Pretty. Pink. Shirt.

We went to our baby's college today & loaded up her stuff. I went, but I did not help. I sat. She is going to visit a friend this weekend, so she will not officially be home for a few more days. We sat outside in the sun for a little while, & I think my arms began to sunburn. She will be home for a month, & that always makes me happy! Saying good-bye to your friends is sad. Many of them are traveling abroad. She is going to South Africa.

This evening I am tired but in a good frame of mind. We stopped for some Chicago style pizza on our way home & had a little custard, 2 of my favorite things. Little dates with my husband bring me back to our courting days & being a teen. I love those memories & cherish every moment we have. I feel as though we are both taking more time along the road of life to stop & smell the roses. I love stopping to breathe in the moment & savor the joy.

I love this weather. When we got home, I sat on our back deck & visited with our neighbors. She too is a Survivor, & has expressed so much care/love for me over the last 9 months. She told me today that part of this journey is sharing with others. I wholeheartedly agree with her & hope to do just that. I feel  that God has recently impressed upon my heart that others need to see my joy in spite of my circumstances. I feel He has given me a license to be happy so that others might notice & wonder.

Race for The Cure is one week from tomorrow. I am so excited, I can hardly wait! I just hope I will have the energy to participate after one more week of radiation & some of its side effects. The Race needs both participants & donations. I was studying the Susan G. Komen website & realized that their research has possibly saved my life. They are responsible for BRCA 1 & BRCA 2 testing ( looking at DNA to see if a person's cancer is hereditary),  Her2 treatment for fast-growing cancers, & treatment for hormone dependent cancers. I have benefited from all of this research. My cancer is Her2 positive & hormone dependent. I've had my DNA tested, & thankfully, I am not BRCA positive.

All of these terms seemed foreign to me the day of my diagnosis. In the arms of Susan G. Komen, I was told so many things. I was terrified. My mind couldn't track. I could only cry. It was surreal. The doctor at the Breast Center was very concerned, & I knew my life was on the line. We had to act fast. In a whirlwind, I received one test after another & was shuffled off to a breast surgeon & an oncologist. The horror of it all will always remain fresh in my memory. Just thinking about it elicits a sick feeling throughout my body. Just the memory accelerates the beating of my heart.

So... as next Saturday approaches, I feel I owe Susan G. Komen my life. I am honored to wear my pretty pink shirt & my Survior's cap. I have a team with a silly name. I have bracelets for my team mates. They say, "No one fights alone." I wish everyone on this journey had a team. The comfort of my family & friends, their prayers, their encouragement, their tears... without them, I would not have the spirit I have. That, in itself, is a life saving!