Bosom Buddies

I was fortunate enough to attend a support group, speak and share my story in front of other cancer survivors. These women battled breast cancer and a handful have also been stricken with multiple cancers, all who are at various stages of their life. Many were surprised at my age for they were expecting an "older" person. And I stated that cancer is not age discriminatory. After sharing my entire story, from tumor discovery to reaching my year cancer-free anniversary milestone, many offered their comments and asked questions. We were all there to help each other so there was nothing that was off limits. I answered everything they wanted to know truthfully and in explicit detail. Maybe one of them would find themselves in a similar situation as I had been through so now they would have a little more education as to what to ask the doctors or how to handle the situation. As the meeting concluded, each of these women approached me to say thank you or what an inspiration I had been to them. One woman, who is bitter that cancer has invaded her body twice, asked me to help her overcome this anger so she can move on with her life. She is also interested in joining my support group so she can relate to others who are going through a similar situation. Hugs and kisses were given from people whom I had never met before that evening. There is a bond like no other that you share when you have all survived cancer; one that you are unable to relate to unless you have been lived through it. To look around the room and see all of these amazing women in their own right, in different stages of their cancer journeys, is affirmation that our individual strengths and determination are the stepping stones in beating this horrific disease, showing this illness who is boss!

Gate River Run

I started running, after a 2 1/2 year break, back on October 1, 2009. That was a good day as any to get back into it and start training for races and ultimately the NYC Marathon which I'll be running in November 2011 with my oncologist. I run 3 miles every other day so I figured I would be completely ready by March. So in January, I registered for the Gate River Run which is a 15K (9.3 miles) and the most attended non-marathon race in the country. There were 20,000 participants in total, 15,000+ registered for the 15K. I was regretting my decision and should have registered for the 5K which would have been a breeze to complete but I had to think "big." So there I am completely surrounded by thousands and I start a conversation with a woman who is a cancer survivor. What are the odds of that? We ran together for the first 3+ miles and the time passed quickly and we conversed the entire time and surprisingly I wasn't even out of breath. I felt fantastic and had 6 miles to go. "I think I can, I think I can" was my mantra for the day. I had nothing to prove to anyone; I was taking my time and pacing myself for the upcoming miles. I took in those around me. There were a group of firemen who ran with their entire turnout gear, scott packs and their helmets. If they can run with an additional 50+ pounds, then I can certainly do it. A gentleman had a t-shirt promoting organ donation and it stated he received a new heart back in May of 2002. There was a lady in a racing wheelchair who was keeping up with the runners. At that moment I was blessed I had workable legs. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be outrun by a wheelchair so I picked up my pace. There were people lined up on the streets throughout the entire race, clapping and shouting your name (which was displayed on your run tag) for encouragement. There were many who were tiring out and were walking each mile so I was one step ahead of them. I stopped to get water when it was needed and I walked for a few minutes at a time, but I continued on with the image of me crossing the finish line. Before I knew it, I was nearing mile 7 and had about 35 minutes before the 2 hour mark. I overheard a walker say she would be happy to finish before 2 hours and I thought that was a goal I could achieve as well. The last mile of the race is over a steep bridge (labeled "The Green Monster") that ends at the finish line. I ran over the bridge and picked up my pace when I saw the clock read 1:59:46 and I crossed the finish line at 1:59:55. I placed 9,974 out of 13,341 runners who completed the race. Oh what a feeling--I did it! I achieved my goal and it felt amazing. I ran over 8 out of the 9+ miles and a few days ago when I was dragging ass during my 3 mile run, I never thought I would be able to do it. I proudly placed a medal of completion around my neck and joined the others in a celebratory huff and puff and received a high-five from my proud father along with a flash from the camera capturing my moment. It was at that time I realized my muscles were screaming at me so I plopped and stretched which was the start of a routine that I would continue throughout the day into the next--can you say Tylenol? I never imagined I would be able to run a race less than a year after chemo. I thanked God I was healthy enough to do it and that my lungs and heart could endure such a run. This was the first of many to come and I am looking forward to each and every one of them.

Wheel of Fortune - Bonus Round

Today was the day I was one step closer to meeting Pat and Vanna--my final audition for Wheel of Fortune. I had been watching each night, practicing the puzzles hoping that I would be able to solve them just as quickly when it counted. I was placed in a room with 50 lucky wheel watchers and we had to complete a questionnaire that asked everything from what level of education we had to our careers, interests and what station Wheel was on in the town we lived in. We watched a video of clips from various shows during their 25th Anniversary year as well as a good luck video from Pat and Vanna. Then the real fun began...We each got called on to showcase our puzzle solving skills. The letters of the first puzzle were filling in and my name was called. I spun for a "C" (using my loud, personable voice) and was able to solve the puzzle: "Scuba Diving Around The Island." I won an exclusive Wheel t-shirt as a prize. After everyone had their chance at a puzzle, we continued onto round 2 of the audition process. We were given a test with 4 categories, 16 puzzles in total, to solve within a five minute period. There were 2 versions so you couldn't cheat with the person sitting besides you. I was able to complete 10 and partially filled in some of the others. It was more difficult that I would have imagined and 5 extra minutes would have been ideal! We waited 15 minutes while they graded the papers and then selected 10 individuals to continue on to the final round. I wasn't one of them and was surprised at some of those that were selected (especially the man who almost knocked over one of the staffers). There is no rhyme or reason; you don't know what they look for. Everything happens for a reason. I think it would have been worse for me to get out to L.A. (on my own dime) and lose on the show. Or maybe ABC is going to call me to be the next Bachelorette and I wouldn't have been able to do both. I can wait a year to audition again. Depending on what stage of life I'm in at the time, I may just do that or just chalk it up to an exciting adventure that will make an interesting story one day.