Celebrating Milestones in Maui
Updated: Sep 13
Of the Hawaiian islands, Maui is known as "The Valley Isle." To me, it is a place of rest and relaxation. As a child, I actually thought of this as the “boring” island—but that was way before I could explore it in my own rental car and see all it has to offer. This was my third time visiting Maui, but this trip was different: I brought my family along for their very first visit. It was a nice family vacation. We ate good food, cruised around the island, and enjoyed the natural beauty of the ocean, waterfalls, and nature.
Rugged, winding, and completely worth it. The Road to Hana.
But beneath the surface of beach days and shave ice, this trip carried a quiet significance for me. Behind the scenes of the past year, I have been quietly navigating a whirlwind of surgeries, doctor appointments, and a cancer diagnosis. Standing on the sand this time, I wasn't just a tourist. I was someone celebrating the fact that the surgeries are officially behind me, that I am cancer-free, and that I am finally settling into the next chapter of health.
Having a rental car completely changes how you experience Maui. Instead of being tied to a resort or a strict schedule, we had the freedom to just drive and explore. Besides dedicating our second day to the long drive along the Road to Hana, every single day was a beach day. We spent our days swimming and jumping over waves, sunbathing, and taking pictures. Much like how he insisted on eating pizza every single day when we traveled to New York, my husband developed a localized obsession on this trip: he wanted Spam Musubi at every single place we dined, and he refused to listen to anything but Hawaiian music whenever he was behind the wheel.
We enjoyed a lot of island goodies: Loco Moco, Spam Musubi, and cans of Aloha Maid fruit juice. I don't even eat the banana bread that I make for my family, but I truly enjoyed Aunty Sandy's. We also waited 3.5 hours for a Papi's Ohana cinnamon roll—and honestly, it was not worth it! After finishing the long Road to Hana drive on day two, we ended the evening by gathering around to watch the Korea vs. Mexico World Cup game at the Kahului Ale House. Even though it ended in a disappointing 1-0 loss for Korea, watching it together in a lively local spot after an adventurous day made a great memory.
Loco Moco and Papi's Ohana cinnamon roll.
On day three, we shifted gears and went to the Gilligans' Island Luau in Kihei for a fun night of Hawaiian food and fire dancing. By day four, it was time for another change of pace. The teenagers had a relaxing night-in at our vacation rental, while my husband and I slipped away for a quiet dinner, just the two of us, at the iconic Mama's Fish House. This wasn't just a special dinner on a nice vacation—it was a celebration of the end of my surgical journey. Sitting across from me was the man who was with me through a whirlwind of doctor appointments, a cancer diagnosis, and multiple surgeries. We processed the events differently but were together in that moment to raise a toast to finally being cancer-free.
A toast to being cancer-free at Mama's Fish House. Once in a lifetime dinner.
So for the tail end of our trip, we splurged (not exactly, used hotel points) on two nights at the Grand Wailea. The grounds are absolutely huge. With multiple waterslides, incredible pools, and easy beach access, there was so much to do. It was a nice, luxurious way to end the trip and exactly the kind of uncomplicated, relaxing getaway I needed before stepping into my new normal.
Ending a beautiful week with a little luxury and a lot of gratitude at the Grand Wailea.
The journey doesn't end here. Moving forward means transitioning into the next phase of recovery, which for me includes daily life on Tamoxifen. Navigating the side effects and the routine of a long-term medication is its own adjustment. But a beautiful week on Maui was a nice way to celebrate finishing my surgeries. This trip allowed me to officially close the door on the surgical chapter of my life and step into a fresh, healthy new beginning.
