Ack - felt too guilty to leave my computer complaining up here after many people have far more serious issues going on......sending all the -ma to people who really need it!

My dad was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia today, so please send some health-ma his way. He doesn't have any symptoms besides a high white-blood cell count, and it could be years before other symptoms occur, so everybody's pretty calm. They're just going to monitor him closely for the next while.

It's still quite a blow to absorb.

I just heard from my mother that my best friend when I was in my late teens has a large mass in her right breast and was told by her second opinion doctor that they needed to operate immediately. Knowing the way information is filtered in my family, I'm 99% sure they mean cancer and not a mass of unknown malignity or benignity. Her mother died of cancer at the age of 55. Her mother's sister died of cancer at the age of 60. My friend is 50. I would very much appreciate all the ~ma you can send toward Judy in northeastern Montana.

My dad is scheduled for surgery on Feb. 13th. He's having a tumor removed from his thigh. It's encapsulated, so it's not a big cancer worry, but it's the third time he's had this happen in his leg. He's also in his 70's, and at that age, no surgery is really considered minor. I'd appreciate some ~ma. Also, I'm going to have to to some schedule juggling and moving to free up the 13th and some time after that to be down in San Diego and help out while Dad is off his feet since Mom has to use a walker to get around. So I'll need some schedule~ma and understanding work~ma.

Nora Jean was born on January 28 at 1.30 in the afternoon weighing 8 lbs. 3 oz. The Blue Eyed Boy is very impressed with how "tiny" she is.

She has a round little punkinhead, very wise eyes, and an extremely poor sense of timing - who'd choose to come into the world on a day with -40 (Celsius) temperatures and -50 windchill!

Going dark grey to black for the next little while, as we all adjust to the new family member.

OK, due to my ATM card not being accepted, I've managed to miss the bus I was taking to NYC. this is not a huge deal, as I can get a later bus, but the friend I was staying with tonight is going to a concert, so I'm afraid if I get there later than planned, she might already be on her way there. Any NYCistas wanna hang out tonight? I'm hoping to be there around 7:30...

My cell # is now deleted!, and I'll have to come back and delete this as soon as I get back to a computer, I suppose (unless an admin wants to/could delete it this evening?). Gimme a call, or else I shall just wander around aimlessly on the streets of NY. :)

Hullo! I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm back in the States safely from Rome, in Cincy, after having a wonderful time. Were I not so exhausted and jetlagged I would extol the virtues of one Ms. Stephl and her lovely abode, but I'm really pooped and thus go onwards to sleep. I'll have many, many pictures up soon for those who'd like to see them (I took over one thousand). Ciao!

Just got news that my sister-in-law has been diagnosed with lupus. She's in her thirties, and has a blended family of six kids, including an infant. My father-in-law has had lupus for many years, and it has had quite an effect on him. We're upset to think that what he's been struggling with for so long is now her struggle too.

My sister's sister in law has just been diagnosed with MS ( two of the three markers have come back positive ) . L leads a very active life. So far her symptoms are mild. She is doing research to decide which drug to go on . A little extra ma~ headed towards Colorado please.