I'm baaaaack!!!!!!  First off ignore all typos!  My fingers aren't working properly right now.  Blame the chemo!!

I made it through the first round of body-altering drugs.  I don't know how.  There were a few set backs but mostly I hung in there through the regiment.  There was one drug in particular that kicked my butt.  It was a glow-in-the-dark, neon green chemical that was designed as a 24 hour drip.  Trust me folks this was no "Weed-be-Gone" type of herbicide.  Oh Hell No, this was your "KILLZ-ALL" variety.  Since the drip was so slow I felt nothing for the longest time.  "I've got this licked," I thought, until about the 20th hour.  Then my eyes flashed open with the sudden awareness that I could no longer feel my body.  Any moment an "Alien" being was going to rip its way out of my sternum and scurry across the bed.  I knew this was going to happen.  I prayed for death that night.  I fully understood what I'd been through when on the afternoon of the second day the nurse hooked me up to what she called a recovery drug.  A 30 minute drug 3 times a day to help me get through the effects of the KILLZ-ALL. Folks when they have to give you a drug to help you recover from the drug they just gave you then this is some serious chemicals!  This stuff attacked everything.  Bone marrow - zapped!  Spinal fluids - nuked!  Kidneys, Liver, _______________ (insert organ here) - rendered useless! I proved that day that in some cases water IS thicker than blood!

But guess what, in 2 days time the white count began to rise, hemoglobin was up, every thing, including my attitude began to perk up.  I almost felt human again.  Maybe things were headed in the right direction, and a little side trip into hell was a small price to pay.  (How naive I was to think that, I have to go through this 3 more times!)

We worked on a simple 3 Step Program we called W.E.P.  A simple daily routine designed to help you through even the darkest of times.  Daily - Walk!!  Keep things moving, get your butt out of bed!!  This was the easiest to accomplish.  When my family came up they would take me around - we even went outside a couple of times.  Emily and I loved the fountains we found.  I was often sick and tired but I loved these moments.
    Daily - Eat!!  Daily nourishment was vital and often times the most problematic.  Chemo ruins your taste buds so everything tastes like cardboard.  Add to that an already upset stomach and some days I literally had to force myself to eat.  I've lost about 20 pounds so far - and I'm sure there's more to follow.  Becky is complaining that she's found every pound I've lost.  Still even now, at home, I find it tough to eat some days. I must force my way through it.
     Daily - Poop!!  Laugh if you will but as I found out this was the most important of all.  You know you've sunk pretty low when the major topic of conversation among the family was rather I'd pooped that day!  The first non-pooping day is not a problem, I'll pick it up tomorrow!  Day 2 of no-movement becomes a little strained, but I'll do another lap around the nursing station and loosen things up.  Day 3 it becomes an issue and the docs have you on so many stool-softening medicines you believe your eyeballs will just float out of your head.  On day 4 you are curled into a fetal position and the "W" and "E" portion of the 3 step program are only memories.  You can't move!  And you are demanding just one small stick of dynamite to blow a hole in this Hoover Damn that has been erected in your bowels!!  Oh and then when relief finally comes!!  It is such sweet torment!  That last for about 5 hours!!!  I AAAHHHed with pleasure so loudly that they heard it at the nursing station!  They clapped for my success.  We have touchdown!

I just realized I've written quite a lot.  I haven't even talked about my good fortune to be sent home for about 10 days for some serious recoup time.  My beautiful sister, Molly, has become my line to a sane world before going back into the black hole of chemo!  I've got more stories to tell.  But they'll have to wait for another time.  It's 11:30 in the morning and Molly is already harping on me about eating some lunch.  I promise to write again if you promise to continue to send me your strength!  As I weave my way through this tunnel I am getting weaker and weaker and I'm in greater need of your strength and prayers.  Everyone asks "What can we do?"  this is it.  Send me prayers - send me strength!  I'll catch the vibe and ride it as far as I can!  I believe in the power of "unison thought".  This is more than one man can do alone.  You send the wave!!  KAWABUNGA DUDE!!!!!!!

Love to you all.  It's nap time before lunch.  Chemo Bob!