Until We Meet Again

Is anyone really prepared when someone they love passes? Whether they have been sick for some time, or simply gone in a flash unexpectedly. Last week was a rough week for my family, and I've especially have taken it hard. Losing any beloved member of a family is difficult but at such a young age and unexpectedly, it's heartbreaking. Saturday May 25th, 2013, my family lost a very beloved member of our family, my Uncle Wayne. As I'm writing this I still cannot wrap my head around the fact that he is gone. I woke up Sunday morning and started to cry instantly cause I knew it wasn't a dream.

1987-Helping Uncle Wayne mow

My Uncle was a very loving and giving man, but he was more than an Uncle to me. He was my Godfather, like another father and I was his daughter. He would stop what he was doing just to help you out, even if that meant driving 3 hours because you were stuck somewhere with car issues and if you simply just had a question about something, he'd offer to come take a look or to help you fix it. I have thousands of memories of him throughout my life, it's hard to pick favorites, but I'd have to say fishing with him was the best time ever. Now I will be the first person to admit that fishing on a boat with me, isn't easy, it's a shocker to know that well...I get bored very easily. Yet, my Uncle kept taking me out there. I never did catch a keeper, beach fishing or out sturgeon fishing. He kept telling me, we'll get you a keeper one day, I promise you we will. Looks like my cousins will be keeping that promise for him. The last time I spent with him was one of the BEST camping trips in along time. Seafood & Wine Festival in April at Fort Stevens. We went clam digging(which he also taught me how to do) and had a blast cleaning them. He taught me to work on my car, even though he didn't really like it cause it was Japanese made :-)

Easter 1993-My First Communion with my Godparents

Above all else; he loved my Aunt and his sons to the moon and back. His recent happiness within the last year came with the birth of his two grand babies; Axle in July 2012, followed by Quincy November 2012. There are going to be SO many fun stories to tell those two when they are older, I think they will think we are making it up. Death is never easy, but this one is truly going to affect my family for time to come. He was my aunt's love, my cousins' idol, my dad's brother and an amazing uncle. It was hard sitting next to his bed side holding a VERY warm hand, and saying goodbye; but as my heart is still breaking, I know that I will see him again someday.

I love you very much Uncle Wayne, you will be so missed and I can't imagine life without you.

Until We Meet Again...

Love,

Koki

#10 For you poppa. . .

Saturday May 18th, 2013 was a great morning, but it was also bitter sweet for me. This was the second time that I was walking in the Heart & Stroke Walk. Through my work of OHSU, we participated in the Greater Portland Heart & Stroke Walk. We raised over $560K and my group alone finished second in fundraising with over $13K. I walk with the team OHSU Cardiac Rehab All-Stars...and that they are. Most of these participants are my old patients or former patients of when I worked in Outpatient Rehab Services. It was so much fun having all of us together to make this 5K trek throughout both sides of Downtown Portland.

The wonderful Jyndia & Sarah

Poppa & Brennan

It was a bitter sweet day because I walk in my Grandpa's memory as we lost him nearly 2 years ago to Heart Failure and he had struggled with it for many of his last years. It was also AMAZING cause for the second year I also got to walk for my little buddy Brennan who last year was in the NICU at Doernbecher after his heart surgery at just 5 months old...he was also there walking with his mom and family this year. It is just amazing to see so many people come out and support for such a cause that is the #1 cause of death in the United States. I know it run in my family's history, so I have to be careful, but there is alot of people who don't know it's in their genetics. It was special as well cause I was able to walk with two of my faves: Jyndia & Sarah. Two old coworkers that I miss seeing daily. I was just missing my mom this year, hopefully next year she'll be back walking with me.

Crossing under the Steel Bridge in Portland



My walk back to the MAX on the Hawthorne Bridge

#31 I actually DID it...

OH ME GEE! I can't believe that I actually completed at half marathon! On May 11th, 2013 I did JUST that! I have never been one for the running, I will say that right here and now. I had to run, sprint etc for sports my whole life, but to actually run just for fun or to keep in shape, that wasn't me. I would either get bored after a few miles(which STILL happens to me) or I just didn't care for it cause I never had to train for distance. But I set my sights on a half at some point. I do little 5k's and 8k's here and there and those are fine, I rock them all the time. So I thought, hmmmm...why not just just a half. So I did, I signed up in December for the Hippie Chick 1/2 Marathon in May out in the country of Hillsboro.

I started off great and running the first 7 miles at a personal best of 12 minute miles...THEN the heat came and I was NOT prepared for that. In one of the hottest few weeks that we've ever seen in May, had to be the last 10 days leading up to my first half, really?! I mean REALLY?! After the half way point there was very little shade left out on the course, THAT sucked a big one. Miles 9-11 i wanted to give up. I think other participants were looking at me like the crazy lady cause I was arguing with myself and talking myself into it that I can finish even though I wanted to give up. Well...I didn't give up, I finished that thing like a champ running through the last mile in 3 hours 12 minutes and 56 seconds. My parents were at the finish line which meant ALOT to have them there, a tear came out when I saw them, not going to lie. Cindy and Erin were there as well, Erin finished an hour ahead of me and they STILL waited for me to finish my very first half, those ladies are awesome. I can tell you i thought it was the dumbest thing I've ever done at the time, but I can honestly say I am looking forward to my next half. :)

Me about to cross the finish line!

#5 & #11 Giving back

This past weekend was a great one! The weather was amazing and I spent alot of time with family and helping out a great cause, The Oregon Food Bank! On Saturday May 4th, I volunteered for 2.5 hours with my friend's charity Together For Better. Let me tell you...who would have thought I would have had as much fun as I did packing up apples, potatoes and onions for the food bank! I am so happy that I did this and I cannot wait to do it again. Rocking out to good music and helping people? How awesome is that?! Over 18,000 pounds of food we packed, that averages to 277 meals a PERSON made from my group! Amazing work I tell you.