And sadly, no pictures. They weren’t going to light the luminaries until midnight, and I got there for the victory lap at six, so I was beat just making two laps around the high school track. I couldn’t find the luminaries I made for everyone, so I am sorry, but I think they just hadn’t gotten around to setting them up and it did look like it was going to take all night! 0_o I’m sorry, I simply couldn’t stay there that long, my back was killing me and it was raining to boot and I had neglected to bring warmer clothing. >.< What miserable weather for it this year...normally it's bright, sunny and too warm for my comfort.

Hopefully, they will post pix on the website after the event. I was roped into carrying the survivor’s banner this year. 0_o So many people with cameras and I looked terrible! ~_~ I hope none of those come out!

My oncologist actually was on the podium making a speech before the beginning of the walk. He is NOT the most motivational speaker. I don’t know who was more uncomfortable…us listening to him or him talking! Someone next to me made a comment that he would forget what it was he wanted to say and I had to squeeze my eyes shut and bite my tongue to keep from saying anything nasty, personally I find him to be a great doctor and that’s enough. So many folks rudely talkign over him while he was speaking…and they had a LOUD rock band playign there this year. One lady passed me on the way out before the walk started complaining about it.

So many little white bags all the way around the track and before each one a line of quarters. People leave those all along the track and they are collected the next day as donations towards the fight.

I did my part by purchasing luminaries and I also got a nice set of ribbon earrings with little pink beads hanging from them (for breast cancer)…normally I hate pink, but I’ve had to live with it for four years, I’ve had to curb my hatred a bit. There was even a survivor who spoke to this particular cancer who was a man this year. It’s kind of odd seeing something like that.

Next year is my milestone year. In May of 2010 I will be a survivor for five years. Then I get to buy health insurance again…hopefully. (Most insurance companies won’t even touch a cancer survivor under the five year mark.) It’s kind of hard to believe I am this far along…I wouldn’t have thought it possible just a decade ago. I manage to forget it ever happened until I either go in for a checkup or go to one of these events. I get all broody beforehand, then all teared up when I’m there waiting for a test result or listening to people’s stories…then afterward I just want to go home and fall asleep and forget it all happened again.

Strange what this does to a person. I am grateful to be here, but I deal with life in a very different way than most folks, I think.