4th Year Anniversary of Cancer Surgery

Today is my 4th year anniversary of my cancer surgery. On this day I went into Englewood Hospital at around 7AM, accompanied by my son. Rev Carolyn Keith, my dear friend Karin O'Connell and my son's friend (also mine) James White. What followed you can read on this blog, but for the important part I will quote my wonderful oncologist Dr Forte who said "you walked into the hospital in stage IV cancer, and you left in stage 0"!
Once again, I want to thank everyone for your support then and the support that you continue to give me! You have all played a part in my recovery and my return to the music..I will be forever grateful to all of you.

I've already started the celebrations!
Part 1
I just made my mother's famous recipe called "No Bake Cookies" which are now called the "It's You Cookies". We call them that because as I was making them during the Thanksgiving Holiday in 2002, a tune came into my head, complete with lyrics...which I now call "It's You". I recorded it in December of 2002 with the soulful singer Marguerita Page, drummer Duncan Moore, bassist Rob Thorsen, guitarist Peter Sprague and percussionist Will Parsons, and it is on my new cd "Diane Moser WDMO". The cd will soon be up on my website and CDBaby, but in the meantime you can go to....http://dianemoser.bandcamp.com/

These are super easy to make and are sooooo delicious!
here's the recipe...

“It’s You” Cookies

1 cup coconut

3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 stick oleo or butter

2 cups white sugar

½ cup milk

6 oz. package chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix coconut, oatmeal and cocoa in large mixing bowl. Melt oleo in medium pan, add sugar and milk. Cook, stirring, but do not boil. Add chocolate chips, stir; add vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients, stir, then drop spoonfuls on wax paper, put in refrigerator for 20 mins or so. Adapted from Ardith Moser’s No-Bake Cookies recipe

Part 2

I get to perform with 2 of my favorite musicians tonight, bassist Andy Eulau and drummer Scott Neumann on a concert at Luna Stage Theater Co. in West Orange, NJ in a tribute to my former teacher, the amazing Jaki Byard. I've written about my experiences with Jaki on my new website...http://dianemosermusic.com/2013/02/09/diane-moser-trio-tribute-to-jaki-byard/

There are a few posts about Jaki here on Flipped Kitty as well, look at the June 2012 archives and the 2 pieces about my big band performing his charts.

Meanwhile, a cool piece of news that I spotted this week

"Study Strengthens Case for Surgery After Imatinib Therapy for GIST-Nearly Double the Progression-Free Survival When Surgery Is Performed"

Of course, I did it the other way around, we had to get that 13 lb. tumor out, but I've been on 400 mg of Gleevec daily for almost 4 years now and am NED! There are side effects, and all of us on Gleevec have become quite creative in dealling with them..which we happily do because it is keeping us cancer free.

Enjoy the music...enjoy the cookies!
much love to you all,
Diane