Thursday, July 11, 2013

Ready to Bra Up!!!

Somehow I looked up and realized that it is practically the middle of July.  The 4th has come and go and the Cape is overrun with folks seeking relief from the heat or just from everyday life.  I love the buzz of the crowds but do need to remember to add a good 15-20 minutes to any travel I may need to do these days.

We have had friends come visit which we so enjoy and look forward to being busy entertaining the remaining weekends of the summer and into early fall.  Classes for my doctorate program are about to start and of course there is the normal "9 to 5" obligations we have so I guess it is not surprise that time it just literally flying by.

The positive aspect of this time travel is that in just a mere three months I can stop taking Tamoxifen.  Just like that, the crazy ride I have been on for the past five years will stop.  Yes, I will still get butterflies with every annual mammogram and yes I will still continue to not want to eat items microwaved in plastic containers (hey, you never know!) but the daily reminder of taking that pill will be removed from my life.  Aside from the scars I look at everyday but basically no longer notice my journey dealing with Stage IIB cancer should now be something I can refer to "back when I beat cancer".

However as I have said many times, my journey may be just about over but the fight continues.  As I sit and type, a dear friend holds onto the hope of a miracle for her sister who is currently in the last stages of an aggressive metasticized breast cancer.  With no treatment options left, all her family and friends (me included!) can do is pray.  And this makes me crazy.  Come on America, we can do better than this.  Perhaps we need to start at the basics by examining what we are doing to the food supply, the very items we put into and on our bodies.  Maybe we need to focus less on individual status and consider the greater good when we consider the delivery mechanisms for healthcare.  We need to unravel the mystery of cancer, better yet, we need to understand how to prevent it so that no one need have to worry about things like chemotherapy induced neuropathy, wearing a wig, and losing body parts.

As the war wages on, I vow to be a loyal soldier.  I will continue to be a vocal supporter of preventive screenings, of research for a cure, of fundraising to support such research and to provide care for those who cannot afford it.  That being said, this year I have decided to participate in the inaugural NYC Moonwalk.  My team, Real Superheroes Wear Pink Capes, and I will be walking 26.2 miles on July 20th in NYC at night.  Dressed in bras.  With thousand of others dressed in similar attire.  I can't wait! Won't you consider supporting our effort?
Real Superheroes Wear Pink Capes