I thought that I would take the time to write to all of you and let you know what is happening in the Cooley family.
First, you may be wondering about my prostate cancer. I have finished by 7 weeks of radiation treatment as of two weeks ago. I am doing very well. The only effect that I have is that I have to go to the bathroom more often and sometimes in a hurry. I expect this will continue for several months. Actually it could get a little worse as the radiation treatments do their damage to the good cells while they are killing the prostate cells. Overall I would have to give myself a 9 on a scale of 10 with 10 being the best.
Now all I have to do is to get tested every six months and hope that the cancer does not come back. I have about a 20% chance of the cancer coming back within the next 10 years. Then if it returns I still have other ways of fighting it. Maybe by then we may have some results from some of the research going on.
I have met many wonderful prostate cancer patients and their families via email. While I was in treatment in Georgia I was able to spend some time with those who live there. It has been an experience to be able to contact so many people via email and know that I could visit any one of them at any time. Our doors and theirs have been thrown open to those fighting this disease. One of the very special people that I met in Atlanta was Charles Crotty. I spent a lot of time with him and his family. They all were very special people but Charles and I became instant close friends. I miss him.
Now the next bit of information is about pending marriages. As of a short time ago Dawn Marie got engaged and they have set their wedding date for July 4th, 1998 in Carmel California. In Wakayama Japan our friend Rie has announced her engagement. I don't know when the wedding date is.
Yasuko, Keiko, Osaka Maki and Tokyo Maki all are dating, the last I heard, but no engagements or weddings yet. All of these girls have good jobs. Keiko is trying to learn English. Megumi is in Peabody Music School which is a part of John Hopkins University. She is in San Jose for the holidays.
Julia, from Moscow, was in the states for a week around Thanksgiving and we were happy to have her spend a few days with us at our home here in San Jose. All of us visited Ning Ning in Beijing at the beginning of 1997 and enjoyed the visit. We were able to spend some time with her, her husband and her daughter. They all are well.
Yasuko and her family are now in San Francisco for the holidays. Like true Japanese they are spending their time here shopping. We all got together when they arrived and we did a little tour of San Francisco. Then last night (New Years Eve) we all had dinner together at our friend Hiro's restaurant. Steak, lobster and King Crab legs were the main dishes. Wonderful!
While I was gone during the week for treatment our Chinese daughter, Catherine Young, came over every night and got the kids off to school the next day. Michiko was having to go to work at 7:00am. We owe her a very special thanks for making it possible for me to leave town for my treatments. We all love her dearly. She is in between boy friends at this point. She has ended up with the best year selling real estate that she has had. I am very proud of her.
Rick and family are still living in Nevada and Rick is still working on becoming a minister. Scott and Heynia had another baby boy this year. He is very solid like Mariko was when she was a baby.
Michiko is still working for American Airlines but it has been less fun recently when some of the new supervisors have been making some poor decisions. Don't know how much longer she will work. We had an automobile accident early this year when some one hit us from the rear and she got some neck and shoulder injuries. The car was junked. That seemed to be clearing up when someone hit her from behind again - so she is a little sore again. This time there was just minor damage to the car. She had a time taking care of everything while I was off to Atlanta Georgia for my treatments. She is a wonderful lady!!!
Daniel (age 6) is now in first grade and seems to be doing well. He certainly likes school. He is getting cuter and cuter and is quite a charmer. Mariko (almost 4) is almost as heavy as Daniel and she is a doll - but still a monster. She goes to pre school and loves it very much. She comes home with a different boy friend every other week.
Michiko and I was talking last night about 1997 and decided it was a very good year for all of us - even with my cancer. We all have been together and enjoyed each other as a family. We have many things to be thankful for. Every year just gets better and better. We are very lucky to have friends all over the world that are family to us. We are very lucky to have two great children - they truly are very special. The balance of the immediate family are all doing well. Some of our daughters are going to get married in 1998, maybe some more will get engaged. We thank each and every one of you for what you have done for us.
We wish you all to have a Happy New Year and a Happy Forever.
All our love to all of you.
Dad, Michiko, Daniel and Mariko To top of page
