental strength and determination to get into the pool each day knowing what pain will come once she is done with her practice. Richard Jasmon said Kaitlin continuing to swim was an important thing for he and his wife because they understood how important it was to their daughter. "The greatest reason for allowing [Kosh] to continue to swim is the mental confidence she gains each time she swims," Richard Jasmon said. "This in turn gives her the strength that she needs to fight the disease. Each time she enters that water and competes, she can boast that she beat the disease one more time." Even though they understand how important it is for their daughter to keep swimming, it doesn't come without stress and anxiety for her parents. Her father said every time he and his wife watch their daughter compete, they are torn between anxiety and support. He said they are very proud of her for not quitting but are very concerned for her while she is in the water. This anxiety is heightened even more as they watch their daughter being pulled out of the water and wheeled off to be iced down. He said it always drives he and his wife to tears and often makes them question if letting her swim is worth all the pain it causes her. Roommate Sarah Kehe said she insists on being one of the people who helps Jasmon out of the pool. She, unlike most people, has no pity for Jasmon when she sees her push her body to its limit because Jasmon doesn't want anyone's pity. "She just wants to inspire others and help them realize that they are capable of so much more than they often think possible," Kehe said. "Kosh does not get in the pool to race for herself, although it does not hurt to prove that the disease will never win; she races for anyone who has ever had a dream. When I see Kosh covered in ice being wheeled across the pool deck, I think of how proud I am of my selfless roommate and cannot help but be astounded at how she gives her all every single day in everything she does." Seeing someone go through so much pain is enough to inspire most, but that's not the only way Jasmon inspires people. Jasmon has also become somewhat of a motivational speaker after her MG diagnosis. She often gives her teammates pep talks about the importance of living life with no regrets, never taking anything for granted and that impossible is nothing. Last summer Jasmon was invited to be a guest speaker at the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of Illinois annual conference. During her speech, she talked to others who suffer from MG as well as their families about her daily struggles and the importance of never letting the disease be what defines them. As if that wasn't enough, doctors and MG support group leaders often give those suffering from MG Jasmon's phone number to call her for advice and support. Jasmon said she loves receiving the calls and helping people understand they are not defined by the disease, and they can still achieve any goals they set their mind to. Jasmon said though the disease causes her a lot of pain while she is swimming, the pain has actually served beneficial in living with MG. She said swimming causes her disease to get worse in the short term, but it has strengthened her in dealing with her disease. A similar comparison would be what aerobic activity does for a person's heart. Eventually, however, the day will most likely come when Jasmon's body will no longer allow her to swim. Jasmon said she often thinks about that day. "I'm not going to be done until I just can't swim anymore," Jasmon said. "I love the calming feeling swimming gives you, and as long as I'm capable of swimming, I'll be doing it. If the day does come where I can't simply swim anymore, I'll at least be able to look back and I won't have any regrets." Jasmon also said if her time swimming does come to an end, she will still stay associated with the sport by coaching or some other facet. Jasmon said battling MG has made her a stronger person than she could have imagined and offers this piece of advice to everyone: "The biggest mistake we make is thinking that we are always going to have everything and we take things for granted - things, people, everything," Jasmon said. "At some point those things are not going to be there anymore and you need to be able to have the strength and the ability to always believe in yourself no matter what." Fundraising Over the summer, Jasmon single-handedly put together a fundraiser for MG in her hometown of Springfield, Ill. The first half of the event was an hour-long walk/run in which participants raised money. In the afternoon, the event turned to her high school pool for a swim-a-thon. Each participant swam either 500-yard laps or a mile, again raising money for MG. After both events were done and all the donations were tallied, Jasmon's fundraiser raised more than $30,000 for MG research.
After swimming, Kaitlin Jasmon must be lifted out of the pool because of the muscular disease she continues to battle
Matt Hudson
After her classes, Kaitlin "Kosh" Jasmon reports to practice like the rest of her teammates. That's where the similarities end for the Ball State University swimmer. Instead of joining her team in the pool, Jasmon is forced to sit and watch the team from the sidelines. For the junior, having to sit and watch her team compete is almost as painful as actually swimming. When Jasmon does swim, she goes until her body has almost shut down completely. Her body is so battered and fatigued after practicing that she has to have teammates pull her out of the pool. Jasmon has a disease called myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes severe weakness in the muscles. "It's a really weird feeling," Jasmon said. "You can't move. It's a type of paralysis. It hurts a lot immediately after practice. It feels like I've been beaten with a baseball bat while my muscles are cramping up and they're on fire on top of that." MG fatigues the muscles so much that something as simple as chewing can cause the jaw muscles to fatigue, and eating has to halt until the muscles rest for an extended period of time. Muscles that open the eyelid are also often affected, causing the eyelids not to open all the way, if at all. Because of a flare up of her disease during Winter Break, Jasmon was sidelined as a precaution until her specialist re-releases her to practice again. Jasmon said she saw her doctor and expects to be released for offseason workouts and hopes to be ready to compete next season. When Jasmon can practice, she swims until she feels she can't literally go anymore. Once she is done, a couple of her teammates pull her out of the water and help put her in her wheelchair because she can't stand on her own power. She is then wheeled to the team trainer, who packs her in ice. For the next few hours, Jasmon cannot walk, move her arms well or be able to talk well. Though she missed half of the competition season, what she goes through just to practice is still fresh in the minds of her teammates. "Whenever I see Kosh get out of the pool, I just think, 'Man, it must really suck to have to push yourself that far,'" Lisa Maertin said. "I like to think I push myself but never to the point where I literally can't do it anymore." Jasmon was diagnosed during the summer of 2006, in between her freshman and sophomore years. She said she woke up one morning and couldn't open her eyes. She thought it was a severe case of pink eye. After seeing eight doctors, she was admitted to the emergency room for the night. After many missed diagnoses, doctors finally discovered she had MG. "When they told me I had MG, I didn't believe them," Jasmon said. "They had been wrong so many times before, I figured that wasn't me. They gave me info on it and told me I wouldn't be able to exercise. I was training for an Olympic-distance triathlon and told them this wasn't going to fit into my schedule." Jasmon's parents, Richard and Michelle Jasmon, had a much different reaction. "We were devastated by the news, especially due to the fact that she was so healthy and in such great shape," Richard Jasmon said. "The best way to describe our emotions was pure shock." Many people close to her call Kaitlin Jasmon a fighter; this fighter wasn't going to let MG be the end of her goals to be a Division I swimmer or to become a pediatric oncologist. "When I was told I wouldn't be able to swim or go back to school, I just didn't accept it," Jasmon said. "I said if I have this disease, those things are going to happen on my time." Her parents said after she was diagnosed, she started to do research on other athletes with the disease. The only other Division I athlete competing at the time was Auburn University's starting quarterback Brandon Cox. Through this finding and other research, Jasmon decided to see about returning to Ball State to continue her academic and swimming career. Her parents and coaches accepted her decision but knew a lot of work had to be done to make this dream a reality. Coach Bob Thomas said he and co-coach Laura Seibold-Caudill wanted to do everything they could to make sure she could still swim. After Jasmon gained approval from her doctor and signing many release forms, both coaches had to learn about the potential risks and emergency procedures in case she develops respiratory problems. Once she was able to return to the pool, the biggest setback Jasmon had to face was not being able to train for as long or as hard as she used to be able to because of her limitations. She pushed these limits past their breaking point last year, a mistake she said she is not soon to make again. Aside from the adjustments at the pool, other adjustments had to be made at her off-campus house. Jasmon lives with three other women on the swim team. One of her roommates, Lauren Harger, said each of the roommates had to be educated on what actions to take and what medications to give Jasmon in case something were to happen to her while she was there. Jasmon said the support system of coaches, roommates, teammates, friends and others at Ball State is vital to her being able to be at Ball State. She said it would be impossible for her to still swim or even be in college if these people weren't willing to help her when she cannot help herself. Jasmon frequently answers others' questions about why she would put herself through all the pain just to swim. "I think at first, by still swimming, I was proving to myself that I was better than this disease," Jasmon said. "It was going to take a lot of things out of my life, but I was going to come out on top. There are a lot of others that don't think I'm going to be able to do this, even after all I have gone through. I guess it is my willingness that if you believe in yourself you can do whatever you want." Roommate Megan Ploetz said Jasmon's belief that she can do anything she sets her mind to is what makes her such a strong person. From a very young age, many people are told some things are "mind over matter." For Jasmon, it takes a tremendous amount of mental strength and determination to get into the pool each day knowing what pain will come once she is done with her practice. Richard Jasmon said Kaitlin continuing to swim was an important thing for he and his wife because they understood how important it was to their daughter. "The greatest reason for allowing [Kosh] to continue to swim is the mental confidence she gains each time she swims," Richard Jasmon said. "This in turn gives her the strength that she needs to fight the disease. Each time she enters that water and competes, she can boast that she beat the disease one more time." Even though they understand how important it is for their daughter to keep swimming, it doesn't come without stress and anxiety for her parents. Her father said every time he and his wife watch their daughter compete, they are torn between anxiety and support. He said they are very proud of her for not quitting but are very concerned for her while she is in the water. This anxiety is heightened even more as they watch their daughter being pulled out of the water and wheeled off to be iced down. He said it always drives he and his wife to tears and often makes them question if letting her swim is worth all the pain it causes her. Roommate Sarah Kehe said she insists on being one of the people who helps Jasmon out of the pool. She, unlike most people, has no pity for Jasmon when she sees her push her body to its limit because Jasmon doesn't want anyone's pity. "She just wants to inspire others and help them realize that they are capable of so much more than they often think possible," Kehe said. "Kosh does not get in the pool to race for herself, although it does not hurt to prove that the disease will never win; she races for anyone who has ever had a dream. When I see Kosh covered in ice being wheeled across the pool deck, I think of how proud I am of my selfless roommate and cannot help but be astounded at how she gives her all every single day in everything she does." Seeing someone go through so much pain is enough to inspire most, but that's not the only way Jasmon inspires people. Jasmon has also become somewhat of a motivational speaker after her MG diagnosis. She often gives her teammates pep talks about the importance of living life with no regrets, never taking anything for granted and that impossible is nothing. Last summer Jasmon was invited to be a guest speaker at the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of Illinois annual conference. During her speech, she talked to others who suffer from MG as well as their families about her daily struggles and the importance of never letting the disease be what defines them. As if that wasn't enough, doctors and MG support group leaders often give those suffering from MG Jasmon's phone number to call her for advice and support. Jasmon said she loves receiving the calls and helping people understand they are not defined by the disease, and they can still achieve any goals they set their mind to. Jasmon said though the disease causes her a lot of pain while she is swimming, the pain has actually served beneficial in living with MG. She said swimming causes her disease to get worse in the short term, but it has strengthened her in dealing with her disease. A similar comparison would be what aerobic activity does for a person's heart. Eventually, however, the day will most likely come when Jasmon's body will no longer allow her to swim. Jasmon said she often thinks about that day. "I'm not going to be done until I just can't swim anymore," Jasmon said. "I love the calming feeling swimming gives you, and as long as I'm capable of swimming, I'll be doing it. If the day does come where I can't simply swim anymore, I'll at least be able to look back and I won't have any regrets." Jasmon also said if her time swimming does come to an end, she will still stay associated with the sport by coaching or some other facet. Jasmon said battling MG has made her a stronger person than she could have imagined and offers this piece of advice to everyone: "The biggest mistake we make is thinking that we are always going to have everything and we take things for granted - things, people, everything," Jasmon said. "At some point those things are not going to be there anymore and you need to be able to have the strength and the ability to always believe in yourself no matter what." Fundraising Over the summer, Jasmon single-handedly put together a fundraiser for MG in her hometown of Springfield, Ill. The first half of the event was an hour-long walk/run in which participants raised money. In the afternoon, the event turned to her high school pool for a swim-a-thon. Each participant swam either 500-yard laps or a mile, again raising money for MG. After both events were done and all the donations were tallied, Jasmon's fundraiser raised more than $30,000 for MG research.