Monday, March 3, 2014

Updates

A few more updates:

1.)  My insurance approved the genetic testing.  So, my blood was drawn and sent away to an out of state lab for testing.  It will take about 3 months to get the results.  I am getting the larger BreastNext test which looks at 18 genes for mutations.

2.)  We have jumped head first into planning our Yellowstone Trip.  Currently my rep for the Ott Foundation has secured our first two nights in a hotel for FREE!  She is working on the rest.  She said once the managers hear my story they are more than willing the help out... such generosity!  Hopefully we can get all of our nights comped and then with the money from the foundation we will only have to pay for our RCI timeshare resort and food.

3)  I have created a team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  My team name is Brittney's Beauties.  The Race is April 12th, 2014 in downtown Indianapolis.  Registration is $35 and includes a t-shirt and pre-race/post-race goodies.  If you would like to participate in the race with me, please make sure you register through my team.  If you cannot make it out, please consider making a donation to my team.  I am hoping to raise $500.  The race is 40 days away and so far I have raised $50.  Check out my previous post for the links.

Pink Pajama Party!

  So, I talked in my last post about being invited to a Pink Pajama Party fundraiser for the I.W.I.N Foundation that I was a recipient of.  I attended that fundraiser last weekend and had a blast!  My fellow breast cancer survivor/friend/foundation recipient was given 2 tickets to the event and she invited me to go along with her.  When I got there and checked in, I met several of the I.W.I.N ladies and found out that I was actually next in line to receive 2 tickets as well.  They were surprised when my friend called to register us for the event and she gave them my name.  I didn't even know this until they told me at the event check in.  It turns out that the tickets were a pay it forward initiative.  We met the lady and her daughter who paid for our tickets and she had an amazing story of how she raised the funds.  She attends the church on the hill in Carmel and they had given out $83,000 to each of their parisioners in envelopes one sunday morning (divided into various amounts) and they were told to do good will within the community with their money. She said that her envelope had $15 in it.  She already knew that she wanted to pay for a ticket to the event, so she started a gofundme-type account on the web.  She was hoping to just raise enough money for 1 ticket, but the word spread and she was able to raise enough for 2 tickets.  What a great story!
  This event was soooo much fun!  We started off by checking-in and receiving a pink bag with a Vera Bradley blanket ($50), an event t-shirt, and some small trinkets in it.  Then, we headed over to the main hall to check out the silent auction.  There must have been atleast 200 items.  Everything from Kroger gift cards to signed athletic memorabilia to jewelry.  There was also a few items that you could buy raffle tickets for. There were hor d'ouvres going around and drinks for purchase.  Then at 7:15p the banquet opened for a sit down dinner, MC Angela Cain, a band, dancing and dessert table.  The best part of the evening though was when they opened the entire first floor up to SPA SERVICES!!!  All kinds of local businesses had set up stations/tables for us to go around and partake in.  Things like facials, eyebrow waxing, chair massages, make-up, hairstyling, nails, acupuncture, foot massage, group hypnosis, terot card readers, etc.  It was CRAZY!  I couldn't believe how much they had to do and it was all included in the ticket.   I came home with a bag full of goodies.
The cool thing about this event is that is was all ladies there, no men.  Everyone was wearing pink pajamas, some even in house slippers and robes.  Lots of girlfriend groups and mother/daughters.  This is the 12th year for this even and it seems like lots of people make this an annual outing for their friends and family.  I am already planning on going with my mom next year.  The neat thing is that for only about $30 more, you can have a room in the hotel included in your ticket (with breakfast).  If you would like more information on this event, please check out their website.

There were several rooms where spa services were set up.  This was the pool area, which had acupuncture, foot massage, chair massage, and a couple other things.
 
 

Dancing to Living Proof

                                                              Me and Debbie in our PJs