Wow! Am I blessed, or am I blessed? Mac and Jane McCormick and friends put together a team of generous folks (named Team Tamara!) who all donated their time and funds to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraiser in Clayton this past weekend. It was amazing! All these wonderful people/families on Team Tamara each signed up for a 2-hour time slot to walk laps around the Clayton Community Park for a 24-hour time period (yes, and some crazy people even signed up to do the hours in the middle of the night!). It started on Saturday at 10 am with an opening ceremony and a "survivor's loop"; I was so happy to be well enough to attend and walk the loop with other survivors. Many of my good friends came out to cheer me on with big smiles! I wasn't feeling my very best, but at least I had recovered enough from the effects of chemo #4 to be there and enjoy the festivities. (One of the photos on this blog page was taken at the event.) Following the survivor's walk, each family took their turn doing the laps ALL DAY LONG and into the night until the fundraiser ended Sunday morning at 10 am. The team raised $1200 to benefit the ACS! And overall, $10,000 was raised to help folks like myself battling cancer! Amazing! I thank everyone who was involved from the bottom of my heart.
My plan is be strong and healthy next year and either help coordinate the event or be a captain of a team. I think it's a wonderful way for Clayton families to come together to work together for a great cause. It's a good way to teach our children that life is not always about ourselves; but we can all work together to benefit others in need.
I am hoping to have a good week before I have my next chemo on Friday. I haven't quite fully recovered from my last infusion, but at least feeling well enough to be out about a little bit. Friday's treatment will be a new drug, Taxol, and I have been told that it will be easier on my system. I sure hope so! Two of the most prevalent side affects of Taxol include body ache and tingling in the fingers/hands. After all the nausea I have endured over the past few months, I think I can handle both of those!
The kids will be returning to school on the 30th, and like most moms, I am very happy about this! It has been challenging to keep the kids occupied, especially when I have not been feeling well. I owe so much to the many friends and families who have HELPED me to keep them busy (especially my parents and my sister). With school starting, I will have more time to rest (if I need it) and focus on getting well. My treatments will be every Friday, and they will run until November 11th. Needless to say, I am looking forward to the juicy turkey and yummy pumpkin ale on Thanksgiving even more than usual this year!
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