Being able to say "THANKS"

Hello everyone,
Before I left for Calgary, my niece and I had the opportunity to go to the Cancer Clinic that took care of me four years ago at the Southlake Hospital in Newmarket. Everything is FINE with both of us. My niece is probably not happy with me but we went there together because I love her so much.
Anyway, the day I left there (May 19,2003) I never thought I would ever go back but I realized on Wednesday that I should have visited there much, much earlier. I had the fantastic opportunity to see two of the nurses who took such phenominal care of me for six months, Joan and Melanie. I was not expecting to have the emotions that I did when I saw them on Wednesday. How do you express thanks to people who work day in and day out to save your life. They do not expect anything from the people they treat, they do not expect special treatment from the communities they work in. It is like the sign the little girls had in Winnipeg, athletes and celebrities are not our hereos...it is everyday people who stand in the grocery line beside us that are our heroes. Joan, Melanie and all of the nurses and volunteers at the Cancer Clinic are my hereos. Dr. Mahut(who looked after my dad in 1996 and ironically did my surgeries in 2003) and Dr. Zibdawi who look after me, are my heroes. It is what these people do everyday that we should celebrate and hold to as the higher standard.
While I was there, Melanie was explaining to me the new Cancer Wing that they would begin to build at Southlake. They have now partnered up with the Princess Margaret Hospital which is great for the people in York Region. But is it? The new Cancer Clinic at the hospital is so much brighter and nicer then the area that these people worked in, in 2003 but as Melanie was explaining the new plans we both agreed it was too bad this needed to be built. Something is wrong when we are closing hospital beds and can not have enough beds for our elderly who built and defended this great country and we are opening new wings for cancer patients. As Melanie said, she is seeing more and more young people and the treatments are getting stronger and stronger.
So to Melanie, Joan and the crew who work in the Cancer Clinic and to Dr. Zibdawi, Jackie and Dr. Mahut and Sue (Dr. Mahut....my dad was a great judge of character and he said to me in 1996..."she is good" enjoy yourself and and your children but you will be missed)...THANK YOU...what I have been able to enjoy and experience in the last four years is strictly because of you. THANK YOU. You worked through the SARS scare with masks on your faces for 12-14 hours a day. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I hope you know how special you are and how being able to just give you a hug meant to me. More than I realized and more than you will ever know. While I am walking this weekend you will all definitely be with me...as you are everyday. My trip on Wednesday to see you just makes it more special because of you, I can do this walk. I just can not express my appreciation to you about it. Maybe this weekend will be a good start.
With love and thanks to all of you,
M.J.