yikes, i am so out of the loop. forgive me for not responding to so
many important posts. the book deadline is approaching, i'm behind as
usual and have so much else going on. i've been STRESSED.  thanks for
always being there for me even when i can't get my act together to be
there for you.

1st, john's crohns: he's relapsing. maybe added coffee and chocolate
and a few other things back into his diet too fast. i hope this is just
a minor flare.

2nd, my brother: i'd told you he had a tumor removed from his chest and
ended up with some paralysis in his legs. i can't tell you how panicky
i've been about this. having lost my parents in the past few years, i
am just not ready to start losing my siblings. (my sister with ms just
had her ovaries removed too--is doing great!) i've really reacted
strongly to their illnesses. tom's paralysis is improving and the good
news is that they have finally discovered the cause (disc problem in
the lumbar region). he's been trying to get someone to pay attention to
this occasional leg numbness problem for years, but it took the
exacerbation after this surgery to get a doc to pay attention. he's
gong to rehab for a week. not the outcome any of us expected from this
chest surgery, certainly, but i think it will turn out to be a good
thing. he's back on coumadin, so i'm breathing easier.

3rd, me: i've been having chronic indigestion for a week or so. had an
endoscopy tuesday. my doc said it looked like someone's been scraping
the inside of my esophogus and stomach with sand paper. and my stomach
is full of bile. i'd forgotten i get "bile gastritis." the sphincter
between my stomach and esophogus is useless. the doc mentioned the "s"
word: surgery. i go see him to discuss in a couple of weeks. meanwhile,
i'm joining john in the no coffee and chocolate routine. sigh.

finally, good news: john and i are off to NC tomorrow, where i'm
participating in an author's "movable feast" in topsail beach. then
we'll spend a day looking at real estate in raleigh and playing with my
grandson.

thanks for listening, you guys. i love you all.

diane