Our Senator Mazie Hirono sent an email. She is definitely running in 2018, and was diagnosed

[mahina]

With kidney cancer. She has excellent care, and her physician has a plan for her complete recovery.

This smart courageous woman is a fighter and I am beyond grateful that she is fighting for us.

If you can spare a few bucks please send to http://www.mazieforhawaii.com/splash, mahalo.

Aloha no Mazie!

[Mickju]

1. I'm so sorry to hear that, but glad she will run again.

She used to be my senator until I moved back to the mainland after 26 wonderful years in Hawaii. I wish her well.

[mahina]

2. Mahalo!

It's super unsettling because we lost Mark Takai who said almost the same thing. I love them both.

Mazie is tough and smart as hell and I'm very sure she will be ok. We all need her.

How was it, moving to the continent? Did you manage to fit back in to mainland society? What part of the country did you move back to?

I think about moving sometimes but I would miss my family like crazy. There's so much opportunity there but I wonder if I could handle the cold...people, not the weather.

Aloha Mickju.

[Mickju]

3. Thank you for the reply.

I retired at 70 and moved to Oklahoma to be near my family members. I don't like it here at all because of the extreme right wing politics. My sister is a Fox watching evangelical (I live with her) and it upsets me every day when I see what's on her TV. At least I can go in my room where I can't hear it. She told me yesterday that she doesn't like Trump but that Hillary is much, much worse. I tried to tell her that they have been lying about her for years, but she won't hear of it. My health is poor now so it would be really difficult to move somewhere else. She at least has been helpful to me when I've been ill and she cares about me. I've also had a hard time adjusting to the cold, but I'm starting to get more used to it.

I wouldn't recommend moving to the mainland unless you move to a blue state. I really miss Hawaii. I still miss Patsy Mink who passed away while I was living there.

Aloha and best wishes.

[mahina]

4. That's got to be tough.

Patsy Mink...I loved her too. When she was so ill and in the hospital at Straub on Beretania, I took her a pikake lei and asked the kokua guys there to give it to her. I had no idea she was so close to passing, but she did, later that day. What a brilliant fighter and lovely strong intelligent compassionate wahine.

We're pretty screwed by climate change and lack of funding and political will to change. Rapid Ohia Death has taken out vast areas on the Big Island that are critical to water capture for the land, and on Oahu the albizia infestation is taking over, with the same outcome.

So many changes moving the ball out of reach for us formerly middle class folks, as the zillionaire high rises take over our town. Just telling you these things so you know it's not all roses back here, hoping it eases your 'eha.

I hope your health improves and life brings you friendship and happiness. Looking forward to seeing you around DU! There's a Hawaii group you know...
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1047

Be well, aloha no!