Shake Off the Bad Crust of 2008!

We are finally in 2009! We are nearly a decade into the new millennium. I feel like I can shake off a bit of the bad crust of 2008 and start anew. Christmas came and went with the usual merriment and manic package-tearing by the kids, but it also yielded a bit of bittersweet gratitude for all the things that have come to pass in this year. I felt it intensely as I sat there in relatively good health after nearly succumbing to cancer and all of its attendant misfortunes. Many life lessons learned, although I am still working on mastering a few of them. School of hard knocks indeed. Seeing my kids, nephews, and little sister in a sort of ecstatic glee took me back to my own innocent childhood and made me all the more grateful that I am here to live again vicariously through them.

My heart is filled with unending gratitude for many who have treated me with so much kindness, but I feel the need to thank a few here for their most recent (or rather constant) thoughtfulness.

My sister, Nina. She has been a steadfast supporter during my illness, and has provided a place for me to rest during my treatment, countless nurturing meals, and my beautiful twin rings necklace. She went to Tiffany's and found a sterling silver necklace with two interlocked rings to symbolize my twin sons. Not a surprising gift from my sister, given her immense generosity, but it still humbled me and brought me to tears just for the sweet thought put into it. The best sister, ever!

My sister-in-law, Toni. My constant confidante and reliable supporter. She, my brother Zhivago, and my nephew Connor, have opened their home to me and the twins countless times to give us a safe haven. I am free to be as happy, sad or sick as I need to be under their roof, and they have been there to help me along in countless ways. Toni came with me to my divorce hearing to give me courage and moral support. She has done so much in so many little and big ways to offer me stability in a sea of chaos. Thanks for everything, sister!

My cousin, Carolyn. She has been up to visit me from the bay area three times since learning of my illness. She, too, lost her own mother to liver cancer. She most recently visited for Christmas and brightened up my world by laughing with me for a whole week. She treated me to a lovely high tea at the Queen Mary Tea Room on a snow-laden Christmas Eve. She had never seen so much snow in her whole life, and we had to arm her with a snow shovel on a few occasions just to get out of the driveway! She left with a cold, but hopefully a lot of fun memories too. Love ya, Carolyn!

My stepmom, Co Nga. She does so much for everyone, and she has been the number one person to take care of me and the twins for the past 6 months. From her healthful meals during my convalescence, to her sure-handed care of the twins while I was at treatment, and her constant ability to care for everyone even when she herself had her own health to look after. She is a stepmother and a friend to me. On Sunday, we'll be celebrating her birthday so that she can have at least one day to feel special and allow others to take care of her. Thank you for everything you've done for me, Co Nga. I love and appreciate you!

My beautiful friend, Phuong. My champion and advocate. She is an oncology nurse at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She has maintained a fierce vigilance and care over me even though she's not my own nurse. A mother of two, she gives so much of herself to so many and she is always fully present for each and every one of her friends. I am blessed to count myself among them. She's come with me to treatment, brought food over or shared meals with me when I needed it most. She has been nothing short of a guardian angel to me here on Earth. She is a New Year's Baby-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Your friendship is one of my greatest treasures. Much love to you.

My sweet friend, Kat. A decade and a half of friendship. She's seen me through some good and bad times, and has remained resilient for me. I've known her all of my adult life. Even with her own busy schedule as a teacher with two kids, she offered me a movie date with her free tickets that she could have used for herself and her husband, Minh, also my friend. We watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" for two blissful hours, drank a tankard of soda and shared a bushel of popcorn. The movie was solid and gave us food for thought. Can't remember when I was last in a movie theater before then. Next day, our kids had a play date and she made the best darn grilled cheese pesto sandwich I have ever had. Solid, solid friendship. Much love to you, girl.

If your name doesn't appear on this list, please don't think that I don't value your love and support. Many, many people have helped see me through this tough experience and I am grateful to you all, and I hope that I have somehow conveyed that to you so that you know the depths of my heartfelt thanks. My sincere hope is that this new year will bring us all many blessings and better fortune, which we are so desperately in need of. You better believe I prayed for Peace on Earth since it is in short supply everywhere you look. Times are hard, and they are expected to get harder, but I choose to hold fast to the people who remind me that life is worth living. Every inch of it, even the most difficult stretches. This past year, I have morphed into a new person owing to the multitude of scars on my body and an equal number of life lessons seared into my mind. This is the person who has emerged into 2009 with a new lease on life!