Meet My Crew

As I've written these daily blog posts, I've made mention of some people quite frequently -- my husband, Will, and my parents (lovingly referred to as "my nurses" or "my other three"), my doctors, and some of my best buds. I haven't, however, made a proper introduction between you, the readers, and these folks. So without further ado, I give you my crew.

This is my best friend from OMM, Tim. As you can see, we're a mischievous pair. We work out together, sing karaoke together, and make each other laugh until we cry or feel the need to throw up a little bit. We are partners in crime and always have fun together.

Here's me and Dr. Ramos, my first surgeon. This picture was taken the day I was discharged from Good Samaritan, exactly two weeks after I was admitted as a patient. Despite the whirlwind craziness of that first hospital stay, I managed to find a good friend and a great doctor in Dr. Ramos.

This is Rhett, my best friend from law school, where we were pretty much attached at the hip from Day 1. Rhett has been tireless in his research of the best ways to combat cancer, from medical treatment to diet to mental mindset. A loyal and devoted friend indeed.

This is Anna, one of my oldest friends. We go back about 15 years, when we were both little teenagers trying to be the best volleyball players we could be. Anna is a great friend and we've had a blast together throughout the years, whether running around in New York City as teenagers or strolling in Santa Monica as the adults (are we really adults?) we are today.

This is Sabrina. She's a partner at O'Melveny, and even though we've only been good friends since last year, she's one of my favorites. You'll recall that she is responsible for hooking me up with 1) my oncologist (Dr. Lenz), 2) my surgeon (Dr. Sugarbaker), and 3) my acupuncturist (Mary Ellen). She's an awesome person. If we're not together on any given day, we're probably emailing each other.

This is Morgan, another one of my best friends from Stanford Law. She lives in Northern California, but has made it a point to come down to L.A. to visit me at least once a month since my diagnosis. We always have a blast together, as Morgan's saucy sense of humor can only bring memorable times. And if you need someone to watch the incredible film Monkey Shines with, she's your girl.

This group of fun kids on the right are my friends Aymee, Nick, and Jessica. We've all been friends since grade school, and we pretty much act like we're still in grade school when we're together. Aymee is a VIP over at MGM, Nick is a phenomenal music teacher for grades K-6, and Jessica is a compassionate and competent nurse. 

On the left, of course, is my loving dog Winston. He's a beautiful Yorkie, 10ish pounds strong, and is the ultimate cuddle buddy. And, as you can see, he's quite photogenic.

This is my oncologist extraordinaire, Dr. Lenz. He's not only brilliant and the king of GI oncology, but he's hilarious, fun, and kind. He's one of my favorite people, not only because he too is deeply committed to killing "the cancer," but because I can tell he's invested in me as a person, too. 

And here is the king of the "pick it out/pour it in" surgery, Dr. Sugarbaker. Although we're not best buds just yet, I'm already deeply grateful for his prowess and skill, and I feel comfortable knowing that he is the main man in charge of getting me 100% cancer-free.

Here are the parental units, my mom (Becky) and my dad (Mike). It would be impossible to describe how awesome these two folks are, but let's just say that I love spending time with them and I'm incredibly grateful to have them as my parents. We always have a great time together, they are the best caretakers in the world, and I love them tons.

And, finally, my hubby Will. We've been together for over 10 years now, and I've loved every minute of it. Who once was a skinny 18-year old cutie pie that I had my eye on from the first day of college has turned into an incredibly nurturing, supportive, fun, loving, and good-hearted man who also happens to be my husband. I always joke around with him and tell him he's lucky to be married to me, but I'm also lucky to be married to him.

And so, ladies and gents, there's my crew. Not the full crew, of course, but the main cast of characters that I reference from time to time. I hope you enjoyed getting to know them. I'm blessed to have them in my life.