The most amazing experience of my life!!!

Well here it is Thursday, and I am finally getting around to writing about my 3-day experience. I can sum it up with three descriptions: amazing, life changing, and inspiring! We started out with opening ceremonies bright and early Friday morning. There was not a dry eye in sight. As we left Northbrook Court and made our way to the beginning of the walk, we passed the first of the inspiring people. A man, most likely in his 50s, wearing a shirt that said "Team Lisa" and had a photograph of a beautiful YOUNG woman. He was carrying one of the many flags that the 3 day provides. I asked him quite simply how long he was going to carry the flag. He told me only until the first pit stop. I then followed-up with, "how many people do you have on Team Lisa." He responded as many as 17 in the past, but only 3 this year. He looked me in the eye, and smiled, and said, "this is my daughter, she walked last year, before she died, at the age of 34." Needless to say, Dani, Rebecca and I all three LOST IT. 34, really? Reminded me of the Kenny Chesney song with the lyric, "you died much too young, like a story that had just begun." So, the walk began. It was a great morning, and we soon entered the Chicago Botanical Gardens and the crowds spread out. We for whatever reason, decided that this was somehow a race, and we needed to push it, and push it we did! We ended up back at camp about 2:30 in the afternoon, after walking nearly 23 miles. There were many awe-inspiring people along the route, clapping and cheering us on. It started raining about 10:45 in the morning and rained the rest of Day 1 and all through the night. I looked at my teammates when I arrived at camp, and said despite walking in the rain all afternoon, "I'm not even pissy." Which was a huge statement about the amazing people along the route! We got our tents put up and decorated, hit the hot showers and dinner, and we in bed before 8.

Saturday morning we woke up to rain again, but decided to get started again fairly early. We spent the early part of the walk planning our fundraisers and recruiting of new team members for next year. Of course, our competitive attitude took over, and we pushed ourselves again until lunch! The people along Saturday's route were AMAZING. So many supporters including the police and fire departments along the way. In fact, it even made me a rethink my usually not so great attitude about authority figures (I know my job is wearing off on me)! Anyway, we walked another 19.1 miles on Saturday. I developed a horrible hip pain, and a shin splint, but kept right on walking. There is NO way I was going to catch a bus or sweep van! My tent mate, Heather, had horrible blisters, but we kept on moving. When we got back to camp, I went to the medic tent, and met a great chiropractic student named Roy. He stretched out both my hip and my leg, and I felt much better! Thanks Roy! We showered and ate dinner, and later went to the New Balance Tent to play Bingo. Rebecca and I both won "big prizes." She won a bag and I won a visor. Once again we headed to bed around 7:30! Day 2 we met so many great people along the route. I remember one little boy about 4 wearing a shirt that said "Thank you for walking for my mommy!" Of course there were tears! Dani's parents also came out to a cheering station, which was a welcome surprise!

This is the remembrance tent. It was a tear jerker. Inside there is a tent for Chicago, where people write messages to those who did not beat breast cancer. The first note I saw, "Mom, I miss you, Allycat." BROKE MY HEART. All around inside the tent are photos of former walkers male and female, who lost their lives to this horrible disease!

Finally, it was day 3. We got up at 4:45 to get out on the course. Did I mention we were competitive? At every pit stop Dani asked the person keeping track, where we were at. Not bragging or anything, but usually in the top 150 out of 1800!!! Day 3 was so HOT and humid. We walked along the lake front most of the way, it was pretty, and did I mention HOT? There were a lot of different people on the lake front, and not quite as many friendly people cheering us on, but it was still inspiring. We arrived at Soldier Field about 1:30 to an amazing crowd. We cried and laughed as we walked in holding hands. We had just finished 60 miles, and for such an important cause. Our families joined us for the closing ceremonies. I had NO idea there were so many survivors walking along side of us. In the closing ceremonies, when the survivors walk in all the walkers raise a shoe in honor of their strength, courage and devotion. There was not a dry eye in sight!

I know this is getting long, but I have to get serious for just a minute. I'm sure you want to know why we walked 60 miles? Quite frankly, I signed up because 60 miles seemed like a challenge. I have been lucky to never have a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, and I hope there is a cure so that never happens! But about 3 weeks before the walk, I myself found a lump in my right breast. I tried to ignore it, but finally decided that I needed to get it checked out. I went to my doctor, who also felt it and sent me for a mammogram and an ultrasound. I was FREAKED OUT, afterall, I am only 31, and mammograms are for people over 40:) I went to the tests, and a very good friend came with me, for moral support! Thanks, Sara! The radiologist told me that it was dense breast tissue and nothing to worry about. Most people would walk away happy. I was a little concerned. Rebecca tells me its because in my job, we learn too much, and happen to be defending two failure to diagnose breast cancer cases! Anyway, I finally followed up with my own doctor yesterday, and have been reassured that I don't need to worry. So, next year, I will walk so that one day, no one will go through the agony and stress that I went through the past few weeks! I thank my wonderful and awesome, God, that I am healthy!

Now, I ask, will you join us, the "Boobalicious Babes" next year?