Milestone

Five
Cinco
Cinq
Fem
пять.

Five.;  In any language it is just a unit of measurement.  Days, weeks, seconds, moments.

Five.

For cancer survivors its the magic number.  5 years= remission.

I just had my last oncology visit before my 5 years of being cancer free, which I will celebrate at Red Wings training camp (if there is no lockout)

It is a milestone.

It has been a while since I have written anything.  Over a month.  Not that I haven't had anything to say, just have been busy.

Living life.

Milestones

Hockey

LA Kings

Home ice.

You never forget home ice, the first place you skated, the first game you saw.

I learned to skate late in life, at Pickwick Ice in Burbank, CA, my California home ice..

Staples Center

where I saw my first hockey game. It was awesome

Now if you read my blog you know I am a big fan, and a lot of good things have come surrounding sports, particularly hockey.

The LA Kings, when I first started to get into hockey were in a constant rebuilding year ( starting in 1997)

I still stood behind them though, even though they were awful, when I couldn't get anyone to go with me, because they were so bad or no one was as big of a hockey fan as me.

Even when I moved to Michigan, LA was still "my team"  Yes, I do love the Red Wings, their 2007-2008 stanley cup winning season helped me immensely spiritually and emotionally,  but you never forget your first love.

Milestones

The Kings were a long shot to win the Stanley cup this year.  Came in 8th place out of 8 teams in the western conference.

No one would have thought they could win.

Not even me.

But they did.

First time an 8th seed beat the top 3 teams in the division, and beat the eastern conference champions the NJ Devils.

Watching the Captain Dustin Brown hoist the Stanley Cup at Staples was a surreal moment.

Some days I still can't believe the improbable run.

Some days I can't believe all the things I went through with this damn disease.

But here I am.

On my 5th year of being cancer free

The Kings win the cup.

That is a pretty awesome milestone.


Check out my podcast The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio.com
Also available on Itunes and on the podcasts app on your iphone

The Return

Most people don't understand why I play hockey.  It is mostly a guys sport. When I tell people I play they just give me "that look"  you know the one, oh right YOU play hockey, you must get in a lot of fights on the ice.  I never have, actually I am rather mellow, besides, we all have to work the next morning so..

I got started playing hockey because of a vendor of mine in Los Angeles.  He gave me free tickets to see the Kings play at Staples Center.  I was immediately hooked.  I was looking to get in shape and I figured if I learned how to skate and bought all the equipment I would have no choice but to play.  Hockey is an expensive sport. 

I started playing co-ed hockey in Burbank, CA.  Burbank Bruins.  There were two other girls on the team.While we had fun, our team was in last place.  Did I mention the other two girls just started playing too?  I had so much fun.  I still have the puck from my first goal I scored.  Somehow I ended up on my ass perpendicular to the goal.  I looked over and it just barely crossed the line.  I was stoked.  We lost the game, but I still remember that moment.

Cancer took a lot from me.  Playing hockey today gave me some of that back.

I am tired, I am sore, my muscles ache.  But I haven't felt this good in a long time

Mel is the producer/co-host of The Vic McCarty Show Monday~Friday 10am-Noon eastern standard time.  Listen live on wmktthetalkstation.com.

Check out my podcast on Empoweradio.com available on demand now