We met with our doctor yesterday, and in all of the wondering about what anything meant, he said that he's stopped trying to guess what will happen to patients. He has a 70 year old man who started with a greater dose than I. The doctor thought for sure day one would "kill" the man. The man came back a week later and had felt no side effects, and he stayed at the high dose nearly the entire time.

To that the doctor added that my young, healthy system reacts quickly and well to medicine. I took it as a compliment of sorts. The nurses told me it wasn't a competition when I was a little jealous of another man in his second week of treatment staying at a very high dose. I just read an article about Americans being such a competitive people, which, the article stated, is why we've not done much to explore the moon since the U.S.S.R. spurred us on 40 years ago. I suppose.

So yesterday I received a dose of 2.5, and today my counts dropped but not low enough to go without treatment. Today again I received a dose of 2.5. Carol (the woman who reminded me of Kim's mother-in-law) sat next to me. We laughed so hard - mainly at the way of life up at the treatment center. It is the best setup as far as treatment centers go. The boss is a little particular. So, one day Carol's boyfriend (her husband died in '98) was up visiting her and threatened to ride the rolling "staff only" stool like a sled across the room just to get a complete rise out of the boss. It's a very funny picture when you're up there day-after-day under the regime. ;0) Never a dull moment. After that we talked books and children and treatment. Then we both slept under the influence of the treatment drips.

I'm so thankful for Andrew's mom Carol being here these weeks. She has been so much help that I'm afraid some of you are feeling like you're not helping. Believe me, your prayers are helping more than anything else. The dinners, flowers, cards, and sweet gifts are also amazing reminders of your presence here in all of this. Thank you.

Wednesday is usually when my body says, "enough." I don't exactly know how to walk into a day like that. I guess with a good read just in case I stay and not settling in (warm socks on, drink, kick up the recliner) until my blood count comes back. I'll let you know how it goes. I hope all is going well with you.