Dear Family and Friends,

Sorry I have been so absent from all of you in so many ways. I do cherish your comments, e-mails and communications. I just can’t keep up with it all. Cancer update first. This week May 18- 25 will be my last week with my chemo. It is a very strange feeling, because although I have ongoing doctor visits and blood work, and CAT scans, I don’t have the active chemo knocking out the cancer, and of course, at times me with it. The doctor laughed when I aksed him what the chemo does when all the cancer activity signs are not there. He said he didn’t remember having that question before, but just said, we just never know what we don’t get. The other most telling appt. I have will be the CAT scan, May 29. I will see both my oncologist and my surgeon and have those results to look at. The Clinical trial that I am part of still requires doctor visits, blood work and a CAT scan every 3 mos., so I will have some good ongoing supervision, and hopefully add some information to the knowledge about ovarian cancer. There is very little improvement in the ability to recognize ovarian cancer, screen for it, or treat it by the time they discover it. As you know, our ongoing process at home is using our food as our ongoing medicine. There is so much to learn, but getting and cooking the food is the simple part. The key to healthy eating, reducing inflammation and toxicity is vegetables, vegetables, vegetables, and regular lettuce doesn’t do much until protein and veggies are added. Romaine, is better, but still high water content. This is from one who ate two green salads a day, and always added protein at lunch. My appetite is almost too good, but I now have gained almost 20 lbs. and that helps so much in energy, temp. control, and just not feeling weak and emaciated. In May and April my energy has been very low. I think I have said before that I have injections to bring up both the red and white cells. I have been getting those once a week for about 8 wks, just to be able to continue the chemo. I definitely made peace with the chemo, because I was so grateful to have it.

So, although I have a nasty kind of cancer- one that just has to be considered a chronic disease, I know I do not have the sufferings of so many people. As I get better, I want to try to help cancer patients. I was invited over to Salesian, my high school for some end of the year activities. I would just love to go, and could manage, except that I do have a new infection, and a very compromised immune system right now. Even if it were 3 or 4 weeks from now, I could probably do it. The averages are anywhere from 6 weeks to several years to get all the blood chemistry back, as well as all the liver-kidney functioning really well. Anyway, I’m not going to try to see the students at an all-school function- too risky. I could see my doc was really disturbed that I was even considering it.

Things I’m looking forward to are having some daily energy, a non-fuzzy brain and eyes, having normal breath, and exercise. I’m trying to be patient, but do have lots of things I’d like to do. Mother’s Day was fun, and I still had some good energy on Sun., which is unusual. We went to Mass on Sat., and fixed a good dinner at home. Luke was able to come up for the weekend, which was so good. He starts his summer, as he had finished his Final Exams for second yr. of Pepperdine Law School. He will continue to work at a law office this summer, and will take classes toward his MA in Negotiation and Arbitration, which he will finish with his other work.

One great boon is that they have a 2wk- 2 hr. course conducted in Hong Kong and Beijing, and then a paper to finish the study. They also have books of prep work to do before they travel. I haven’t said too much about John, because he has been in a transition time. He wants to stay in Japan at least another year, but has to change jobs, because he currently is on contract to work on Sat. He will have to move, and get another job that would allow him to play pro-football in Japan. He is already playing and practicing with a team, but the Japanese government requires that he have a job, before he can be signed. It is a difficult timing to finish out the current job- until July8 or so. We will find out more as things move along, but John is very happy, and willing to make a lot of sacrifices to make this happen. The teams are allowed to sign 4 “employed” foreigners, and only two can be on the field at any one time. Every time John joins the team he has to take the bullet train from Tsu City to Tokoyo area- about $270., to be able to make Sat. conditioning and Sun. Scrimmage or practice. It is very different from pro-football, here, but John is impressed with the conditioning, coaching, and athleticism of teammates, and is having so much fun, it is worth all of the hassle. More news on that.

On Mother’s Day, to continue we went to the Farmer’s Market, had my favorite breakfast burrito, and took neighborhood walks, and went out to dinner with Luke and Ellen. Good day, energy held. Sometimes I swear it is just the adrenaline pushing along- so the body still has some resources.

I do need to close. Going for my daily walk- 40 min. or so, when good- longer or otherwise shorter. Ellen is having us over for dinner, so that is always a treat and a great dinner. Both Ellen and Sarah are fabulous cooks. Do continue to keep all of us in your prayers as I do you.

Love Annie/Noel