Rock Star?

It's time for the 2nd installment of my 3 Day walk weekend...which started 2 days before we actually began walking.  I flew out to Texas on Wednesday morning bright & early so I could have a full day with my BFF before the rest of the team arrived.  In my mind I envisioned us sitting on her backyard patio drinking wine, munching on snacks & having similar conversations to the ones we have each morning on the phone.  BUT, C had something else in mind...and from the moment I stepped off the plane at 9:15am CST, it was a whirlwind of activity.

Our first stop on the way home from the airport was to get brunch at one of my FAVORITE restaurants from back home, Cracker Barrel.  We ran a couple errands and next was wine-thirty at C's favorite wine bar, D'vine Wine.  From there we walked 2 doors down to the hair salon, Serendipity, where she'd scheduled an appointment for me with Danielle.  All I knew was she had done some website work & had a credit for me & her to each get our hair done.  I figured she just didn't want to walk 60 miles with me & my terrible roots. ;)  I had no idea what the ultimate plan was....

While at the salon, I met the genius behind Tiffie Sleeves, Tiffany, before she headed off to NJ for a class reunion.  I have to note at this point that everywhere we went--with the exception of Cracker Barrel--C introduced me to someone who KNEW me & wanted to hug me.  It was a weird feeling.  And while Danielle was foiling my roots to take away my "trailer trash" look I'd been sporting, I got the feeling this day wasn't even close to ending...

After Danielle washed, dried & styled my hair, she inserted the pink extension to match C & then pulled out makeup.  She said "I have been instructed to make you look hot."  Um........

I had airbrush makeup applied & since it was about 3pm & 12 hours after I had woken, I was starting to drag.  While my eyes were shut during makeup application, I got a whiff of something REALLY yummy.  When I opened my eyes, C was standing by my side with not only my favorite Dr. Pepper, but also homemade potato chips & dip to "perk me up".  Why yes...I could get used to this treatment. 

We left the salon to pick up some Chinese food for dinner & headed back to C's house.  Now my head is kinda spinning.  What's going to happen next?  I am sitting there in my hoodie with my rock star hair & makeup eating take out Chinese with C's amazing family.  There's gotta be more to this story....

Then the doorbell rang.  And enter Brooke.  Again, someone who knows me.  C & Brooke escape to the garage.  What?  Enter Tamara.  And she's carrying a sword?  What? What?  The next little bit involves the tall hubby & tall son draping dark curtains over the garage door to create a backdrop.  Then the wine is poured & the instructions for all boys to stay out of the garage.  Hmmmm.....

Now, my new favorite saying is "what happens in the garage, stays in the garage", but you all have seen the pictures.  What happened next is kind of a blur.  I wish I'd been more awake & had more time to mentally prepare for the following photo shoot so I could really savor every moment of it.  Fortunately we have some really fantastic shots to serve as reminders & the memories are priceless.

So, some of you have asked about the sword.  Let me backtrack a bit...Brooke is a DFW photographer with Maddiepie Creations & if you live in the area you should most certainly look her up!  She does incredible work!  But Tamara & C put together the shoot to give me a chance to feel empowered as a survivor.  It goes like this....Tamara's sister Tiffany started her business Tiffie Sleeves & took these pictures with a famous photographer & her sword to represent her strength in her independence & taking the leap of faith to start a business on her own.  Our shoot involved the sword also as a representation of strength as a survivor.  I am not one who does well when the spotlight is on me, even figuratively, so to be standing there with the lights on me & the camera flashing with people watching me, it was a little uncomfortable.  Pam even joined us for the shoot & while again, I had never met her, she insisted that we hug because she knew all about me. 

In the end, the women welcomed me into their circle of friendship & success.  They are all a positive force who encourage each other to be better than they think they can be--in life & business.  I don't know yet WHY they were brought into my life, but I know something big will come of all of this.  Something more than just some pictures.  I am soooooo blessed to have them in my life & know they have helped me grow in ways I cannot even put into words.

Pam, Tamara & Tamara's girls came to cheer us on during Day 2 lunch!

Back to the pictures...Tiff wanted to know what I saw in my reflection of the blade in this photo.

Well, I have obviously looked at the images a great many times (Thank you again, Brooke, you're amazing!).  I saw a reflection of a someone who is ready to put the cancer in the past & start living the good life AFTER cancer...taking advantage of all there is!  Here's what the photos did for me--they allowed me to feel beautiful again.  And more than just pretty...but beautiful.  My husband says "that's the way I see you everyday" & what a wonderful thing for him to say.  But when you have your breasts removed from your body, there is a piece of being a woman that is taken from you.  I am not a vain person about my looks, but my first mastectomy was really difficult for me.  Even though I had implants & didn't look terrible when dressed, I knew my chest looked like a piece of skin over 2 water balloons when I was naked.  I didn't take off my shirt in front of my husband for 2 years.  I never had my nipples recreated because I got pregnant so soon & then having 2 girls & an infant, it was not on the top of my priority list.  Then, the surgeries started all over again....and it was a horrible process.  My dear friend Heather said it best when we were talking about the process in Texas.  She said when she saw my first pics after the cancer removal surgery May 2009 & what my right breast looked like after doing the skin removal & stomach surgery, she knew this was going to be a long road.  And it has been.  I have beautiful boobies now, if I do say so myself. :)  But they are covered in scars that still make me feel a little like Frankenstein.  And that photo shoot....well, it took away the insecurities.  It made me feel like a complete woman.  The reactions of these women who had JUST met me showed me what others see...even when my shirt is not hiding the scars.  The reactions of my friends & family to the pics on Facebook show me that I should probably wear makeup more often & my ball cap LESS often! :)

And here's the thing...I don't want to be defined by my cancer.  But I believe that I am a survivor for a reason.  And what these women did for me on that Wednesday--with something as simple as a can of hairspray & a camera--is something that all survivors can benefit from!  This chapter of my life is just beginning...there's so much more to come!  Cancer diagnosis has not declined with all the research we're funding--in fact, we're diagnosing women with breast cancer earlier & earlier.  This is saving lives so deaths are declining but survivors are increasing!  Life after cancer?  Yes...

Stay tuned....