January 19, 2002

Update # 24 

Good Morning, 

A beautiful blanket of snow has covered everything this morning.  I haven't been out yet but it looks like at least 3 inches.  Ken is at an overnight meeting in Springfield.  I suggested maybe he bring the snowblower into the garage from the shed before he left on Friday.  I'm going to leave it snug in the shed!!! 

"One of our Co-Honorary Chairman for the Relay For Life" was the introduction used Thursday evening for people to meet Jeff.   Our local American Cancer Society (Ken is a past president) hosts this annual event.  The committee does all the work but they choose one or two people who have had cancer to be the honorary chairman for the publicity.  Hillsboro and Litchfield take turns for the event site.  This year will be Litchfield.  The other young gentleman is a 22-year-old college senior from Litchfield.  He also happens to be the nephew of our member who subs in my classroom.  She has had cancer twice so it will be something to see when all three of them (plus Ken's secretary and hundreds of others) walk the first lap called "The Survivor Lap".  Our county has approximately 32,000 residents but we have one of the highest amounts raised per capita in the country.  The event will be held Mother's Day weekend this year.  Jeff will have several meetings to attend between now and then - and of course, lots of pictures to be taken. 

The rest of the week was usual finals week.  Study and be ready.  Tuesday was an especially good day for Jeff.  He won $25 in the band boosters drawing for selling tickets for the fundraiser.  But even more important his Make A Wish  finally arrived.  He had requested a laptop computer and after an extra month of waiting (they had said he'd have it on Dec. 15th) it got here.  He spent a couple of hours looking it over but then he had to study.  When I'd check on him, he'd say "What's Dad doing out there.  I know he's playing with my computer".  He was right of course but Dad changed the wording to "examing" the computer!  So no more listening to CD's traveling to and from radiation.  Now, it's "I can do my homework" -- riiiight!!!! 

Jeff feels great and we've noticed no symptoms of radiation.  His hair keeps growing slowly but we do see one spot on his head where it seems to be exceptionally slow.  We'll check that out when we go down on the 28th.  

We hope all of you are enjoying  the wonderful start to the new year.  Thanks for the emails and prayers.  They mean so much to us. 

Love,

Marcia