2010 3 Day – Day 0

Day 0: Crew Day [aka: Thursday before the event]
On the Thursday before the 3 Day, crew members are required to report to help set up and organize for the following day.  Since we had 3 crew members on our team [Pat & Deb, RN’s: Medical Crew; James: Green Team (aka: recycling crew)] we headed over to the Detroit area early Thursday morning… but not until we stopped for some yummy breakfast!  Then we hopped in the cars and started the drive. We arrived at the hotels and checked in and then it was off to Crew Day for the Pat, Deb & James!  We got a little bored while they were away so we drove around a bit and then went back to see Pat practice carrying her flag.  Pat was chosen to be one of the 39 flag bearers at Opening Ceremonies!  She was the very FIRST medical crew person to receive this honor!  This is what I wrote in her nomination letter:

My aunt Pat is on the medical crew.  This will be her 3rd year in a row bandaging those blisters and easing aches and pains.  She has been one of my biggest supporters since my first year with the 3 Day (2007) when she came out to cheer her heart out with that pink feather boa!  What she saw at closing made her want to sign up immediately for 2008.  She has helped me fundraise year after year and has helped me organize "mini 3 day" training walks complete with pit stops, lunch stops, cheering stations and sweep vans!  She is passionate about this cause because she lost her mom, my grandma, 12 years ago to breast cancer.  As a nurse, she was with my grandma those last 2 weeks instead of the hospice nurses and never left her side. Since we lost her, I have found the walks & runs and my aunt has always helped me organize the teams and coordinate the fundraising because neither of us wants another family to go through the pain of losing a loved one to breast cancer.  Last year, I was looking forward to crewing alongside my aunt when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to drop out of the event.  My aunt was there with me through my surgeries and treatments, and our resolve to find a cure together grew even stronger. After all, we have sisters, nieces, daughters, and granddaughters still here to fight for.  While she bandaged those blisters last year, I came out to cheer her and the medical team on.  After the event we talked about next year's event like it was a no-brainer and we signed up as soon as we had the chance.  Earlier this year, they found an abnormality in her breast and we anxiously awaited the pathology results together.  We knew that the advancements made in treatments since my grandma passed have been amazing because of organizations like Komen but the wait was still terrifying.  We were at our garage sale fundraiser when we heard the "all clear" results and we cried and celebrated at the same time.  Since then two more of my aunts have had abnormalities show up on their mammograms.  We know we cannot give up this fight until we have no cancer to worry about.  Having seen the opening & closing ceremonies several times, she would be so honored to carry a flag.  She may be crying the entire ceremony but I guarantee that she will have a smile on her face, knowing what a difference this event makes.

 
Mayme and I were pulled into the practice too because a few of the flag bearers were late and they needed standbys.  After the practice session we headed out for dinner at Outback with the entire team and some of our  cheerleaders… our dinner for 18 included: Lisa, Dorie, Mart, Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Pat, Mayme, Jim, Murt, Sandy, Penny, Chelsea, Ashley, Noah, Ethan, Heather & myself!  Pat gave us all some socks to rock on the walk so we headed back to the hotel to cut out the feet [to prevent blisters] and to get a good night’s sleep.  Wake up call for Day 1 is 4am – Night!