What Year Is It?

February 3rd is the Chinese New Year, the outgoing year being the Year of the Tiger and the incoming year being the Year of the Rabbit.

If the start of the new year is any indication, 2011 is the Year of the Hospital.

On Christmas Eve day my family learned that my Dad has bladder cancer. Luckily, at this point the big C is limited to the most inner layer of the bladder and is treatable. Between treatments, he will have to be checked frequently for re-growth of the cancer cells as they are very aggressive.

But the saga doesn't end there.

Last week my older sister was rear-ended, at highway speed, by a semi-truck. (Yes, she was wearing a seat belt.) The majority of the week was spent with my mom in the ICU unit of a local hospital that is a Level 1 trauma center. My sister had two broken vertebrae in her neck. Her surgery was successful, and while she has lost some function of her right arm and hand, there is no paralysis, and she is out of the hospital, recuperating at my parents' house.

Maybe this is our Year of the Rabbit's Foot - because at every point, when things could have been so much more worse, my loved ones have been very, very lucky.

I think I'll celebrate the Chinese New Year by thanking every health professional I meet - I am so impressed with those involved with the care of my Dad and sister.

And please - remember to give yourself a hug - buckle up.