My mom is a survivor, and absolutely she was/is lucky (caught early, promising prognosis, insurance to cover all treatments). And I'm super grateful for that. But as someone who is still recovering from her own years-long health-related problem... Yeah, I was really lucky to have coverage and other helpful factors…

My parents and I had a similar relationship with this excellent Chinese restaurant, but we most often ordered take out bc it was right on my dad's way home from work. I'm the youngest of five, and by 14 I was the only one living at home. (For about a year after the youngest of my older siblings went off to college, my…