Hi Anne

Just a note on the walking: Last year when I was looking for statistics to scare the crap out of Alex who was struggling with quitting smoking, I came across an article by Dr A Chen who reported in his trial the 5 year survival rate of those who continued to smoke through radiation was less than half that of those who gave it away (I'm getting to the point, don't worry).

According to Dr Chen, radiation requires good oxygenation to produce the free radicals which target cancer cells. Walking ensures good oyygenation. This means walking helps radiation to kill cancer!! Link to article below.

Isn't it nice to know you can actually do something to help your treatment? Alex also walked at least 1km every day to pick up or drop off the car to my work and it became an important thing for him to maintain his sense of purpose, since eating and working was a dim memory. It has become part of his daily routine to meet me for coffee, regardless of his car needs (until tomorrow when he restarts work after nearly 12 months - hooray).

Re the steroids: I have never been sure if they were given to stop a reaction (like an allergic reaction) or as an anti-nauseant as they do both. Either way, I am sure the doctors can substitute something else. When Alex went through his triple therapy chemo alone, he took steroids the day before and continued for 2 days after (oral and IV). When he was doing chemo/radiation, he was given it IV only on the day. This makes me think it was for reactions during chemo and for nausea during chemo/radiation. I could be completely off base though ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100427171847.htm