Day at the Races

Things around here have been busy, busy, busy in the two weeks since Oaks, and I haven't really had a minute until now to post a little something about our experience. It was amazing. Rob & I were joined by several close friends, and everyone was so sweet to get into the day by getting dressed up in pink and hats. The weather was beautiful (unlike the very wet Derby that followed the day after) and perfect for sipping the signature drink of the day, the Lilly.



Poor Rob. I sent him on a quest to bring me back a Lilly in the official stemless glass, and it took him over an hour to hunt one down at the only stand at the track serving them. He's a good man.



The survivor parade was both heartbreaking and exhilarating. I met several other young survivors - one who was diagnosed while she was pregnant and went through chemo while pregnant, one who found her tumor while doing a self-exam because her best friend had been diagnosed three months earlier (who was also in the parade), one who has 2 yr old twins and a 1 yr old at home while she's going through the same chemo treatment as I am. It was comforting to be surrounded by women with a shared experience, and yet so terribly disappointing to be faced with the realization again of how many of us are out there. But then we began the walk, and it was so much more emotional than I had anticipated. Everyone in the stands cheered for us, and being in front of that many people smiling and applauding and yelling words of support, it was overwhelming. We walked from the backside to the finish line, and stood at the edge of the track to watch the Oaks race, which was amazing. I felt like royalty for a minute, and for a minute forgot the reason that I was there and simply enjoyed the race.



Thank you so much for everyone who went online and voted for me. It was an experience I will never forget. Now we are back to reality and wrapping up the school year for the kids with songfests and field days, and getting closer every day to completing chemo (only 3 treatments left!). I'm excited to be done, and to get on with life, and looking forward to spending the summer with my kids, just being.