Saturday, marked the First Anniversary of my survivorship from cancer. What a year it has been! I decided to host a Gratitude Luncheon for all my friends who volunteered their time to drive me to the many chemo, radiation and surgery appointments during the past year. I also honored the women who delivered meals, helped with household chores and grocery shopping, lent a listening ear and gave me a shoulder to cry on when I didn't know where to turn.Instead of wearing name tags, each of my friends introduced themselves, told how they knew me and shared a few words about what it was like for them to be a part of my journey to survival. Some of them commented on watching how my hair changed from long, to short, to bald, to wearing a wig, and back to short again. Others shared reflections about my courage and strength to persevere through cancer treatment in a profound effort to live.
After lunch, I gave each of my friends a gift: a black apron with the pink breast cancer ribbon woven into the decorative pattern of the material along with matching cookie cutters. Once all the gifts were opened, they all jumped up and put their aprons on to pose for a group photo shoot. What beautiful friends they are!
We celebrated in style at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen restaurant with a personalized menu that included Ginger Salmon, Mixed Seafood Grill, and Pasta Mardi Gras, with Vanilla Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie for dessert. Our server Trevor gave us impeccable service and the food was over-the-top delicious! I want to give a special shout out to John McGarey who assisted me in coordinating this event. Thank you John! I look forward to celebrating again each October as these anniversaries will be milestones in my life to come.