Merry Christmas and Mele Kaliki Maka!

This year Christmas has really snuck up on me - more than any other year - and I'm not exactly why. I know that I have been busy the past few months - perhaps it is that while my activity has returned to close to normal levels, my energy always lags a few steps behind. Or maybe it's that I am getting old. Which is a great thing too. Whatever the reason, I cannot believe Santa comes tonight!

My only travel since last posting was up to Edmonton to get a shot of Dr. Aung's magic touch and see my cousin Amy (who is expecting! Yay!) - her talented husband Ryland had a major role in the Citadel Theatre's A Christmas Carol and it was fantastic (as was he, as always). I attended our PwC Holiday Party again, and had a lot of fun with coworkers and friends, even getting a little dancing in. Last weekend we baked Christmas cookies with Jack and Davis and watched some videos Santa had sent them. I also hosted the Survivor finale party with my SurvivorChicks Julie, Shannon and Laura. The rest of December has just sort of disappeared.

On the health front, I passed a milestone of one and a half years post-transplant #3 and did some bloodwork to celebrate! My basic results were normal, and the complex flow cytometry tests will take a few weeks to get results. I continue to feel well, with only my fatigue reminding me occasionally of what has transpired in the past decade. I've had a small road bump with my neck as some of the skin had been aggravated in the summer and it has been trying to rebuild skin since then. I saw my plastic surgeon last week and he confirmed a mild infection had resulted, so he's put me on some antibiotics and recommended special dressings to get it back up to par.

And while my health has been moving along strong these past 3 weeks, I've witnessed my longest childhood friend Shelley suddenly have to fight a rare and serious auto-immune disorder that put her in the hospital. Luckily a team of doctors were on top of things, and she is now starting the slow road to recovery, although having to learn the "pureed food" menu that I enjoyed a few years ago, as well as deal with significant pain. On Tuesday of this week, Tasha called me with upsetting news about Ryan's recent MRI - the tumour is on the move again and fast. You can check their blogs for the details - but the treatment he was on has been stopped and just last night they came up with alternate plans. It maddens me to have such amazing friends thrown these awful challenges.

Both these incidents have thrown a reality that I usually keep in the far background of my mind right up in my face - the fact that the life we lead each day can change in a heartbeat. With the doctors' guess as to how much time they would hope to give me with transplant #3 being 2-3 years, this reality is pretty vivid for me. And while 98% of the time I somehow can acknowledge this reality and give it a background role in of my life, the past few weeks it has crept into the spotlight a few times.

But after the reality had it's "10 seconds of fame", I put it back in its place, and continue to focus on the real start of the show - the life we have for now. However long it's here. So today I will help Tasha download some Singstar songs, finish off my Christmas shopping (just stocking stuffers!) and Mom, Dad and I will head to a Christmas Eve celebration with Ryan, Tasha, Talyn and Tasha's family from Regina tonight. Games, food and good company. Tomorrow we'll see how Jack and Davis celebrate Christmas and what Santa has brought them with Christmas dinner with my brother, Dana, the boys and some of Dana's family from Canora, Saskatchewan.

And 2 weeks from Saturday Mom, Dad and I will return to our island friend Maui for a couple weeks in paradise. I told my plastic surgeon my neck had to be healed by the day we leave as I'll be boogey-boarding one way or another.

I hope you all have an incredible holiday season - squeeze every last drop of simple joy, laughter and Christmas Orange juice that you can. Express your gratitude to each other and for the life you lead today. Toast Life with some eggnog. Thank you for your continued support and love.

Merry Christmas!