This will be a short letter. My inability to use a camera, coupled with my treatment induced incarceration, has created a scenario where I have little to say, and less to show.

The cancer devastating bouts of high energy radiation are finally finished. I was beginning to wonder if I would survive for the full 39 treatments.

The periods of irradiation were without sensation, painful or otherwise, but the side effects were something else. Minor annoyances centered around gastro-intestinal irregularities that left me wondering if I could make the journey between home and the medical facility without having to urgently "find a bush." The gravity of this problem is evidenced by the realization that a miscalculation had the potential for producing insufferable embarrassment. Major annoyances centered around fatigue. My long suit has always been endurance, but this variant of fatigue I had not encountered previously. Basically, (when I wasn't en transit) I spent the last two months lying on the couch dozing intermittently. I had no appetite, so the cooking I did was minimal. Since the result was the unintended loss of several unneeded/unwanted pounds, this might appear to have potential as the next fad diet. However, the first day of fatigue would convince all but the most ardent "ballast shedder" of the error of their ways and the second day would serve to eradicate the resolve of those remaining.

Now what I have left is a "three times daily" prescription and intermittent monitoring for the return of malignancy. Dr. Dougherty reviewed the images taken during each radiation treatment, determined that all went according to plan, and pronounced that complete recovery is highly probable. The pharmaceutical she prescribed is called bicalutamide. She is reluctant to call it a chemotherapeutic agent as it doesn't directly attack misbehaving cells. Instead, it binds to cytoplasmic testosterone receptors. Without testosterone, radiation damaged malignant prostate cells die. My situation now is the same as if my body suddenly stopped producing testosterone. The side effects from this scenario are "interesting." Enough said...

Don't Panic! At this point Barbara's marker is just a photoshopped image, with nothing set in stone (no pun intended). The design progress is slow but still moving. I am trying, to the extent possible, to make Barbara's stone the mirror image (size, shape, color, etc.) of Diane's. The inscription on Diane's stone is in three sizes and two fonts, and I will match those on Barbara's stone. Marsha is smaller and on a different line because Diane eschewed the use her first name. Barbara's names will all be the same size, but I am trying to decide whether I should put "Barbara" above "Jean Hatch," stay with "Barbara Jean Hatch" all on the same line, or put "Barbara Jean" above "Hatch." Space considerations may influence the final placement. Any thoughts? The tree with the many roots and branches is a logo pertaining to genealogy, and I thought it apropos. The little dot above the logo is this medallion, to be supplied by the army (but only after the stone is set), denoting the fact that the interred individual is a veteran. As anyone who knew her well is aware, Barbara was proud that she could rightfully claim that title.

I can't even guess where AJ got the idea for the art work festooning the upper bridge member. Writing the specifications for it must be tricky. I guess all those art history classes AJ took in high school were useful after all.