relay for life, and lost teeth

Ryan riding his bike without training wheels!

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Tonight was the Kailua Relay for Life.  I went long enough for the survivors lap.  I went alone, since the boys don't know anything.  I walked a little bit with a lady who is a 7 year survivor.  She had breast cancer with positive nodes and went the mastectomy/chemo route.  The short walk tired her out, so I'm thinking the chemo did a number on her or she has other medical issues.  The lady who contacted all the survivors is a 41-year survivor!  I don't know what kind of cancer she had, but WOW!

The survivor walk was led by a bagpipe quartet.  Very classy, and cool.  I felt like a fraud.  My cancer was a baby cancer.  There are even some doctors who call it "precancer".  I was diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) - which by definition is non-invasive.  But the reality is, in some people it becomes invasive and in some people it never does.  It *is* cancer, in the ducts.  And because they don't know in whom it will become invasive, you have to treat it.*I* think doctors who call it precancer do us a disservice.  For example, when I went to Bible study on Thursday, one of the ladies asked us to pray for her mom who was recovering from a lumpectomy for a "precancer" in her breast.  Now I can't say she was diagnosed with DCIS, but if she was, I feel her daughter has a false sense of security.  Recurrence within 5 years usually comes back as invasive.  I dunno, that's just my thought.  And this is a HUGE discussion amongst us DCIS gals.  When I was being prepped for my last surgery, one of the guys asked me if I had cancer and I said yes.  And he goes, "so it wasn't in situ. (said like a statement of fact, not a question).  And I said, yes, it was in situ.  He shut up then, wisely.  I had to lose a breast to it, man.  Tell me again that it wasn't cancer.

Anyway, all that said, I still feel like a fraud.  I was sooooo lucky that it wasn't invasive.  Surgery took care of it, and I'm pretty much good.  But I feel it was important to be there.  Representing.

Well, right now I can barely see.  They gave me a crocheted lei and the wind was blowing pretty hard and blew fuzz in my eye.  I had to endure about an hour in great pain.  Now I'm blinded.  I'm sure a good night's sleep and I'll be all good.

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News on the boy front.  Both boys lost a tooth within a day of each other.  And actually, Ryan lost his before we got up in the morning and he managed to put his tooth in the tooth fairy bag that was under Jake's pillow.  (the tooth fairy forgot to visit!  oops!)  We however, managed to sneak money under their pillows and the boys didn't say a thing about it.  This is the closest they've lost teeth - not yet on the same day, but close.

Ryan learned how to ride his bike without training wheels today.  I've got a ton of pictures and even some video.  I'll try to post the video.  Tried it, but it didn't work.  Rats, it was pretty good.