Happy Thanksgiving!

As a cancer survivor (as well as someone dealing with other life threatening illnesses) I especially have plenty of reasons to give thanks on this special day. My list is quite long, but for the purposes of this blog, I will give you the abbreviated, abridged version of my "thankful list."

I am most grateful for my wonderful family. I have Edward, Brian, Adrienne, Gary & Michael who make up my immediate family. And this year, I can add a new person to the list - my son-in-law, Jason. I also want to add my son's girlfriend, Sultana. I feel so "fortunate" to have all of them in my life. Added to this list is a group of people who now make up the circle of "my special peeps."  Janice, Gary, Eric, Kristin and Marybeth ... now considered family via Adrienne's marriage into the McIntosh family and Brian dating Marybeth's daughter. I also have a nephew, Eric, who recently got engaged to Kassandra, so the family continues to grow!

I have many friends - way too many to list in this brief thank you list. I'm sure you know who you are -- I always tell you how much you mean to me! I also have family members now located in Arizona, PA, FL and WV. I miss you all and wish we could see each other more often. I am grateful for a social networking site - Facebook - that keeps me connected with my relatives scattered around the country. (I even have relatives in Belgium! Very cool! Wish I could visit!!)

I remain extremely grateful for my health care "peeps." The doctors, nurses, technicians, admitting clerks, volunteers, etc., etc. Anyway who has, in anyway, been a part of my journey is a special part of my life. I thank you for all you do. The professionalism you demonstrate; the compassionate care you provide. I am thankful to be a patient at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health. I also thank members of the staffs at South Seminole and ORMC, all of whom are an integral part of my team.

May all of you enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday. And, as we enter into this major holiday season, please know that I am so happy to have all of you in my life. I may not have ever wanted to be a cancer survivor, but since I am, I am so grateful to be in such great company. Happy Holidays to you, my family & friends. And to those now reading my blog and getting to know me .. thanks for becoming part of my journey. Enjoy the adventure!