Thanks, Christine! Usually I am petty upbeat about everything, but sometimes it just gets to me. I did enjoy my time with my coffee shop buddies. Saw one friend who I hadn't seen for awhile. She has metastic breast cancer and has been through quite a bit. It has gone to her lungs and her spine, but she receives treatment and keeps going. She gets tired, and her treatments will not "cure" her, just keep it from getting worse. We did a lot of laughing and reminiscing this morning, which was great. I need to make a point of going up there every week, because it really is good for me, although it tires me out.


Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.