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Riding was the thing that kept me from feeling sorry for myself and giving in to cancer. I knew that as long as I could ride I could kick cancer’s butt! I was strong because I rode… I have been riding motorcycles since I was 12 years old. Loved riding the dirt trails around my home growing up and knew that someday I would have a “big bike” and ride on the highways. I was a young mother when breast cancer first entered my life, daughter Tamara was not quite 5 years old. I was just 29 and told that this DCIS I had was not really a cancer and not to worry about it. We would do a simple lumpectomy and I would be good to go. I did not have access to all the information out there now, so I was ignorant of the dangers I faced ahead and what breast cancer is. I did not worry about breast cancer for several years after that. In the years ahead I went through surgery, chemo and radiation for Melanoma so breast cancer took a back seat. Then in 1999, after years of taking a drug to prevent the return of the DCIS in my breast, I was devastated to learn that it was back. Also, at this time I learned that it really was breast cancer and I should be very concerned. Wow that was a shock! Once again I went through a lumpectomy and several weeks of radiation. I was at a very low period in my life and spent many hours alone on my motorcycle just riding. In 2003 I learned that I was going to have a baby. Now that was a real shock because I had been told by doctors that I could not have any more children because of all the cancer treatments I had. Most of the doctors we dealt with thought we were crazy to even try to have this baby, they kept telling us to “terminate”. In March of 2004, 6 weeks early, Harley Amber was born. She was perfect in every way and soon caught up from being a “Preemie”. Cancer also came back into my life shortly after Harley’s birth in the form of Cervical and Endometrial. More surgeries and treatments. Once again my motorcycle got me through some tough times. I could not go for long rides as weakness was a problem but I DID ride every chance I got! Health challenges showed up again this past year. I ended up having 3 more surgeries and most of my liver removed. It seems that the breast cancer has returned and decided to take up residence on my liver. I have been through one clinical trial, many rounds standard chemo and 5 weeks of radiation for tumors relating to another type of primary. It has been a difficult year for me, yet with my wonderful friends and family I am doing ok! I wasn’t sure until just recently that I would be strong enough to make the ride this year. So being able to say “hell ya I’m coming girls!” is my motivation!! Amazon Heart Thunder and all the wonderful women involved in it have become therapy for me, I am so looking forward to seeing everyone in California!! For the past two years I have been honored to participate as a Rider for the Amazon Heart Thunder California leg. The experience has been amazing and has changed me forever. Megan & Meredith are so very special to me; they are the force that brought all these wonderful women together in such a great way. We were just a simple group of women on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but we sure did Wake people up! Most of all we have made lifelong friends! . It is such a special adventure that brings us all together to raise money and awareness about young women living with Breast Cancer, but most of all to share a unique experience with women that may not have anything else in common, yet understand each other perfectly… Ride On G
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| Copyright © 2007 Artemisia Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Photographer Jill Karnicki 2004. |
