|
Covering Monmouth, Dallas, Independence and Falls City since 1868 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Dallas' Havig hurdles adversity |
|---|
| She makes it to the state track meet after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease. |
|---|
 | | Photo by Sam Scott | | Jasmine Havig of Dallas releases the javelin during the April 15 meet with Corvallis. |
|
By Sam Scott
DALLAS -- Jasmine Havig of Dallas didn't know what she was in for back in December when she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
She still doesn't.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract that is incurable. It is very hard to diagnose. At the same time, it can be managed long-term with medication and other treatments.
Havig, a recent graduate of Dallas High School, has experienced all that in the past few months.
"They still haven't technically found where the Crohn's is at," said Havig. "They're thinking about doing more tests. They think they have it narrowed down to my esophagus area. It wasn't horrible until recently. I was just in the hospital for six days. I was having severe abdominal pain and trouble swallowing and breathing. They had me on a lot of pain medicine for the stomach cramps and also on nausea medicine."
Havig was a three-sport athlete at Dallas. But she started feeling symptoms toward the end of the 2008 volleyball season. So instead of playing basketball during the 2008-2009 season, she was off to doctors and hospitals for lots and lots of tests.
Her emotions were about as mixed as she could be as she watched her friends and would-be teammates earn the school's first girls basketball playoff berth in 30 years.
"I couldn't play," she said. "I was just too sick. It was very frustrating not being able to be part of the playoff team. But I was very proud to see the team go to the playoffs. It was good to see."
Havig then turned around and gave everything else something good to see during the track season. She competed well throughout the spring and then capped things by taking fifth in the javelin at the state meet with a toss of 118 feet, 4 inches.
"Track was pretty difficult," Havig said. "Being active and being around everyone else made it easier. It was very exciting to be able to compete. It definitely was a boost to my confidence to be able to do something still.
"I would have to say qualifying fifth at state out of that many girls is pretty good. I was pretty proud of myself."
While she continues to battle her Crohn's disease, this Dallas graduate is moving on to the future.
"I'm going to Umpqua Community College, and I've got a scholarship to play volleyball there," Havig said. "I'm very excited yet nervous about playing on the volleyball team. I know it'll be way different than high school volleyball."
|
| Go to top. |
|
 |
Hot Jobs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Special Sections |
 |
|
| City / State |
|
| Education |
|
| Services |
|
|
|