The horrible first round must have been an anomaly. I think I had a stomach virus underneath everything that pushed me over the edge requiring me to be hooked up at the clinic every day. It had to be something like that because I am doing much better this second round. Dr. Shapiro reduced the 5-fu some this round, so maybe we'll be able to go back to the full dose next week. This week, I have been able not only to stay out of the hospital, but go to work the last few days. This is a relief, as I have been sick it seems for a very long time and I have not been able to work or do much of anything for four weeks.

Speaking of work, some of you have asked if I have been able to work through all of this. These past three years of treatments, I have been working about 3/4 time. I work at Texas Instruments designing DLP technology (go #96!). Much of my work during treatments has been from home (or wherever I am). I am very fortunate to have the kind of job where I can do this. In fact, I actually do some of my more productive work alone from home. I think this goes back to my education - I spent two-and-a-half years in high school doing what they called "home bound school" due to the bone cancer that I had at that time. This struggle has been very rough in a lot of ways, but I am very thankful to have a job that I enjoy. I know not many people get paid to do what they enjoy. So I count this blessing.