We continue to honor Michelle’s wishes and are focused on helping patients so that something positive can come from this horrible reality. My mom has been working hard with political leaders and the community to continue helping those in need of bone marrow transplants. In February, Senator Mark DeSaulnier of Concord, CA introduced Senate Bill 1304, the “Michelle Maykin Memorial Donation Protection Act,” that will allow private and public sector employees paid time off for organ or marrow donation. Donors would no longer have to worry about the financial burden of their gift. We know that this will ultimately lead to more registered donors and more lives saved.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
For SB 1304 to pass, it has to go through the legislative process. The next step is for the bill to go through the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee where it is reviewed and then voted up or down. The committee hearing will be held on April 14, 2010. Here is how you can help pass SB 1304 out of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and move it to the next step of the legislative process:

1) Sign our online petition to show the widespread community support for SB 1304.
Link for Online Petition

2) Tell your friends and family to sign the petition

3) Fill the room at the Hearing on April 14 in Capitol Building (9:30 am in Room 2040)

4) Spread the word by emailing friends and family with the above message to get them involved. Log onto your favorite networking sites and ask everyone you know to sign the petition or send a letter of support:

Senator Mark DeSaulnier
State Capitol, Room 2054
Sacramento, CA 95814

Passing this bill was something Michelle dreamed about and worried we couldn’t get done. We are now so close but we need you to succeed. With your help, we can save more lives and prevent families from having to go through what mine is struggling with everyday.

Thank you so much for all your support,
Melanie

Link to pre-drafted letter to be signed:
Pre-Drafted Letter

Link to detailed Senate Bill 1304:
SB 1304 Bill

Michelle’s main funeral service will begin at 1pm this Saturday 8/1 at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose. We will be holding public, closed-casket visitation hours prior to the service beginning at 9:30am. Please see the schedule below for full details.

Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park
300 Curtner Avenue
San Jose, CA  95125

Schedule of events:

9:30am – 1pm: Public closed-casket visitation

* 11am – 11:15am: Thai Buddhist Monk Chanting

* 11:15am – 12:15am: Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Chanting

1pm – 2:30pm: Public closed-casket funeral service

2:30pm: Procession to Crematory

3:30pm – 6:30pm: Reception at Roosevelt Community Center (901 E Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95116)

Thank you for all of your condolences. We have received so many comments, emails, texts and calls that reinforce how special Michelle was to not just us, but everyone she touched. We look forward to celebrating Michelle’s life with all those who loved her.

]]> http://projectmichelle.com/2009/07/29/services-for-this-saturday/feed/ 28 http://projectmichelle.com/2009/07/27/thank-you/ http://projectmichelle.com/2009/07/27/thank-you/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:10:03 +0000 michelle http://projectmichelle.com/?p=554 Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love that we have received since Michelle’s passing. Seeing the number of people that hold Michelle so close to their hearts provides a lot of comfort during these difficult days.

Yesterday marked the first night of ceremonies at the Fremont Thai temple, where Michelle spent all of her weekends practicing dance, making friendships, creating memories and maturing into a young woman. It was a beautiful service, and it was incredibly touching to see the faces of so many people who loved and supported Michelle. As the temple monks let out deep and melodic chants, their reverberations of prayer cast a peaceful sense of calmness over all of us.

There will be two additional nights of prayer today and tomorrow (7/27 and 7/28) at 7:30pm. Again, please feel free to attend regardless of your religious denomination:

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple
36054 Niles Blvd
Fremont, CA 94536-1563

We would like to thank Mr. Maykin, the Fremont Temple and the Thai community for holding these very special services.

Surrounded by Van, her family and close friends, Michelle left us this morning at 2:08am.

Despite the tightness in her chest and difficulty breathing, Michelle still cracked jokes and put smiles on our faces until the very end. Always putting others before herself, her final wish was for us to love and care for one another. After so many setbacks and so much pain, she was finally able to close her eyes and find the relief that she could never attain during the past two years.

Words can’t express how proud we are of Michelle and all that she has accomplished during her short lifetime. She fought so hard—not just for herself, but for her family, friends and countless others who faced the same struggles. She shared her story candidly with the world in order to empower patients with more resources and to spread her message of hope.

Before her cough and infection became severe, we were fortunate enough to enjoy a weekend in Carmel with Michelle. The home we stayed at was beautifully secluded on a forested hill and provided us with amazing views of the Pacific coastline. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting to share in laughter, memories and unspoken goodbyes.

Our good friend Hung created a slideshow of our Carmel getaway, which Michelle wanted us to share on the blog:

Thank you to everyone for your endless love and support.

—-

The Fremont Buddhist Thai Temple will be holding a special Buddhist prayer ceremony in honor of Michelle tomorrow, Sunday 7/26 at 7pm. Please feel free to attend:

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple
36054 Niles Blvd
Fremont, CA 94536-1563

The actual funeral proceedings will be held this coming Saturday 8/1 in San Jose. Details will be posted shortly.

—–

I think my chemo cocktail might have been spiked with Serotonin because I feel content and calm. It’s nice and peaceful here. Check out my window view.

Fortunately, no nausea or mouth sores. Just some loose stool which is a small price to pay for chemo.

The biggest bummer is that I missed my mom’s and Marshawn’s bday again on 6/11 and 6/14. We took my mom out on Monday for an early bday dinner. Today, Van is going to take our little guy to a yorkie meetup in SF. He deserves a day to himself because he always brings joy to everyone. It’s a Luau themed Pawty – cute eh?

So far so good.
Michelle

Meanwhile, Michelle has received plenty of platelet and blood transfusions. The chemo has dropped her counts very quickly. She’s also had two visits from her herbalist who drove all the way from San Jose to Walnut Creek to see her (thanks Dr. Ta!).

Overall though, Michelle is feeling pretty good — good energy (she walks every day) and is alert most of the day unless she’s been hit with IV benadryl.

If you watch How I Met Your Mother then you’ll understand the Intervention party Mabel threw for me today. I was caught off guard and could not stop bawling when I saw all of my friends at the surprise party. My dear pals read aloud letters written to intervene my relationship with Leuk and end it once and for all. This was the best gift I could ever ask for as I prepare for chemo in the upcoming weeks. THANK YOU.

My oncologist and I decided I would try Sprycel before I start chemo to see if the Sprycel works on my cancer. I started taking it last Monday 5/25. My leukemia blasts cells were 52% in my peripheral blood when I started Sprycel and has dropped to 34% and then 31% over the last 5 days (my wbcs were 22.1, 16.9 and 16.7 respectively). However, the Sprycel and Leuk have also made my counts drop. I received blood and platelet transfusions last week. Despite this, my oncologists thinks the drop in my blasts and wbcs is a good sign that Sprycel is effective. On Friday he suggested that I reconsider enjoying a little more quality time before I start chemo if Sprycel can keep things under control. He believes that waiting a few more weeks will not change the effectiveness of the chemo on my cancer. His offer is mighty tempting as the longer I hold out on chemo, the more I am dreading chemo. I love my short curly locks and the luxury of hanging out with my peeps (especially snuggling with Marshawn). Plus Dr. Johnson warned me that once I start chemo, it may be a very long time before I recover. My new immune system and baby stem cells (remember my old ones got fried with radiation/chemo so I could get the transplant?) may have a tougher time recovering and protecting me from infections as the chemo wipes out my counts as it takes down the cancer.

I am still set to enter the hospital this Tuesday, but if my blood counts look good on Monday I may hold off just another week. Van’s family is coming into town and it would be lovely to spend time with my favorite nieces and nephew. I am a bit freaked out knowing that cancer is lurking in my body and that I haven’t press the GO button on Operation Three Strikes You’re Out Leuk. Am I a mad woman?? Or in denial? Or being stupid?? I have been having this debate in my head all weekend long. I am trying to be as rational as possible so that I do not regret the decision I make. For the first time in my cancer journey I feel like I don’t have a clear path and I am afraid I am going to make the wrong decision. People keep telling me to listen to my intuition/body/gut for guidance, but honestly my intuition is as confused as I am!

If I do decide to delay chemo for another week I will get blood draws every other day to ensure that my counts are in the safe zone and I promise I will not hesitate to check myself into Kaiser if something is funky.

Will keep you posted.

I thought to myself “Wow such wise words.” In all the other messages my schoolmates wrote about future successes, accomplishments, ambitions, opportunities, etc. No one else mentioned life’s challenges. No one thinks about future hardships when they are young. I surely didn’t.

I always thought Van and I would grow old together. In college, whenever I saw an old Asian couple on the bus, I would smile and dream that that would be Van and me one day. He would wear those Kangol caps that old men wear and I would have my gray hair tied in a bun. Maybe one of us would be using a cane. Now I’ll be lucky if I even reach my thirtieth birthday. My yearbook review made me feel sorry for myself and bitter. “Why me?!?” was the question of the day.

I was lamenting all of this to my sister. Luckily Melanie was there to hug it out with me. She’s really the best person to be with when I feel crappy. Only she would think to show me this to dry my tears:

Today I feel much better. Now I’m off to my appointment with Dr. Johnson to get ready for my upcoming life challenges. Here we go…

I often forget that of the hundreds and thousands of eyes that come upon this site, most have probably not met Michelle in person. I have the fortune of calling Michelle and Van my friends and I’m lucky enough to get to hang out with this awesome duo every so often. And although you haven’t had a chance to meet them in person, you’ve grown to know them through this website. I asked Michelle if I could write a quick blog to provide you a glimpse into her life. I imagine it to be exhausting for such an unselfish person like Michelle to constantly write about herself, so when I asked, she complied.

I visited Michelle recently at her mom’s house and she looked like, well, Michelle (minus some hair). I was expecting a physically and emotionally exhausted cancer patient and instead, I found my buddy Michelle, the same Michelle I’ve known for years, sitting on her bed, relaxed and laughing at the absurdity of a reality show on TV. I didn’t know what to expect myself and admit that my own emotional fragility made me apprehensive about seeing my friend in her relapsed state.

Michelle is surrounded by a variety of bags and plates of food, her sister Melanie and Kevin, Marshawn, and her mom. Amidst the scene, her mom frequently pops in to make sure everyone, especially Michelle, is fed and comfortable. Everyone is paying an absurd amount of attention to little Marshawn, and soon I join the fray. Before this leukemia business decided to lurk into her life, I would come over to Michelle and Van’s apartment to mooch off of their DVR, and would find them lounging on their couches, watching their favorite shows, munching on snacks, (recently) teaching Marshawn new tricks and providing their blunt commentary. This visit was no different, except that Van was away for a buddy’s wedding.

So on to the objective of this blog entry: what do you not know about Michelle? Well, Michelle is blunt. She’ll always tell you like it is. And it happens to be that I’ve been traveling a lot lately, so she comments, “You look tired. You have bags under your eyes.” To which I reply, “You’re totally right. I’ve been working a lot lately”. To vouch for her bluntness, I really have been looking like crap lately.

Michelle has sharp taste buds. Her tongue and nose have always been able to discern the subtle nuances in food. She can tell you what spices are in what, what’s too rich, what’s just right and Yelp about it immediately. The chemo has thrown her epithelium amok, and despite her previous hatred of rich, creamy foods, she explains to me that she often finds herself craving those very things. Ironically, she no longer craves the Vietnamese food that she and I can often talk on and on about. So of course, I enjoy a bowl of pho made by her mom right in front of her and she tries not to smell it and become nauseous.

As the minutes go by, I find myself completely at ease with Michelle. Another thing you don’t know about her, but she’s one of the most even-keeled people I know. She takes on challenges as easily as walking down the street. Chinese drink made of herbs (it’s not as pleasant as it sounds…it’s black, thick and really pungent), no problem! She quickly drinks it before my eyes. I take a sip and nearly hurl.

I wouldn’t feign to understand what emotional and mental exercises she must go through daily, but what I do know is that from the ups and downs, she continues to handle it in her own way. I guess the best way to describe this is that she’s seems to be at peace with herself. She simply exudes this in every way. Michelle manages to take my apprehension about her relapse, my concerns, my worries, all of my anxieties and tuck them away neatly somewhere in my full tummy of beef and noodles. I simply indulge in hanging out with my buddy, not my buddy with cancer, on a warm California night.

We talk about a broad range of trivial topics in between scatterings of discussions of the melodramatic things that plague the life of 20-somethings…the meaning of life, relationships (or a lack thereof), careers. The minutes prove to be an unrelenting force and I can see Michelle’s eyes get heavier. It’s about that time to say goodbye.

She walks me downstairs and I give her an obligatory noogie on her soft head. The door shuts behind me, I sit in my rental and immediately realize how much I enjoy hanging out with Michelle in the most ordinary of circumstances. This is exactly why Michelle has her legions of fans: from the most complex situations to the most ordinary circumstances, she somehow manages to make every moment she shares with you extraordinary. I can’t help but feel a sense of happiness and warmth as I drive away.

It’s nice having the energy to get things done.  Recently Van and I did our taxes (1st time as a married couple – YIKES it still sounds weird when I call him my “husband”).  I’m finally caught up on all of my mail, medical bills, unpacking from Seattle, applying for LLS financial aid, responding to emails and reconnecting with friends.  I also treated myself and went to the mall to get an outfit for our good friends’ upcoming wedding.  Trying to find a dress to cover my hickman line is a lot harder than you would think!  I can’t express how happy I am that I’m not stuck in bed these days.  The Cali sunny weather has done a bit of good on my spirits.

The Big Biopsy Day is next Monday and I’ve been doing loads of visualizations, self hypnosis and praying to ensure that all goes well.  I continue to see the Chinese herbalist doctor weekly.  In addition to weaning off most of my drugs, I think the herbal medicine has helped a lot.  Update* I forgot to mention that my Kaiser oncologist was the one who referred me to the Chinese herbalist doctor.  My oncologist actually gets treated by the Chinese doctor and the referral gave him the credibility I needed to trust him.  It’s great because my oncologist and my Chinese herbalist talk to each other to make sure that they are on the same page with my treatments.

Thanks for checking in on me.

First, thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I apologize for not blogging sooner. I know what it feels like to check a blog multiple times a day to see if a fellow cancer fighter has made any updates after announcing some bad news. It sucks feeling left in the dark when you are worried for a friend. Just know I immensely appreciate your love and support (and patience).

Discovering that I had relapsed just 4 days after moving back home was quite surreal and scary. After numerous tests in Seattle showed that I was cancer free, what are the odds that on the very day I was flying home to San Francisco my final blood draw at the Hutch would show 30 stinking leukemia cells?! Impeccable timing! I really thought someone up there was playing an evil trick on me.

Of course, I’m a realistic person. There’s that voice in the back of your head that reminds you could relapse any time, but that voice was getting quieter by the day as I was nearing my 100 day post transplant mark. Not only was the relapse news devastating, but I was also dealing with headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and new red spots on my skin. I felt like I had just been through the hardest battle of my life and I was absolutely exhausted. I felt like my body had failed not only me, but all of my loved ones that had put so much energy into my cancer journey. I didn’t want to drag them through all of this again.

So that’s where I was just a few weeks ago, but now that we sort of have a short term treatment plan (a.k.a. taper off the immuno suppressant meds so my new immune system can grow and do some Leukemia ass kicking), I’m doing much better. Tapering off the meds have not triggered any major GVHD. I am not taking any systemic steroids either. All of my blood counts have been pretty stable. (*I did get 3 units of blood last Wednesday, but that’s pretty much been the trend. I was also getting blood transfusions every 3 weeks or so in Seattle.) Over the past few weeks, my spots have healed, my nausea has practically disappeared, my headaches are almost gone and my energy has increased. Most importantly, I feel mentally and physically strong.

I am almost done tapering off my last immuno suppressant, Cyclosporine. In 3 weeks I will get another bone marrow biopsy to see what’s going on and we will take it from there. Many decisions will have to be made in about a month, but I am just focusing on each day as they come. Right now, I am enjoying the fantastic weather, laughing with my sister Mel, snuggling with Van, getting back massages from Mom, playing board games with friends, watching Vietnamese kungfu movies, and chasing Marshawn around the dog park.

Life is A-OK.

P.S. A relapse is devastating to the entire Leukemia community not only because we are sad for the patient, but also because it shows that the disease can come back. I just wanted to remind anyone who’s going through treatment, that each person’s cancer journey is different. Please don’t attach my relapse to your life. Keep the hope alive. You can totally be cured of this stupid disease. And hey, I’m still banking on nipping Leukemia in the bud too.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve had the opportunity to meet members of and learn more about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)
and Team in Training (TNT). LLS’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. One of their fundraising vehicles is Team in Training – a group of over 30,000 runners, walkers, cyclists, hikers and triathletes who participate all over the world in marathons, triathlons, hiking adventures on behalf of LLS.

Two of our friends are part of the TNT and have dedicated their races to Michelle. They are training hard and fundraising for their upcoming races so please check out Jenn’s page and Victoria’s page and support their efforts.

About the cause and your contributions:
* Every five minutes, someone in the United States learns that he or she has leukemia, Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma.
* LLS research has helped increase the survival rate of Leukemia from 14% in 1963 to over 50% today.
* Hodgkin lymphoma is now considered one of the most curable forms of cancer, thanks to medical advancements in radiation and chemotherapy.
* LLS has supported more than $600 million in research since 1949
* Over 75% of your money will go to medical research (stuff like the development of Gleevec), advocacy, education and financial aid for patients. The remaining money goes back into the growth and marketing of Team in Training, which is LLS’s major fundraising engine.

We are back home safe and sound. We’re in the east bay for now and will settle back into SF over the weekend. It feels good to be back…almost as if we never left. It feels comfortable and right.

Michelle’s flight went well and the drive down from Seattle went smoothly. Luckily, we left last night just as it started to snow (Seattle was shut down by this morning from the ice/snow). As an added bonus, there were no flying rocks to contend with so my car made it back in one piece.

When we reached home this morning, the bay area welcomed us with a rainbow. After leaving all the cold/rain/snow behind, I thought this was a fitting end to our journey. I noticed that it’s really green here thanks to all the rain the past month. It’s definitely gorgeous here compared to Seattle. It even felt warm in the afternoon. To take advantage, Melanie and I went on a 8 mile run and Michelle took Marshawn for a nice walk.

Thanks everyone for all the nice message, emails, and calls. We’re going to take it really easy the next couple of months but hope to see many of you soon.

Today was another story.  Here were my initial goals for the day:

1. Blog in the morning

2. Get in over 100 fl oz of fluids (my usual goal is 80 fl oz, but Sat’s blood draw showed I needed more hydration)

3. Pack up my clothes

4. Help Van do a dry run pack of the car to make sure all of our stuff fits.  We have accumulated a bit of extra stuff over the last 5 months (e.g. Crock Pot, Juicer, pull up bar, rice cooker, etc, etc, etc)

5. Exercise for at least 30 minutes with Wii Fit

6. Shower

7. Meditate

8. Do the dishes

Goals actually achieved:  Dishes, Fluids (after I finish this last cup of cranberry juice), blog.

I really wanted to be productive today, but I couldn’t muster up the energy.  I have been having a headache all day long.  It’s not bad enough where I need to take pain meds.  I try to avoid extra pills as much as possible.  However, the dull ache in my head just makes me want to lay down.  Also, today I’ve been feeling nauseous on and off.  I think both of these things are due to my tapering off of one of my two major immunosuppressants called Cellcept (aka Mycophenolate).  Instead of 1000mg three times a day, I only have to take 1000mg twice a day.  I just started the taper on Friday.  In any case, I haven’t actually vomited, but sometimes I feel like I could blow chunks if I let myself.  (Personally, I know I have a very quick gag reflex and I have a mental choice of letting it out or keeping it in.  I try to keep it in.  I’d rather not have to re-take all of my meds.  bleh)

I was a couch potato all day and truthfully I felt guilty about it.  I kept saying to myself, “Okay in 5 minutes, I’m going to get up and be productive.”  5 minutes came and went, came and went, and I didn’t do anything.  I hate slacking off and not meeting my goals (yes I know the old type A Michelle is slowly creeping back in – someone needs to hush her up).  When Van made a joke about me not doing my Wii Fit exercise I pretty much lost it and broke down in tears.  I confessed how frustrated I was with myself and not being able to physically do the things I wanted to do.  Van had to remind me that one of the most important things we learned during our Long Term Care class was that I was going to have my ups and downs and that I need to take it easy.  He reminded me that during class the presenter said a patient once mentioned to her, “Every morning I wake up and I never know if I’m going to be the 50 year old in the 90 year old body or the 50 year old in the 50 year old body.”  Today I couldn’t agree more.

I’m not going to beat myself up anymore.  I’m going to bed now and hoping that tomorrow I will wake up free of headache and nausea, and feel refreshed and rejuvenated.  Here’s to a new day.

(Tomorrow is Exit Meetings Day.  I have my last meeting with my attending physician and a visit to Dr. Delaney’s cord transplant lab.  I’m still set to come home this Wednesday night!!)

To break up the monotony of our days, my sister Melanie, Van and I went to a paint-your-own pottery studio (I avoided kiddie germs by going early on a weekday). Isn’t my watermelon bowl beautiful? It was a great way to release energy especially because I love arts and crafts.

My bowl was inspired by a message on the projectmichelle wall from Sadie, a cancer survivor who works at the American Cancer Society. (I hadn’t checked my wall in a while) She told me about her dear friend Jacquie who was also battling leukemia. After I read Sadie’s message, I immediately went to Jacquie’s website, eager to see how she was doing. Unfortunately Jacquie had passed away. I felt horrible and sent my condolences to Sadie. Just based on her website, I could tell that Jacquie was a beautiful, positive and loving person. She was only 23 years old. Sadie responded with kind words to reassure and comfort me. She said that Jacquie’s friends and family “will not rest until EVERYONE is on the bone marrow registry and ultimately until cancer is not a health crisis anymore. EFF CANCER!” That definitely resonates with me. Once I get out of this mess, I look forward to dedicating the rest of my life to saving lives and helping other cancer patients. Seriously, EFF CANCER.

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Khanh passed away at 4AM this morning.  He endured much pain over the last few months and I am relieved that he is not suffering anymore.  He bravely battled his horrible disease with so much courage, optimism and dignity that it made me feel like a whimpy pansy at times.  I drew much of my strength from him.

I met Khanh for the first time at a registration drive we were doing for him in San Jose.  He was so cheerful and friendly and I was looking forward to volunteering at more drives for him.  The next day my doctors told me I had relapsed.  Instead of me helping him, he was the one setting up drives, making speeches, answering questions, and helping strangers with their forms to help save my life.

Right before he left for the University of Minnesota for his cord blood transplant he told me that we were going to get out of this together and that if I gave up he would be really mad at me.  Unfortunately, his cancer was too agressive to receive the transplant and the doctors said that there was nothing else they could do for him.  He was sent home to spend time with his family.  Even after all of this, he was still so positive.  Every time I talked to him or visited him, he was the one that was reassuring and comforting me.  He also developed a really close relationship with my mom.  Even though we had only known him for a few months, Khanh was like a part of my family.

I am going to miss him so much.

Scientists and dog lovers are constantly talking about the health benefits of owning pets. Prime example in this Discovery Health article: Furry Friends Can Aid Your Health.

Never having anything larger than a dwarf hamster under my care, I didn’t understand the intense bonds people formed with their dogs…until Van and Michelle got Marshawn. “Marty” (as we’ve lovingly come to know him) is a tiny furry bundle of hyperness mixed with an occasional sprinkling of mischief.

Marty’s positive effects on everyone’s lives is undeniable, particularly the impact he has on Michelle’s mood. Science aside, it’s really touching to see how easily Marty can draw a smile out of his proud mom–even within seconds of peeing in places he shouldn’t. The little 4 pound sucker has a powerful arsenal of cuteness stored behind his beady little eyes.

As Michelle continues to get her weekly doses of intrathecal chemo, it makes me happy to know that Marty is around to distract her from the nasty side effects of treatment. This blog post is my little tribute to the tiny yorkie that has brought everyone so much joy (and has NOT peed in my bedroom…yet). Way to go, Marshawn Maykin.

Update: Michelle says “enjoy the Marshawn show”

When Chi Hang found out that I had relapsed she was very sad and concerned. She sent me a sweet email with words of encouragement. I wrote back and confidently told her that we were going to get through this together and that I would look to her as a role model since she had already successfully gone through the process. A few weeks later, she relapsed herself.

We always said that we were going to meet each other one of these days. I am bitter that I won’t get the opportunity to give Chi Hang a hug in person, but I am more determined to get better so I can meet her sons and tell them how much their mom has inspired me.

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