Tonight I was the breast cancer honoree of the Marion Patriot Women's Volleyball Teams in their efforts for breast cancer awareness and in their fund-raising for the Race for the Cure. They did a great job all the way around for the event, and Marion girls whipped West Memphis in all of the games!
I was very humbled to be their honoree, and I wasn't sure what all it entailed when I said yes to doing it. We were treated like royalty with a special section of chairs at courtside, even though that did put us close enough to be hit by stray volleyballs! Barry actually deflected one when it came straight at me. :) Thanks, Barr! My Bible Study women were there with me to support me as I walked across the court when my name was called. I called these ladies my "posse" but they are truly some of the dearest friends in the world, and I feel fortunate to be associated with these Godly women.
Although it was fairly daunting to have people standing on their feet, cheering me on as I walked, all of the sudden I knew and felt that they were cheering for every survivor of breast cancer regardless of who it was, and it made it less emotional for me personally. I was fine until they called out the honoree from West Memphis, the family of a woman who had succumbed to breast cancer this year. I saw the emotion in their faces as they walked across the court, and I could feel some of what they were feeling. Maybe it's a cosmic connection to all other breast cancer victims, but there is an instant relationship with others who are traveling or who have completed this survival journey.
People kept telling me how good I looked, and you all know I've had surgery and a port installed, but I don't begin treatment for two weeks. I need to step it up a bit if I already look like I'm getting treatment and I look "good" in spite of it. Lordy!
Oh, I meant to say something about the lovely gifts I received tonight--I got a great Vera Bradley shopping bag (Twirly Birds Pink), and the best gift of all was a knotted pink fleece blanket with a white and pink breast cancer ribbon fleece on the flip side with my name and the event and date monogrammed on one corner. It was made with love and care by one of the volleyball moms and my friend, Rae Millerd.
Thank you again to the team and the coaches!
A quick update on my port - I am doing much better today with the port. It is still very tender, but the pressure is subsiding some when I lean over or reach. It will just take time for me to get used to having this in my body all the time, and I know it will be a blessing for treatment and lab work. People keep asking me if it sticks out or to describe how it looks, and it is a little device that is inserted into a vein about an inch under my left collar bone. It is completely under my skin which has been sutured on the inside and surgically glued along the incision which is about an inch and a half. Nothing sticks out, and eventually the swelling will go down and the incision will disappear to a fine scar line. Right now, I hate it, but my cancer survival friends tell me how little it bothers them and how glad I will be later that I have it. And I do believe them.
The next step of my journey is the PET scan on Monday, and I may not have the results until Wednesday. My oncologist has been on a trip to Italy, and I would like to say that funds from my treatment helped him get there, but he hasn't been treating me long enough for that to happen. Please pray for a negative PET scan.
I love your posts on here, and I wish there was a way to respond to so many of you as I read them. If you want to e-mail me privately, most of you probably have my e-mail: vtbates61@aol.com
Thank you again for your prayers!
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