First day of "The 3-Day" in Seattle...

21.6 miles. That's what the amazing women and men that have trained for this walk endured today. My girlfriends finished the walk before we were able to make it up to the final "rest station." We loaded up in the car, started driving, and called to see where they were. "We're almost to camp" is was we heard. Those ladies were ROCKING it! As they needed to eat and shower and relax, we decided not to go up and interrupt that. I know how it is to do the 3-day and wait for an hour, or so, just to take a 3 minute shower ... in a bus ... after walking 20-something miles. I hope they got some good food in their bellies and had a fabulous shower and got to sit down in their tents and laugh.
My first 3-day was, and will be, one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life. The women I walked with have become family to me. Some still walk ... some cannot ... others choose not to for various life situations. No matter what, we are all very proud of those that do and will support them to NO end.
I chose to back out of the 3-day for personal reasons ... namely, my cousin that was diagnosed in May and has no insurance. I wanted to spend my time raising money for her and her family. I cannot tell you how many folks have helped her out. It's amazing. She's, nearly, half-way done with chemo. It's taken a toll on her. After telling her to ask her doc for several meds that might help the side-effects, she's gotten SOME relief. But, she's still struggling. She'll be done soon. That's the best news and advice that I can share with her. Other than, "I know EXACTLY how you're feeling. And, it WILL get better." To be a young woman with this disease is like playing in a hockey game whilst wearing roller skates. An anomaly. No one needs to deal with that sort of adversity while fighting for their life. We've got children to raise, for God's sake!
The best we can do is to stand up, support our sisters and their families, and FIGHT.
Thanks to the folks that have the balls to walk the 3-day, the fight is ON!
I, truly, thank everyone that is sleeping in a tiny pink tent tonight in Everett, Washington. I feel certain that, as you sleep, your poor legs and raw feet will be comforted by our lost warriors ... our guardian angels. I know they are thanking you from above. Just as I do from down here.
xoxo
Anna

Walker Stalkers...

If you're walking the Seattle 3-day this weekend, Beware. We're coming. And, we're bringing love ... and the two cars pictured here ... and, maybe, some pizza ... and some beer ... and some kisses ... and lots of cheers ... and some Grey Goose ... and some giggles ... and tears ... and friends ... and some candy ... more friends ... and our souls ... and more tears ... and much more love.
xoxo
Anna
p.s. Thank you Cousin Don for the usage of my "future car." Love you.

Following tradition...

Some of us Cancer Cub gals got together tonight for cocktails and a send-off for those of us that will be doing the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk this year. The group has been whittled down to 2 in this pic. But, that's not gonna stop the rest of us from being present as much as we can to support and bring them really good support, food anddrink ... when necessary.
We had a wonderful night of reflection. We had a wonderful night of laughs. We're all moving on. In big, big ways.
Our E-Beth has taken the brave step in choosing to do a stem cell transplant. This will happen very, very soon. If anyone can make it through this, it'd be this gal. Stem cell transplants are a beast. They are the "Hail Mary" of treatments as many oncologists have said. And many oncologist would rather NOT have their patients go through this treatment. But, that girl is a warrior. She is choosing to fight as such. It will be a long and arduous several months for her and her family, as she'll be away from her husband and children. Several thousand miles away, that is. But, in the end, she's fighting to see those amazing kids grow up and become brilliant adults.
I have MORE than an inkling that she's gonna be there to see her grandchildren pooping in their hands and wiping it on the walls.
She's defied the odds more than I can tell you.
All my love and strength to you, sweet girl.
And all my love and toenail strength to Carol and Luchie during the 3-Day walk. You are amazing women.
xoxo
Anna

The Bracelet...

Many moons ago, shortly after my diagnosis, Kevin's cousin sent me a beautiful Brighton bracelet. Brighton makes beautiful bracelets in honor of breast cancer survivors. I "won" mine in 2006. Not long after getting that gorgeous bracelet, I met a gorgeous girlfriend that had also been diagnosed. And, as chance would have it, she had been gifted with the same bracelet. We both adored them. Felt like the Wonder Twins with those things.
Time took its toll on my bracelet. Rendered it unwearable ... which, broke my heart.
At a White Elephant Christmas party last year, my cancer club girlfriends and I exchanged and traded gifts. Low and behold, I ended up getting that very same bracelet that K-Dawg and I so adored. I was ecstatic. But, upon the very last "exchange", the bracelet was no longer mine.
It was a while before I found out that K-Dawg was upset that that had happened. She had shared, after the party, that she was upset at the situation. Long story ... but, apparently it weighed upon her enough to plan on going to the jewelry store and getting that Brighton bracelet for me. As we all know, she didn't make it there.
All I know is that her best friend shared with me, after her death, that one of her last conversations with Dawg was about that damned bracelet. And, that she had planned on getting me this bracelet that I loved but couldn't afford.
It still breaks me up. Thinking about that. How she could ever find the time to plan that during all that she was going through still gets me. That something that trivial had been layed upon her world.
K-Dawg ... I was gifted with the bracelet tonight. A new version. But, just as beautiful. Your words weren't lost on E-Beth that night, my girl.
Thank you, Korrelly. It's so, so beautiful. I don't deserve it. But, will treasure it eternally. What a beautiful, beautiful gift.
xoxo
Anna

Gonna be a busy week....

Seattle hosts the 2009 Breast Cancer 3-Day walk this weekend. If you're not familiar with "The 3-day", it's a 3 day (and 60 mile) walk that raises money and awareness for the the breast cancer cause. I was fortunate enough to do it in 2007. I say "fortunate", as it was a wonderful experience that cemented several life-long friendships for me. It was, as my husband says, "the greatest thing I'll NEVER do again." Actually, I had raised the funds to do it last year. However, I ended up with some sort of mystery disease in my arm. So, my oncologist put the kibosh on that.
This year, my life has been a whirlwind. I've decided to help raise money for a family member that was diagnosed with BC and who has no insurance. So, I backed out of the walk and have focussed on her and my Mama's own diagnosis.
However, I've got several girlfriends that are still doing it ... crazy tramps.
I'll be meeting up with some of my cancer club girlfriends tomorrow to raise a glass in honor of their hard work and continued insanity. After seeing peoples' toenails fall off after the 2007 walk, it's amazing that we're still throwing our hats into such causes. But, we believe in them. And, we'll continue to do so. I'll see what life has thrown at me next year. Don't know if I'll do the walk again or not.
But, to those that will be partaking in the the Seattle 3-Day this weekend "We Salute You."
On a much more solemn note, I'd like to ask that your love, prayers, vibes, chants, hearts go out to the families and friends of 2 beloved YSC ladies. Lisa Prisco passed earlier this week and Danelle Dye passed away yesterday. Having to read the obituaries of these young women is heart wrenching, at best. The world has lost so many beautiful, funny, and kind young women to this horrific disease. I believe that their spirits are with us all. However, that doesn't make the loss any easier for those left behind. Godspeed, dear girls.
xoxo
anna

"War IS terrorism"....

I beg to differ.
As a Seattlite, I end up behind "that" car daily. I've seen this bumper sticker for years. I'm an uber-liberal gal. But, today, I realized what has been bothering me about it. Yes, it's taken a while to catch on. Again, I'm just gonna blame chemo.
TERRORISM is terrorism. War is war. Neither of the two are anything that I want in my world. But, they are by no means the same. Throw your thesauruses out folks, if you believe that.
To begin: I hate the idea of war. I hate that that's what the majority of our "dramatic" human history is based upon. Most of these wars were based on religion... which to me is so nauseating. The current war in the Middle East is, certainly, not something I support. I've not agreed in how it went down and will continue to disagree with the measures taken to ensure its being cemented into modern history.
However, to make such a broad statement as "War is terrorism", to me, is so simple-minded AND offensive.
So ... um ... if we had not chosen to fight a war against Hitler and his cohorts, we WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER PEOPLE? We are "terrorists" for having fought a war against such an evil and despicable human being (if he can even be called that)??!! Generalizations are quite the beast, in my mind.
Would the secret operations that have taken place during horrific genocides in Africa be considered "terrorism" simply because they were a planned attack against a governing "body" ... a terroristic group that had murdered and raped family members in front of their own children? Are we or anyone else "terrorists" for directing an offensive against such beasts? I think not.
I hate war. I don't subscribe to it. But, at times, it seems a necessary beast until we ass-hats ... humans ... pull our heads out of our nether regions and just grow to accept that we're all very much alike and all extremely different.
So, to those of you that make a living making bumper stickers, could you do me a favor and think a bit more about what you're printing. Lord knows, I'm gonna get stuck behind some lemming in traffic.
Now, I'll mosey off my soap box and return to what I do best: snoring.

Hellllloooooo...

Happy Saturday, folks...
I'm not gonna wax poetic tonight, as I'm still wrapping my mind around life right now. I can assure you, life is good. Just feeling reflective tonight. It's quiet nights like these that remind you that nothing is as it seems ... or, that what you thought was coming has, now, come to fruition.
Silas, Kevin, and I will have a wonderful day together tomorrow. And that's a beautiful reality ... AND OUR TRUTH.
So, in the absence of more inane words, I'd like to share with you a link to a wonderful cause. Please, please share this with your friends via e-mail or facebook or a smoke signal or a damned passenger pigeon:
The website is as follows: lightthenight.org
"Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's evening walk and fund raising event. It is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost."
Please go the the website and check out their cause. All cancers need to be faced, fought, and beaten. Inevitably, we'll all be facing the same beast. I think that it's time we choose preventative measures, regardless of the specific cancer.
Fuck Cancer ... no matter where in the hell it ends up in our bodies.
xoxo
Anna
p.s. This post is for my friend Jason Churchill. Just to put a name with the cause.