Grateful...

I felt compelled to share a short story tonight as I reflect upon such an outpouring of Love and Support from so many Beautiful Friends regarding my health struggles...

In 2012, while hospitalized with acute pancreatitis and having emerged from my coma and Life-Support in the ICU, I was still battling for my Life. My pancreas was still touch and go, an aggressive liquid infection ravaged my abdominal cavity, resistant to antibiotics, as my specialist tried various combinations and concoctions. I had a MRSA infection in my arm from the ER IV that was eating a hole in my arm. I also was diagnosed with DVT, or deep vein thrombosis, having some blood clots in my legs and one in my upper arm. Both areas were swollen and painful. 

The biggest fear, aside from not surviving the damage to my pancreas, or my infection getting into my blood and turning fatally septic, was having a blood clot come loose and lodge in my already weakened lungs and cause a fatal pulmonary embolism. It was hard to deal with so much going on back then.

My Beautiful late sister, Nalani, had been staying with me twenty-four seven to help care for me, despite her own cancer battle. 

There was always a constant parade of different nurses on different shifts, doctors, interns, specialists, residents, nurse assistants, and all types of staff coming and going over the months during my stay at Queen's Hospital. 

One face stands out. A kind, quiet and humble food services worker. Her name escapes me, regrettably, after the fog of morphine and trauma, and so much time passing, but her face is crystal clear. 

She would stop by daily, and help me choose menu items, a very strict menu, once I was able to move from liquids to soft solids. She would greet my sister, Nalani, with the same big bright Beautiful smile as she did I. 

Despite my pain, depression, and fears, her face was a salient reminder of simple kindness and its lasting effects. 

She would often bring my sister, Nalani, an extra Ensure drink knowing that she was exhausted watching over me, battling her own cancer fatigue, and often going hungry from her refusal to leave my side while sleeping and living in my room. 

Sometimes, an extra meal would show up for her. I was so humbly grateful for that love shown Nalani, and I as well. 

She would pause and talk story with us, sharing bits of her Life growing up in the Philippines, and about her work at the hospital, and about her second job at a local grocery store to make ends meet.

One time, she came in and saw that I was listless, and suffering, and she actually took the compression cuffs off of my lower legs, took off her gloves, took off my socks, and began massaging my feet. I just laid there in disbelief. To have someone go out of their way to show you such Love and Kindness was unforgettable. I was so humbly grateful and let her know how much I appreciated her. It wasn't long after that we would all say, "I Love You!" when she left the room after her food visits. Nalani, her, and I. 

One day I hope to see that Beautiful Kind face again and give her a giant hug and kiss on her forehead. I don't think she has any idea of how much she meant, and still means, to us. To me. To show my Beautiful sister Nalani such simple genuine kindness in what would turn out to be her last year of Life. That can never be repaid. 

I know that when I close my eyes here for the final time, that among the many faces that will flow through my mind's eye, as I reflect on a most Beautiful Precious Meaningful Life, here on Earth, will be included a very humble, kind and loving food service worker who went about her daily job the best she could. With unforgettable Kindness. With irreplaceable Love...