ROLLER COASTER

Every time I shoot off my big mouth about how great I feel, it backfires on me. The last two days have probably been the worst of all so far. My radiation therapist tells me this is normal as the effects of the radiation and chemo treatment build up over the coarse of the treatment - and I am on my last two days now. My entire abdominal area hurts with pains shooting all over it and it is constantly making a gurgling sound like there is a pipe loose and something is running wild inside me. I feel like some kind of hose has broken or come loose, but I have been told - not to worry, so I won't worry. I guess I am kind of like some of the old cars I have had. Sometimes a hose breaks or something comes loose but you just keep driving it until it stops altogether.

It has been kind of up and down like a roller coaster since day one, but I can't complain. This is the worst it has been and it isn't really all that bad. I can now see why they want me to take a rest period of a month before I continue on with the chemotherapy. I think the radiation is over as of tomorrow. In a way I will miss the radiation. I was able to do away with my night light in the bedroom because I glow all by myself.

We will have a changing of the guard in a bit. I will go to the airport in a few minutes to pick up Mary Marlin, Andrew will be coming in Sunday and JL will be leaving Saturday - I think that is the way it is planned. I wasn't included in the decisions about who was coming and going, I was just given the instructions to carry out. A special thanks to Andrew who is coming in from Florida. He is coming in on his birthday! That is pretty neat and I thank him for his dedication. On the other hand, that means I will have to get him a present and a birthday card and get a cake for him too. Now I am not sure what his motivation is. Just kidding, he is very busy at work, has some major deadlines to meet and he is coming in to see me anyway and coming on his birthday. That is really special as far as I am concerned.

All three of my boys have had some major projects they are working on with important deadlines and all of them still have come in with no complaint or problem. JL has been on a computer in the back bedroom since he got here - he is working on a major program as well. It was kind of a waste of his time to come down here from Dallas. He gets in the car and takes me to my treatments and comes back and gets on the computer. I could have rented a car or hired a taxi for a lot less than it has cost him to come down here just to haul me back and forth. He has been able to get a lot of work done as he is working around 14 hours a day on that computer.

Will probably be coming back to Albuquerque sometime in July to rest up and then back here for some more tests and lab work and then back to Albuquerque to finish up the Chemotherapy. I think the second phase in Albuquerque will be a lot tougher and it will last for two months. At least I will be able to slip in a taco or two during the process.

Got to take off to the airport now. I could get lost and end up at the airport in San Antonio or New Orleans and leave poor Mary standing on the curb at Houston Hobby. Gotta have plenty of time and gotta remember to take a map!