OMM Welcomes Me Home

Exactly one month after my surgery, and exactly one week since I touched down back in L.A., my O'Melveny family welcomed me home in grand fashion. At 4pm, my colleagues and friends all gathered on the 18th floor, in our attorney dining room, to shower me with the love and support they've given me since the day I joined the firm. I walked into the room to applause, hoots, and hollers from some of my favorite people, and was immediately immersed in hug after hug. It felt incredible to see everyone and to feel how genuinely glad they were that everything worked out perfectly for me. 

I'd been looking forward to this day for a long time -- probably since I learned about my diagnosis last September. This day would be a truly triumphant one. Throughout my treatment, I dreamed about returning back to the firm post-surgery, utterly victorious over cancer and planning my return to my life as a full-time associate at OMM.

And today, it actually happened. It was -- quite literally -- a dream come true.

I managed to keep my emotions in check -- that is, until my best friend and partner-in-crime, Tim, delivered a moving and beautiful speech in my honor. But it wasn't just the words he said -- words of praise about my strength and courage in the midst of my battle -- but the fact that it was my little Timmy speaking those wonderful words to me that touched my heart. You see, dear readers, my Timmy is very, very special to me. 

Before my diagnosis, when I was running around the halls of OMM as a full-time third year associate, Tim and I were attached at the hip. We went to lunch every day together, were in constant contact throughout the work day, headed to the gym together at around 7pm every day, grabbed dinner after the gym frequently (if not, we were heading to a Dodgers or Sparks game together), and chatted online with each other when we were back at our respective homes and finishing up our work for the day. We went on trips together, tried new restaurants together, and were each other's go-to friend for anything, big or small. Tim is more than my best friend. He is a part of my family, and a very important part of it. 

When I went on my leave of absence, I lost that constant contact with my best buddy. I think I've missed that more than anything during the past several months. Don't get me wrong -- we still talk every day, all the time, and are constantly coming up with new inside jokes and plans for future adventures together. But the day-to-day, minute-to-minute contact has been altered because of my brief episode with "the cancer," and it hasn't been easy. Simply put, I've missed my friend. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard and so often with any other person, to be honest. And laughing is good for my organs! And my soul. 

I was thinking about all of this as Tim spoke, and the tears welled up in my eyes partially because of the sincere love and friendship we share, partially because of the words he spoke to honor me, but also partially because of the fact that I know that Gloria and Timmy time will resume very, very soon. My tears were those of utter joy and relief, of gratitude and happiness.

Even though I don't officially start back up at work until sometime in August, I came back home today. I was back with my partner-in-crime and all of my other beautiful, talented colleagues. And I was as happy as I've ever been.