Dear Cancees,

I hope this note finds you all well, in good cheer, and enjoying what
seems to now have turned into summer.  The wife's garden is blooming
away and we have been enjoying fresh produce at will.  I continue to
bake as the family kneads me <g> and goes through
several loaves per week.

We are particularly proud of our daughter who, at the County Fair,
placed in 4 of her 6 horse events and won a 1st, 2nd, and Best of Show
in the fine arts division as well.  She was certainly lucky to have the
support of her mom and brothers.  I was there too, but more as a
cheerleader.

Time passes.  I have completed 5 weeks of treatment.  There are 3 weeks
to go, 15 treatments.  This week was tough because on Wed. the machine
"Oncore" broke.  I had just been infused with the amifostine and thus
was all dressed up with no place to go.  The kicker is that the drug
runs $1,000- a pop!  I thought I would have Thurs. off as well but they
flew the part in from CA overnight and it is an slip in kind of thing
like in a computer.   So, I only missed one treatment which is added at
the end.

Otherwise, I am down 15# from the beginning which averages out at 3#
p/wk.  About double what they would like.  It didn''t hapopen that way,
I lost most of it in the last two weeks.  I
still eat food with an ensure supplement.  Taste has changed and some
foods I stay away from.  Wifey notices that I can still tell if
something is bland for real, not just because of the
radiation.  My mouth is sore and one of the biggest jobs, as I may have
told you, is brushing my teeth.  It brings tears to my eyes because I
can't open my mouth wide enough, due to the cracks in the corners of my
mouth, to floss, brush, and rebrush with flouride twice a day with
ease.  I try to deaden everything with the "Magic Mouthwash" but it
ain't poifect.

Have I complained enough?  The truth is I am doing extremely well in
this process.  I count my blessings daily that my body has been as kind
to me as it has in the chemo and radiation both.  Body chemistry
continues to be within acceptable parameters, BP is excellant, and
cholesterol is way down.  So please, don't think different.  I do want
you to have some sense of the experience but at the same time realize
that I haven't had to take a pain pill, nausea pill, relaxant pill, or
laxative to date.  Let's give Bob's Body a hand!

That's it folks.  Take care and keep well and please continue to think
positively of me and my body.  By now you should realize and feel how
much we're all in this together.  I certainly do.

Love,
that carcomaniac chemosabe kid - ipunty