According to the website, as I sit and type, there are just over 4 days and 9 hours until the Rock and Roll Half Marathon for which I am registered. I can hardly believe it was six whole months ago that the idea to run this race was hatched as I ran with a friend through the district on a lovely, warm Columbus Day. As we talked it out, I went from a little ambivalent about the prospects to downright convinced that I should register for this race. Held on March 12, the race is just one day short of marking three years since I had my bilateral mastectomy. Though technically, the chemo had already killed the cancer in my breast, we didn’t know for sure, so that is the day that I officially consider myself to be cancer-free. Now here’s a little cancer speak technicality for you. People really “in the know” don’t like the phrase cancer free. Because really, you can never know. If you would have given me a form to fill out on September 15, 2012 and asked me to describe myself as either a cancer patient or cancer free, of course I’d have picked the latter. In fact, that wouldn’t have been accurate, I just didn’t know.
So in the cancer world, my status is technically NED for three years– No Evidence of Disease. There’s probably no cancer there, but we don’t know for sure– it could just be too small to detect. But as far as we can tell, there is no evidence of cancer. Which makes March 13 my NED-iversary. Catchy.
That’s all background for the question I have to pose. Back in October, I was stopped in my tracks by the option to personalize my bib. The only thing that fit in the character limitations that marked such a celebration was “cancer free.” But even without the hangup of cancer free vs. NED, I didn’t have the confidence to put that on a bib I wouldn’t be wearing for another six months. A lot can happen in six months. But nothing happened! I’m still just as NED as I was in October. Back then, I decided not to personalize it, leaving myself the option for a custom job with a Sharpie on race day. So, friends, help a girl out. What should my bib say? I’m leaning toward (NED)3, but knowing that people sometimes cheer for you based on the name on your bib, I’m not sure I want to be known as Ned. Makes me think of Ned Flanders, and then words like okely-dokely start popping in my head… Comment here or on Facebook, all reasonable (family friendly!) options will be considered! And the countdown is on– 4 days, 9 hours, one minute…
Run Lipstick Chemo 