West Virginia Treasures

Saturday I went to a "Tree of Hope" ceremony at the imaging center that found my breast cancer.  I took my Young Lady with me.  When I first got the invitation I thought to myself I don't want to go.  Then I remembered that it was this time last year when I was having to have lots of test to see if I had breast cancer.  The waiting room had a little white tree that was decorated with pink ornaments with ladies who were survivors.  The tree was kind of sparce to me with not many ornaments on it.  It wasn't very encouraging to me at all since each ornament represents a lady who is a survivor of breast cancer.  With that thought I realized that I had to go.  I also had to go because I'm due my yearly mammogram this week and I would feel funny seeing that tree without an ornament with my name on it as a Survivor!

The party was wonderful!  They had a lot more ladies who showed up for the event then they have had in the past 3 years when they started the event.  I will have to say that I was the youngest survivor there.  Most of the ladies were in their 70's and completely gray.  Most were around 10 year survivors.  One lady was a 20 year survivor!  I may have been the youngest one there but I wasn't the newest in terms of surgery dates.  One dear lady had her surgery in July.  She was the only lady there that was still undergoing chemo.

The staff was just wonderful!  In the invitation it said there would be light refreshments.  I figured cookies and drinks.  They went all out.  They had ham salad sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, veggie trays, dips and crackers, cheese tray, chips and dip, cookies, cupcakes and even a pumpkin roll along with punch, Pepsi, Coke, and coffee. 

After everyone finished their food they had a drawing for the grand door prize.  One little old lady won the pink breast cancer robe.  She was thrilled.  The look on her face was priceless.  They then brought out a big box full of other prizes.  They just kept drawing names until every single breast cancer survivor had a prize.  I got a reusable shopping bag with Hope on it.  Perfect for me because I love using those types of bags when I go shopping.  Just when we thought the party was over they came out with more prizes for us!  I felt like I was on the Oprah show!   They had made us manicure sets in mason jars.  They were so cute.

I had my yearly mammogram today.  That is when I took the pictures of the tree.  There were just way too many people there Saturday.  Plus I left my camera in the truck.  I was hoping to see the lady who did my mammogram last year that found my little teeny tiny spot with the magnifying glass.  She still works there but wasn't there today.  I told the girl who did my mammogram today all about it.  She was thrilled that they had found my cancer so early.  She gave me a hug before I left.  

Angela