I have had a very pivotal year this year. Not that major life changing events have happened in my life, but I have seen things happen around me. A number of folks I know have had babies in the past couple years but a few months ago, I learned that my best friend is pregnant. We have been friends for 22 years now. As an only child I have the gift to be able to choose the people I get to think of as sisters, and she is about the closest thing to a sister I will have. So, in spring next year, I will become an aunt!
On an opposite note however, I have seen the family of some good friends struck with some unbelievable tragedy. A friend of mine from graduate school was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29, a few months after we graduated and a week after she married another classmate of ours. In May, 3 years after a great 35th birthday celebration at her parent's home in NC, five and a half years after she was diagnosed, she lost her fight with this disease. I have been meeting to write about her, her wonderful spirit, and the joy with which she embraced life for months now. And I will do so soon.
But tonight I wanted to write about another friend of mine, who I mentioned in an earlier post. Ryan was living his dream, getting the recognition he deserved and being able to earn a living pursuing his passion --- opera singing. Ryan attended Morehouse University as a voice major and was a proud member of the Morehouse Glee Club. After graduation he went on to pursue a masters degree at Ohio University. But after school he struggled to earn a living singing. He secured a few regular paying gigs, including parts with the Atlanta Opera and as a featured tenor with a church in the area. But after numerous rejections, he started to give up on his dream. In a last attempt, he decided to audition for the Metropolitan Opera's Young Artist competition, a yearly competition that whittles down approximately 11,000 applicants into the 6 most promising young singers in the industry. The cut off age for the competition is 30 and this was Ryan's last year of eligibility. And in 2007, at age 30, Ryan became one of the winners of this pretigious competition. As a winner, he finally started getting recognition for he talent. He performed in a couple Met performances. He won an internship to the Summer Opera program in Sante Fe, New Mexico, something analygous to Summer Stock for opera singers. Agents were starting to take notice of him. He won a position this year as an ensemble member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and started in the cast in April of this year. As an ensemble member with a regular salary, he was finally able to make a living solely from pursuing his passion and also given regular opportunity to audition for larger roles in Opera performances.
Unfortunately, Ryan was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late March of this year and started going through treatment while in Chicago. Initial accounts were encouraging. Burkitt's Lymphona is considered one of the more treatable forms of cancer and he was expected to recover quickly and be back to singing at the Opera. He went through 2 rounds of chemo and was back at home recuperating and started attending rehearsals again. Then, he got an infection and had to return to the hospital since his immune system was so compromised from the chemo. He did not end up leaving.... At first, I would talk to him pretty regularly on the phone. And then, the calls became less frequent. Me and his best friend discussed going to visit him. We were not able to go the same week, so he and some other friends went up one weekend and I went up the next. I am not really sure what I expected when I got there but I have to say that I was startled when I first saw him in the hospital.
Honestly, I could have walked by him 5 times and not known it was him if he hadn't opened his mouth! Ryan had been working out and losing weight before he went off to Chicago but he had probable lost another 50 pounds since then. Also, apparently, an affect of chemotherapy can be the darkening of skin because he was probably 4 shades darker than he used to be. Also, the shape of his face and facial features had totally changed. He had very little soft tissue on his face so his nose was even shaped differently. His teeth had an orangish hue from the medecine he had been taking. It was startling. But he was the same Ryan. I sat there with him and his family all day. He dosed in and out and we watched the documentary from his MET competition. To see and hear him perform was amazing! It was just beautiful! Such a gift! And to be watching it in him hotel room was particularly poignant. We all teared up..... It was hard to know what to do other than just be there. His parents were upset by the latest discussions with the doctors which seemed to not give them much hope. They had started trying to sneak herbal therapies into his room. A friend from NY had sent a reiki therapist over to do a treatment on him. I came back to see him the next morning on my way to the airport.
Three days later, on my birthday, I heard that the doctors had reported that his tumor has shrunk 40% so they were encouraged and were going to try to boost up his immune system for another round of chemo. It never happened. Ryan died a few weeks later. It was awful...... so much promise unrealized..... so young, only 32......
With all these tragedies happening amongst my peers, it has really gotten me thinking about my age. For me, there is not really anyone around generationally older than my parents. Death is a much closer reality for me now after this year. I reflect on what I have accomplished in my life and I don't really have regrets. I have had some great experiences, wonderful friends and learned a lot from the challenges I have worked through. I have not yet found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and have children with but I understand that this is something that cannot be rushed. I don't particularly feel anxious about it personally. But what I am starting to comtemplate is that I really want to give my parents the experience of seeing me married and meeting their first grandchild. I know two friends whose mothers died right before they gave birth to their first child. So it is not for me that I feel anxious, but for my parents. However, my parents are not the kind to pressure me about these types of things and I know that they would not want me to rush into something that was not fulfilling for them. So, I will just concentrate in enjoying all my moments, my experiences with the people I love, searching for other fulfilling connections with new people and not taking any of it for granted!
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
My friend Ryan......
Here is the obituary of my friend..... (I am really too young to be saying something like that!)
*****************************************
Ryan Smith, 31, sang with Morehouse, Met
By KIRSTEN TAGAMI
Saturday, November 15, 2008
After years of setbacks and struggles, Ryan Smith fulfilled a dream this past spring. He sang on stage at the Metropolitan Opera, playing the minor role of Don Ricardo in the rarely performed Verdi opera “Ernani.”
Not long ago, Mr. Smith, formerly of Decatur, was working in a Lithonia video game store and had given up his unlikely goal of becoming an opera singer.
Friends prodded him to get back to singing and auditioning. He did, and was a national winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera Auditions — leading to stage roles, interest from talent agents, and a prominent part in an upcoming documentary about the Met auditions.
Mr. Smith, 31, died Wednesday of lymphoma at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where he was a first-year ensemble member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s prestigious artist development program. His family plans a private funeral in Los Angeles, where he grew up. There also will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. November 30 at First Presbyterian Church.
In the opera world, Mr. Smith was an up-and-coming talent to watch, said Dennis Hanthorn, general director of the Atlanta Opera, where Mr. Smith portrayed Camp Williams in “Cold Sassy Tree,” last February.
“He would have been one of the leading lyric tenors in the next five years,” Mr. Hanthorn predicted. “He would have been performing all over North America and Europe.”
Mr. Smith was from South-Central Los Angeles and sang in his church and school. A career in the opera never occurred to him until he won a scholarship to the Aspen Music Festival at age 17.
There, he was moved to tears by a performance of “Che Galida Manina,” a famous romantic aria from “La Boheme.” Mr. Smith went on to study music at Morehouse College and was featured in performances by the famous Morehouse Glee Club. He earned a master’s in music at Ohio University.
Mr. Smith returned to Atlanta but was stymied on the audition circuit. After being told at one tryout that he was “too fat,” he vowed to give up singing. He took the video store job and spent the next three years in a funk, he told the AJC.
It wasn’t until friends pressured him to return to singing that he began to practice for the Met auditions — opera’s version of “American Idol.” He made it to the regional finals in 2006 and won the nationals in 2007.
Chosen as an understudy for the Met’s production of “Ernani,” he won the role when the singer had to drop out. “It was great. It came out of the blue,” he told the AJC. “I started break dancing.”
Shortly before his Met debut in March, Mr. Smith began feeling extremely tired, said his father Paul Smith of Los Angeles. “He would perform and then go back to his apartment and sleep all day,” he said.
Doctors later confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma, said his father, who described seeing his son on stage at the Met as one of the most rewarding moments of his life.
“Many opera singers can be heard to say, ‘My dream is to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.’ Ryan accomplished that goal in a very short time — through disappointment and joy, through hard work, and belief in his gifts,” said Walter Huff, chorus master for the Atlanta Opera and a voice coach to Mr. Smith.
“But just as important were his personal gifts of humility, kindness and a down-to-earth genuineness that made you root for him on stage, even before he began to sing,” he said.
Other survivors are his mother Renee Smith and sister Nya Assis, both of Los Angeles.
*******************************************
Ryan is featured in a documentary that was produced chronicling the 2007 Metropolitan Opera Auditions called "The Audition" by Susan Froemke, which premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival in October. The film is planned to be shown stateside in spring of 2009. Check out a link to a clip on the Met website.
Also see the press release issued by the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
*****************************************
Ryan Smith, 31, sang with Morehouse, Met
By KIRSTEN TAGAMI
Saturday, November 15, 2008
After years of setbacks and struggles, Ryan Smith fulfilled a dream this past spring. He sang on stage at the Metropolitan Opera, playing the minor role of Don Ricardo in the rarely performed Verdi opera “Ernani.”
Not long ago, Mr. Smith, formerly of Decatur, was working in a Lithonia video game store and had given up his unlikely goal of becoming an opera singer.
Friends prodded him to get back to singing and auditioning. He did, and was a national winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera Auditions — leading to stage roles, interest from talent agents, and a prominent part in an upcoming documentary about the Met auditions.
Mr. Smith, 31, died Wednesday of lymphoma at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where he was a first-year ensemble member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s prestigious artist development program. His family plans a private funeral in Los Angeles, where he grew up. There also will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. November 30 at First Presbyterian Church.
In the opera world, Mr. Smith was an up-and-coming talent to watch, said Dennis Hanthorn, general director of the Atlanta Opera, where Mr. Smith portrayed Camp Williams in “Cold Sassy Tree,” last February.
“He would have been one of the leading lyric tenors in the next five years,” Mr. Hanthorn predicted. “He would have been performing all over North America and Europe.”
Mr. Smith was from South-Central Los Angeles and sang in his church and school. A career in the opera never occurred to him until he won a scholarship to the Aspen Music Festival at age 17.
There, he was moved to tears by a performance of “Che Galida Manina,” a famous romantic aria from “La Boheme.” Mr. Smith went on to study music at Morehouse College and was featured in performances by the famous Morehouse Glee Club. He earned a master’s in music at Ohio University.
Mr. Smith returned to Atlanta but was stymied on the audition circuit. After being told at one tryout that he was “too fat,” he vowed to give up singing. He took the video store job and spent the next three years in a funk, he told the AJC.
It wasn’t until friends pressured him to return to singing that he began to practice for the Met auditions — opera’s version of “American Idol.” He made it to the regional finals in 2006 and won the nationals in 2007.
Chosen as an understudy for the Met’s production of “Ernani,” he won the role when the singer had to drop out. “It was great. It came out of the blue,” he told the AJC. “I started break dancing.”
Shortly before his Met debut in March, Mr. Smith began feeling extremely tired, said his father Paul Smith of Los Angeles. “He would perform and then go back to his apartment and sleep all day,” he said.
Doctors later confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma, said his father, who described seeing his son on stage at the Met as one of the most rewarding moments of his life.
“Many opera singers can be heard to say, ‘My dream is to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.’ Ryan accomplished that goal in a very short time — through disappointment and joy, through hard work, and belief in his gifts,” said Walter Huff, chorus master for the Atlanta Opera and a voice coach to Mr. Smith.
“But just as important were his personal gifts of humility, kindness and a down-to-earth genuineness that made you root for him on stage, even before he began to sing,” he said.
Other survivors are his mother Renee Smith and sister Nya Assis, both of Los Angeles.
*******************************************
Ryan is featured in a documentary that was produced chronicling the 2007 Metropolitan Opera Auditions called "The Audition" by Susan Froemke, which premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival in October. The film is planned to be shown stateside in spring of 2009. Check out a link to a clip on the Met website.
Also see the press release issued by the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Monday, September 08, 2008
An interesting result of Facebook friendship....
So.... The other day I was helping my boss with her blackberry and I saw that she had a Facebook app on it. So, I asked her where she got it and she showed me how to download it. Well, that night I got a friend request from her. It lead to a little dilemma....... Do I really want my boss to be my Facebok friend??? But.... I know she knows I use Facebook so if I don't accept that will raise suspicion. So, I accepted -- she's pretty cool anyway. I will just have to censor my status updates a little.
So, then, other people from work started friending me since they saw I was her friend. One of them is this woman who I have known professionally, although we haven't worked much together, for a while. We have worked at the same last 3 companies so she is a good professional contact.
But, after we became Facebook friends I began to realize that...... she is a RAGING Republican! Ugh! A Palin supporter nonetheless...... So, this has an interesting affect on our hallway chatter. Basically, now I strongly question her judgement and am not as excited about speaking to her. Am I wrong? Anyway, it doesnt affect my opinion of her work but I don't think I will be clamouring to hang out with her or go to lunch.... especially not before the election is over for a little while!
The unintended affect of technology!
So, then, other people from work started friending me since they saw I was her friend. One of them is this woman who I have known professionally, although we haven't worked much together, for a while. We have worked at the same last 3 companies so she is a good professional contact.
But, after we became Facebook friends I began to realize that...... she is a RAGING Republican! Ugh! A Palin supporter nonetheless...... So, this has an interesting affect on our hallway chatter. Basically, now I strongly question her judgement and am not as excited about speaking to her. Am I wrong? Anyway, it doesnt affect my opinion of her work but I don't think I will be clamouring to hang out with her or go to lunch.... especially not before the election is over for a little while!
The unintended affect of technology!
Monday, September 01, 2008
Good Friends.....
So what was so great about my trip to the West was my being able to catch up with a lot of friends, some I hadn't seen in quite a while, some I finally met for the first time after hearing so much about them, and some I don't get to see nearly enough. It was great to see everybody!! In the end, it is your friendships and relationships that are what is most important.
Actin' silly!
Obama Girls!
Old classmates and their new addition!
Awww! So cute!!
Actin' silly!
At the wedding.....
Obama Girls!
Old classmates and their new addition!
Awww! So cute!!Quite a wedding!
I just got back from a trip to that flashy city to the West to attend a wedding and visit some friends..... Seems like I have a lot of friends there, from all stages of my life now. There have been times when my mind has flirted with the idea of moving there, especially when I am feeling wistful and lonely but it is just not a good place for me to be careerwise etc so, I will just have to visit often! (And I seem to be averaging a visit a year these days....)
Anyway, the key reason for this trip was..... the wedding of one of my good friends from grad school. Suzy is this crazy smiley ball of energy who is so genuine and nice and fun to be around. I actually didn't meet her fiance until the weekend of the wedding but from what I had heard about him, they are the perfect pair.
How they met: Interestingly, Steve is the best friend of Suzy's ex-boyfriend's brother (I think I got that right....) Or the brother of her ex-boyfriend's best friend..... Well, one of those!
Where the wedding was located: It was held in this old art deco hotel that was renovated and is rented out for special events. It actually borders this infamous park in the middle of the city (it is even named in a popular song from the late 70's -- the park, that is.) These days it is infamous for not the most positive of things but it is really interesting to have these anachronistic interplay between the park and this hotel. Those staying at the host hotel took shuttles to and from the event which worked out really well since 1) there was not a lot of parking available and 2) we had been informed, jokingly by the bride, that there was an 8 drink minimum at the open bar!
The ceremony: So Suzy's mother is Japanese American and her father is Mexican American of Persian decent. Steve is Canadian. So how did all of this play out in the wedding ceremony? Well, the ceremony was held in a square courtyard in the middle of the building. When you first walked into the hotel, you were greeted by a large Asian -inspired flower arrangement of orchids, draped by paper origami cranes that Suzy's friends and family created for the couple. It is a Japanese tradition to create a 1000 of these cranes as a wedding gift by the folder, who is wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity upon the couple.
The ceremony was actually a Buddhist ceremony held under a gazebo by the family Buddhist minister in traditional dress.
It included the a version of the Shinto San San-Kudo ceremony of three x three (9 is a lucky number in Shinto tradition) sips of sake from three flat cups, almost like dishes with small, medium and large size. Both the bride and groom sip from the cups and the ritual was also shared with both of their parents.
Attire: In a move that was probably less Canadian and more reflective of his personality, Steve and his groomsmen wore tuxedos and.... brand new black Converse low top tennis shoes! Suzy's bridesmaids wore brown or black strapless cocktail length dresses.
Suzy herself, wore this beautiful strapless Oscar de la Rente dress will an a-line multi-layered tulle skirt, hand embroidered with beading and tulle flowers. It was really amazing as you can see....
The brand: Suzy is in marketing so, everything related to her wedding, from the Save the date card to the invitation to the program, menus, gazebo, and candles at the ceremony, to the spotlight shining down on the dance floor at the reception were all consistently branded with their fonts, monogram and logo.
The reception: After the ceremony, there was a cocktail reception with hors d'oeuvres in the room right off the courtyard where the wedding ceremony was held. Then the whole party moved to the the ballroom where the full reception was held.
The ballroom was true art deco style and old black and white movies were being projected onto the wall above the stage at one end of the ballroom.
The tables were decorated with big centerpieces with large white ostrich plumes 
and the wedding party sat in the middle at a long table which was really nice because everyone else could see them.
The cutting of the cake happened at the top of the stage so everyone could easily see it as well.
The party!!!: After all the formalities and eating were complete, we all got down, drinking and dancing and having a great time.
As you can see, she doesn't get out much anymore! Two kids will do that to you!
A good time is being had by all!
Afterwards: The next morning, Suzy's parents had a brunch at their house, full of great comfort food to soak up any residual alcohol. It was a nice relaxing way to recuperate and get a chance to chat with folks before we all went our separate ways!
Anyway, the key reason for this trip was..... the wedding of one of my good friends from grad school. Suzy is this crazy smiley ball of energy who is so genuine and nice and fun to be around. I actually didn't meet her fiance until the weekend of the wedding but from what I had heard about him, they are the perfect pair.
How they met: Interestingly, Steve is the best friend of Suzy's ex-boyfriend's brother (I think I got that right....) Or the brother of her ex-boyfriend's best friend..... Well, one of those!
Where the wedding was located: It was held in this old art deco hotel that was renovated and is rented out for special events. It actually borders this infamous park in the middle of the city (it is even named in a popular song from the late 70's -- the park, that is.) These days it is infamous for not the most positive of things but it is really interesting to have these anachronistic interplay between the park and this hotel. Those staying at the host hotel took shuttles to and from the event which worked out really well since 1) there was not a lot of parking available and 2) we had been informed, jokingly by the bride, that there was an 8 drink minimum at the open bar!
The ceremony: So Suzy's mother is Japanese American and her father is Mexican American of Persian decent. Steve is Canadian. So how did all of this play out in the wedding ceremony? Well, the ceremony was held in a square courtyard in the middle of the building. When you first walked into the hotel, you were greeted by a large Asian -inspired flower arrangement of orchids, draped by paper origami cranes that Suzy's friends and family created for the couple. It is a Japanese tradition to create a 1000 of these cranes as a wedding gift by the folder, who is wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity upon the couple.
The ceremony was actually a Buddhist ceremony held under a gazebo by the family Buddhist minister in traditional dress.
It included the a version of the Shinto San San-Kudo ceremony of three x three (9 is a lucky number in Shinto tradition) sips of sake from three flat cups, almost like dishes with small, medium and large size. Both the bride and groom sip from the cups and the ritual was also shared with both of their parents.Attire: In a move that was probably less Canadian and more reflective of his personality, Steve and his groomsmen wore tuxedos and.... brand new black Converse low top tennis shoes! Suzy's bridesmaids wore brown or black strapless cocktail length dresses.
Suzy herself, wore this beautiful strapless Oscar de la Rente dress will an a-line multi-layered tulle skirt, hand embroidered with beading and tulle flowers. It was really amazing as you can see....The brand: Suzy is in marketing so, everything related to her wedding, from the Save the date card to the invitation to the program, menus, gazebo, and candles at the ceremony, to the spotlight shining down on the dance floor at the reception were all consistently branded with their fonts, monogram and logo.
The reception: After the ceremony, there was a cocktail reception with hors d'oeuvres in the room right off the courtyard where the wedding ceremony was held. Then the whole party moved to the the ballroom where the full reception was held.
The ballroom was true art deco style and old black and white movies were being projected onto the wall above the stage at one end of the ballroom.The tables were decorated with big centerpieces with large white ostrich plumes and the wedding party sat in the middle at a long table which was really nice because everyone else could see them.The cutting of the cake happened at the top of the stage so everyone could easily see it as well.The party!!!: After all the formalities and eating were complete, we all got down, drinking and dancing and having a great time.As you can see, she doesn't get out much anymore! Two kids will do that to you!
A good time is being had by all!Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A little break.......
I'm off tomorrow to see some good friends and attend a wedding. Going to make a little vaca out of it! Should be fun! Talk to you when I get back!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Cloudy Coffee Town!
I got sent on my first business trip this past week to .... Cloudy Coffee town! (You can probably figure out where I am talking about....)
The flight there was not too bad, although it was delayed about an hour since they decided they needed to switch us to a different plane right after we started boarding. The more dramatic thing for me though was the temperature when we landed! It has been unseasonably warm here and apparently it has been unseasonably cold there so when I landed I was confronted with a temperature that was 50 degrees colder than where I left!!! A bit of a shock but I got out my jacket and rolled with it.
Most of the time I was in meetings while I was there. We did get out for a couple vendor sponsored dinners (gotta love that!) and had some great food but I didn't get out of the suburbs until my last afternoon.
Then I walked over to the original Starbucks, just to take a peak -- I actually don't drink coffee (shhh! Don't tell them!) and on the way I stopped that this bakery called The Confectional.
Now, I pride myself on my cheesecake. I even seriously considered opening a wholesale bakery specializing in cheesecake. So, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to try some of the interesting flavor combinations that this little bakery offers.
I decided that I needed to taste 4 flavors so I tried Mexican Chocolate (chocolate with a hint of cinnamon and cayenne pepper -- Spicy!! Quite an unusual sensation), Quadruple Chocolate (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate and....??? I don't remember!), Coconut Cherry Chocolate (surprisingly the yummiest of the 4) and Caramel (eh, too sweet in my opinion.) It was decadent to have all these different cheesecake tasters, especially for a cheesecake-lovin gal like myself.
Then, I went to meet up with my friend in International City ( or Square or something) at this Vietnamese restaurant called Tamarind Tree for dinner. It was yummy! We ordered this lemongrass beef platter that you make your own spring rolls from. They also had, oddly, some of the best mojitos there.
It was a nice end to end the trip!
The flight there was not too bad, although it was delayed about an hour since they decided they needed to switch us to a different plane right after we started boarding. The more dramatic thing for me though was the temperature when we landed! It has been unseasonably warm here and apparently it has been unseasonably cold there so when I landed I was confronted with a temperature that was 50 degrees colder than where I left!!! A bit of a shock but I got out my jacket and rolled with it.
Most of the time I was in meetings while I was there. We did get out for a couple vendor sponsored dinners (gotta love that!) and had some great food but I didn't get out of the suburbs until my last afternoon.
My last afternoon I had a rental car and a few free hours before I would meet a grad school friend for dinner so I got the opportunity to go to the famous Pike Street Market! As I was strolling the market I couldn't help thinking how much fun it would be to do grocery shopping there..... The flower markets are so beautiful and the fresh fish, produce, pasta, nuts etc. are like a culinary dream.
These are about the biggest lobster tails and crab legs I have ever seen!
These are about the biggest lobster tails and crab legs I have ever seen!
And of course, what is Cloudy Coffee Town without......salmon!
And of course, some one had to get their picture taken catching a fish....
Then I walked over to the original Starbucks, just to take a peak -- I actually don't drink coffee (shhh! Don't tell them!) and on the way I stopped that this bakery called The Confectional.
Now, I pride myself on my cheesecake. I even seriously considered opening a wholesale bakery specializing in cheesecake. So, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to try some of the interesting flavor combinations that this little bakery offers.
I decided that I needed to taste 4 flavors so I tried Mexican Chocolate (chocolate with a hint of cinnamon and cayenne pepper -- Spicy!! Quite an unusual sensation), Quadruple Chocolate (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate and....??? I don't remember!), Coconut Cherry Chocolate (surprisingly the yummiest of the 4) and Caramel (eh, too sweet in my opinion.) It was decadent to have all these different cheesecake tasters, especially for a cheesecake-lovin gal like myself.
Then, I went to meet up with my friend in International City ( or Square or something) at this Vietnamese restaurant called Tamarind Tree for dinner. It was yummy! We ordered this lemongrass beef platter that you make your own spring rolls from. They also had, oddly, some of the best mojitos there.
It was a nice end to end the trip!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Please send good thoughts....
I was all set for a week of cheerful and pithy blog posts when I got some news that totally threw me for a loop.....
A good friend of mine recently went to New York for a couple months to perform before moving to Chicago to participate in a well renowned training program. He is a singer who's career is just now getting off the ground and I was so proud and happy that his dreams were starting to come true.
Monday, he called me with some earth-shattering news. A couple months ago he had suffered a bout of food poisoning (he thought) that he had never completely recovered from. Once he got up to New York and was covered by health insurance, he went to a doctor to check it out. She thought it might be gall stones or something and put him on a restrictive diet. Then a week or so later, he was feeling such intense pain that he went to the hospital and ended up being hospitalized for a couple days. At that point, he was told that he had gotten an infection from the food poisoning and it was causing intestinal swelling. After he got out he was to go for a follow up CT scan to double check everything.
Well, at his follow up scan, he was told that he had stomach cancer....... He has a biopsy scheduled for this week and that will give a better idea of what exactly he is dealing with but it was quite a blow! I did a little research online on stomach cancer and in some cases it can be beatable so I remain optimistic. He is such a nice guy and has worked so hard to get where he is in his career and things were really taking off for him, it just breaks my heart that it all could be threatened by this predicament.
A good friend of mine recently went to New York for a couple months to perform before moving to Chicago to participate in a well renowned training program. He is a singer who's career is just now getting off the ground and I was so proud and happy that his dreams were starting to come true.
Monday, he called me with some earth-shattering news. A couple months ago he had suffered a bout of food poisoning (he thought) that he had never completely recovered from. Once he got up to New York and was covered by health insurance, he went to a doctor to check it out. She thought it might be gall stones or something and put him on a restrictive diet. Then a week or so later, he was feeling such intense pain that he went to the hospital and ended up being hospitalized for a couple days. At that point, he was told that he had gotten an infection from the food poisoning and it was causing intestinal swelling. After he got out he was to go for a follow up CT scan to double check everything.
Well, at his follow up scan, he was told that he had stomach cancer....... He has a biopsy scheduled for this week and that will give a better idea of what exactly he is dealing with but it was quite a blow! I did a little research online on stomach cancer and in some cases it can be beatable so I remain optimistic. He is such a nice guy and has worked so hard to get where he is in his career and things were really taking off for him, it just breaks my heart that it all could be threatened by this predicament.
So please, please send all the good healing thoughts and prayers you have his way. I hold out hope that he can beat this thing and be back on track towards his dream!
Picture from a recent performance
Picture from a recent performance
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