[islandgirl]

Gung Hay Fat Choy! My daughters (age 10 and 15) are adopted from China. We celebrate every year. It's been a rough year for all of us, and we're finally seeing the 'other side' (I finish herceptin in May). I had treatment today in Seattle. I occasionally see a 'chemo' pal at treatment who is Chinese. The first time I met her, she had brought home cooked Chinese food for much of the staff at Swedish Cancer Center. She was crocheting up a storm. We talked a bit (it was my first or second time on the infusion floor). She said her cancer had returned but she said "I'm not going to whine or complain about it. That's life!!! You just do what you can do!!!. I will never forget how upbeat and positive she was. I later learned she has Stage IV rectal cancer, had a husband who left her at the time of diagnosis, has an young son and a 23 year old daughter who is helping support her. I saw her today - she has a big smile and such warmth. We wished each other Happy Chinese New Year. While she has a dreadful prognosis, she is clearly 'living' with it in such an inspirational way.