My trip, part 3

After the first very boring session, we had a break and then a reception in the exhibition hall. They had little finger foods to eat and drinks. I had a little bit but it didn't fill me up. I sat at a table with the non drinkers and had fun listening to everyone's stories. Afterwards, a few of us were upstairs in the lobby area trying to figure out what there was to do. So we found out that there was a Chili's a few blocks away and we headed out. Teresa, Kat, Cathy, and myself. One baldie, one with fuzz, one with just two inches of hair, and me with maybe 3 inches of hair. We sat down and it didn't matter that two of us were nearly bald. It was no big deal. I loved it!!! We just sat there forever talking about each person's treatment and life in general. It was a lot of fun. We had to walk back and found a bunch of the board members getting wild in the bar. So we sat with them for a while and I decided that I was done. I don't like to hang around people when they are drinking because I don't do it, I don't want to be a babysitter, and I wanted to be by myself for a bit.



I got up to my room around 11:00pm and could tell that my roommate had arrived in town. Dace's bag was on her bed but she was gone. I took a long hot shower and started to go through all the goodies I got from the exhibitors. I hear a knock on the door, and in comes my fellow sightseeing buddy Jacki and my roommate Dace. They knew each other and had gone out for coffee and stuff after the reception that evening. So Jacki sat in a chair and Dace and I were on our beds and we talked for like nearly 2 hours. Then Jacki left and Dace and I chatted a while longer. Dace lives in California so we both were on West Coast time and it only felt like 10pm instead of 2am.



We woke up and hurried to get ready for the morning activities. They were having a welcome and opening remarks by the heads of the LBBC and YSC. After that was a plenary session concerning medical updates for young women affected by breast cancer. She was a great speaker, but the subject matter was stuff that I already knew about or had a general idea. That makes me feel good because it means that I researched breast cancer fairly well. I sat with Dace, Jacki, Cynthia, Kat, Cathy, and Cynthia's husband. I think there were a couple others, but I can't remember. We chatted after the plenary session and through breakfast. After a break, there was another plenary session by Julie Silver. It was about enhancing quality of life through better nutrition and exercise. Everything she said made perfect sense and I'm so glad I brought my paper and pen along. I took down notes and after that session, I went to the exhibitor's hall and bought her book. What she had to say and the way she spook was the reason I came to this conference. This is what I wanted to learn and study and get to know.



We had a lunch next. Everyone received a box lunch from the lobby outside and we chatted and networked inside the huge ballroom where the plenary sessions and opening remarks were being held. After that, they told us about the group photo they wanted to take. We managed to squeeze close to 800 women in this tiny space for a photo. All the women with breast cancer were together and then the caretakers and everyone who came to suppor

t us went upstairs and took pictures. The official photographer took pictures on the same level as us but standing on a platform of sorts. It was a moment that is hard to explain. My heart goes in my throat each time I try to explain it. Just a very powerful feeling. Like I had a special group of sisters and we were in it together.



Afterwards, it broke up and I started to go upstairs to my room. I get on the escalator and see my little group from my breast cancer support group getting ready for pictures. So I'm waving at them to wait while I race up the escalator and then down the other one. I run over and ever

yone laughs. Poor Cynthia or Steph's husband had about 15 cameras in front of him taking pictures of us for each person that wanted it. My little group is from the YSC bulletin boards and we've all gotten to know each other through that. We were the largest private group there. There were 30 of us in the picture with at least 10 ladies not present in the picture. The official photographer noticed us and started taking pictures too. Linnea would pose all sexy so he got on the floor and pretended to get up close and personal with her. It was great. Everyone laughing and getting along.