I live here with my fiance Steve and my cat, Sasha (she's 12 yrs old). I work in downtown Seattle for Admiral Insurance Company. Been there 20 years now! Gosh, that's really a long time! All of my family lives close by, which is really nice. My mom, Betty, is just 10 minutes away. My brother, Alan, who retired in 1996 from the Air Force after serving 20 years, lives close by with his wife, Carol, and their two children; Katherine, who's 10 (going on 25), and Christopher, who is 3. They are my baby's and Aunt Patty loves them more than words can say!

It has been a rough road for Steve and me the past few years. In January 1994, my paternal Grandmother, Grayce, passed away. My father, Ed, passed away on May 1st of that same year from colon cancer. In 1995, Steve lost his business. In August of 1996 at age 37, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and in September, Steve was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which resulted from a viral infection he contracted while visiting his mother in the hospital. She passed away in November of that same year.

I had surgery the end of August, 1996 and started chemotherapy in September. I went through 8 months of chemotherapy and 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. Completed all at the end of April, 1997. Believe me, it was quite a struggle, but with the help of my mom, Steve and the rest of my family, I made it through. I found my cancer quite early, so my prognosis is for a long and happy life. Steve's prognosis is the same. :-)