Note from Bonnie on 8/15 (Day 9)

I got this email from Bonnie yesterday. She called me on the phone, too, (wanted to talk to Dr. Hege) but said to "blog away" with her email, so here is a first-hand account from Bonnie:

hey there, i just found this email, somehow missed it

i am doing ok -- feeling cruddy more regularly, yesterday seemed to be a low point. developed a nice rash all over my chest from the radiation, and its on my face too - lovely and itchy.

there is a window seat in my room, which is kinda cool (the seat, not the room) and i have taken to sitting on it and staring out the window on the scene below, not much goes on, but i now know how a cat must feel when his owners by accident left him inside all day or month for that matter. i am surprised there are no claw marks on the walls here -- but you have to figure every one is feeling pretty weak to put up much of a struggle.

so i have been visualizing my stem cells engrafting and have come up with three images that i thought you might enjoy:

1) little stem cells infront of their bunks reporting to duty with a drill seargent checking off names

2) a team locker room with names in each slot and little stem cell ice hockey players gearing up for a big game (i am channeling the movie miracle and the 1980 olympics -- where they win the gold!) i haven;'t told mike that one, but i think he'd get a chuckle, his dad too!

3) an infinite chorus line of stem cells wrapped around the inside of my bones all linked arm in arm doing high kicks and generating more cells with each kick, as if there were a bubble machine at their feet and each bubble is a new cell.

pretty random, i know, but what can i say, its me :)

to keep busy i have mostly been knitting, nothing special, i am somewhat limited to a knit and a purl and can't quite figure out how to go beyond a scarf/blanket shape. so right now the girls have a growing collection of little blankets for their stuffed animals, my practice runs. at some point i will make something worthwhile.

call when you get a chance, if i don't pick up, it just means i can't quite get to the phone!

best

bon

Thanks, Bonnie, for writing. I'm visualizing infantry men, chorus lines, hockey players, and an occasional bubble machine for you. If you'd like to speak to the "Cat" her phone number is 612 273 0202.