My feet struck the pavement with conviction, moving me both up and down the hills of my neighborhood with a pace just slightly below what I would consider standard. The new surgical incisions on my abdomen were well healed but still young enough to register small objections; my relentless nature put a silence to their complaints. This was not optional. I was determined to get back to feeling as normal as possible, as quickly as possible. As I passed a vacant lot, the new greenery on the trees was a reassuring sight. The winter Armageddon had claimed its share of victims, but nature has a way of apologizing that can be beautiful. A familiar scent fell on the lightest of breezes, and tickled my nose, instantly bringing back wonderful memories: jasmine. Spicy and delicious, I had a whole wall of it positioned just outside my dining room doors, where in the spring and early summer, the intoxicating fragrance would surround me, reminding me of the simple pleasures that so outweighed the more elaborate pursuits we sometimes become distracted by. My jasmine had not grown back, and the sadness of that thought reverberated every time I opened my doors to the twisted brown vines clinging to the stone wall. Just as the winter storm crashed unexpectedly into many of our lives, leaving havoc in its wake, so too had a new cancer invaded mine. In March I underwent surgery to remove a new mass in my abdomen, unrelated to my previous breast cancer. I am very happy to say the surgery was successful. However, the tumor I had is rare, can recur, and will require further ongoing treatment and periodic evaluation. I feel VERY fortunate that there is treatment. So as not to have any interruption in your care, I have brought on an associate, Kandiss Hearn, who is a Nurse Practitioner. Kandiss and I worked together years ago at a large dermatology clinic, and it is reassuring that she has had exposure to our world and our language. When word got out I was looking for help, I was inundated with applications from practitioners looking to do mainly cosmetic procedures. I loved that Kandiss was truly interested in ALL my patients, and not just the cosmetic ones. With a nursing background in dermatology, geriatrics, and oncology she fits nicely into the patient population we serve but is young enough to bring a little spunk as well. I hope you will welcome her as she allows me the peace of mind that together we can provide the ongoing, state of the art care with a personal touch we have all come to value in this practice. As I trudge up the last hill towards home, I realize how grateful I am for all the wonderful things in my life. My children, my patients, my friends, my doctors have all once again helped me through a difficult passage. With a whole heart (even if the body is pieced together these days!) I look forward to serving you well into the future!