Here They Come Into The Stretch!

I love the horse races! And on President’s Day, I had good reason. I went to the races with my husband and some friends and walked away a pretty big winner. I bet on every race, ate and drank all day, and still walked away with $75 MORE in my pocket than when I began. Not bad, eh? I even hit a trifecta bet – that’s where you pick the first, second and third place horses all in the correct order! All in all, I cashed in 7 winning tickets! That’s what you call a phenomenal day at the track! We also got to see Old Fashioned (see photo) win the Southwest Stakes. That means he is now the leading favorite to win the Kentucky Derby – and who knows, maybe even the Triple Crown.

I wish I could say I won because of my genius ability to read the race form and calculate all the odds. I do know how to read the form and interpret some of the data – but let’s be honest – there’s an awful lot of luck involved! One time I bet and won money on a horse simply because I liked her name – Tricky Jo.

It occurs to me that treatment for cancer is a little like the horse races. You do the research, you weigh all the factors, you consider the odds, and then you choose the treatments that are best for you. I think I have done well in that department. I looked at all the options and made the wisest choices in my cancer treatment. I think I have done everything possible to eradicate the disease. But in the end, it still requires a little bit of luck. Did we get every cancer cell that was floating around my body? I sure hope luck is with me.

My mastectomy recovery is still going well, albeit a bit tiresome. Indeed, the first expansion rounded things out a bit and the second expansion is set for later this week. I have to say, these lumps on the front of my chest may look like boobs but they do not feel like boobs nor do they feel like a part of my body. It feels as if someone strapped two tin cans to the front of my chest with tight elastic straps and some days I am simply ready to take them off. Everyone swears the permanent implants will feel much softer and I sure hope they are right. I guess I need to adjust and set my own heart straight. These lumps will be with me until the end of May or the beginning of June. I still have a ways to go.

One of the best parts of the horse races is when you hear the announcer say, “And here they come into the stretch!” It means the horses are nearing the finish line. The tension builds and everyone jumps to their feet with excitement. Can the leader hang on? Who’s that coming up on the outside? People screaming, “Go horse! Go!” And then in a blink… it’s over.

I can’t wait for the day when I can say, “And here she comes into the final stretch of her cancer treatment.” It won’t be too much longer, but there are a few more months and a few more surgeries to go. And then in a blink – it will all be over.

Isn't it funny how I can turn even a fun day at the races into a cancer analogy? Ah well... this too shall one day pass:)