This was my third relay for life.
Relay always brings mixed feelings for me.
Gratitude that this part of my life is over,
but also sadness because of those that fought with me are no longer here.
It does renew my commitment to living everyday,
and never looking back.
Many things have changed in the three years since my cancer,
some good some bad.
but for the most part I'm still living everyday as if it is my last.
A precious gift that many people just do not understand.
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| relay on the track photo credit Michelle Lawrence |
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| the survivor tents photo credit Michelle Lawrence |
My friend Michelle had her camera and snapped several photos for me.
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| All of us photo credit Michelle Lawrence |
This year during the survivor walk they did a balloon release.
I felt that sending a message to my friend Barb would be fitting.
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| Barbs balloon |
In case you've never gone to a relay for life event,
the survivor walk is a tradition that is held every year,
the survivors and the caregivers start on one side of the track,
the survivors walk with just other survivors in one direction
the caregivers walk in the opposite direction
you meet at the opposing side of the track
then you walk with your caregivers back to the starting point.
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| the balloon release caregiver view |
It can be a very solemn time as when you are walking to your caregivers,
you realize who you may have walked with last year,
may have lost the fight in the last year.
it really makes you appreciate the fact that you are still here,
you are still fighting,
you are still LIVING.
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| the balloon release Photo Credit Mary Torpy |
Then you meet those that you hold so dear,
those that made you take your treatments,
those that held your hand when you hurt,
the ones who would sit through HOURS of treatments
and never complain about how they may have a kink in their back
or how LONG the treatments are
or even how they could have gone shopping during that time that you sat there.
Those that lied to you
and told you it was going to be OK
even though they were so scared they didn't know if it was themselves.
and you know just how very important they are to you.
Suddenly it all feels worth it,
and you know why they still come to these events.
because that time that was so very inconvenient for them,
means you get to walk that lap
ONE MORE TIME.
The whole experience is very moving for me.
Mary (M-I-L) always buys a luminary for me,
this is the first time i've been at relay late enough to see it out on the field
its quite emotional to see bags and bags of these
and read the names as you walk the track,
you see so many that have "in memory of" on the top.
some bags are very decorated some are plain.
I happened to see my lawyer's luminary (he passed some time ago)
and it had been decorated with a striped tie.
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| My luminary |
I've been told that seeing all of them lit is VERY moving.
looking down on the track and seeing all of the bags lit
for those that have dealt with this horrible disease is incredible.
hopefully i can stay late enough to see it lit next year.
As for this year she took a photo of it for me.
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| My luminary at night Photo credit Mary Torpy |
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| Steve and I |
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| Mary and I |
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| Michelle and Matthew |
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| Matt walked a mile |
Matt was very fascinated with the track
hopping on every triangle and number.
he would go from the first number to the next as the count goes.
the little trooper walked until we got tired of encouraging him along,
then daddy went and got the stroller for him.
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| then he rode a half a mile |
My Parent In Laws were on a relay for life team.
My mother in law walked 24 laps (6 miles)
My father-in-law told the team to go to bed and did
ALL OF THE WALKING during the night,
he did a grand total of 64 LAPS or 16 miles!
These are the strings of beads they used to keep track
of how far they have walked.
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| My parent in law's beads |
Next year i think i will be ready to walk on their team.
I personally only did 6 laps, which is 1.5 miles,
BUT i also managed to run 1/2 of a lap
i've not done that since high school,
every year i see improvement in how much i can do.
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| Steves Dad, Bob, Had these cool light up glasses I had to try them on before i left |
This is a wretched picture of me,
but I thought Bob's glasses were so neat!
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| my tokens |
Every year the cancer society gives us remembrances.
this is my new keychain and my survivor pin.
the keychain is really heavy and just what i needed right now.
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