Donna

May 4, 2001

Hi Donna,

Hope all is well with your family. I E-mailed you, but don't know if you got

it or not. We will be staying at the Radison in Trevose if you get a chance

to get away. Would love to see you, but if you can't make it, I totally

understand. We are leaving at 6AM tomorrow to get in some sight seeing

before we check into the hotel. E-mail me if you get a chance?

Gail

May 5, 2001

In a message dated 5/5/01 12:06:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

smilinggail@... writes:

>

> Hi Donna,

> Hope all is well with your family. I E-mailed you, but don't know if you

> got

> it or not. We will be staying at the Radison in Trevose if you get a

> chance

> to get away. Would love to see you, but if you can't make it, I totally

> understand. We are leaving at 6AM tomorrow to get in some sight seeing

> before we check into the hotel. E-mail me if you get a chance?

>

Hi Gail,

Are you checking your email while you're away? I was downtown last night

until just a little while ago. Duff surprised me and whisked me away to the

Ritz for an overnighter for our anniversary. Isn't he the best?!? Anywho,

I am back and will call the Radison later.

Donna

May 8, 2001

Hi Donna,

My DH works for a Biotech company called Corixa that makes drugs to cure

cancer and other illnesses. They have a drug that targets Non-Hodgkins

Lymphoma that has a radioactive isotope attached to it that goes directly to

the cancer cells instead of the traditional chemotherapy which goes through

the whole body. He is a biochemist and is attending a conference on Quality

Assurance which deals with the regulatory arm of the FDA.

He is staying at the Renaissance Hotel which he said is near the

airport, but there is nothing out there so he's not too excited about that

location. He's at the Renaissance because that's where the conference is

being held. He plans to take a cab into town to go out to dinner the next few

evenings and should be home late Friday night. Meanwhile my sister who lives

in Philly is here now and her husband is leaving tomorrow on a business trip

himself. So they won't even be in town while he is there.

How is your sister in-law doing? My cousin Lucilla, from Italy is coming

out later this month to s Hopkins to get diagnosed with MS. So we are

waiting to hear what comes of that.

I was thinking of you today because Brook had to have two baths since he

went outside after dinner turned on a fuacet that is leaky and managed to get

all muddy. It was a scorcher here today and we are having rolling blackouts

so he really enjoyed that second bath.

Marisa

May 9, 2001

In a message dated 5/9/01 3:24:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, poggim@...

writes:

> He's at the Renaissance because that's where the conference is

> being held. He plans to take a cab into town to go out to dinner the next

> few

> evenings and should be home late Friday night

Marisa,

Yep, there's nothing out by the airport, cept Vet's stadium to take in the

phillies. LOL We're going out to dinner tonight; wouldn't it be a riot

if we ended up in the same restaurant (Philly only has about a kabillion of

em...LOL) We're trying a new place called Novelty in Olde City.

The work your dh does sounds so cool. Duff does work with biochemists;

I'll have to mention this conference to him; he may already know about it.

thanks for asking about my SIL. She sees an MS specialist today; the best

in the city, we're told. Duff and I cooincidentally met him on Saturday at

a hotel in downtown Philly. There happened to be an MS conference going on

and we stumbled upon it (we were there to celebrate our wedding anniversary,

so it was so ironic). THEN the doc giving the lecture turned out to be the

one Eileen is seeing today. Divine intervention, huh?!?

Brook pulled a *Maddie*, eh, getting all muddy?!?!? LOL We're heading

into our summer months here, which means three baths a day.......LOL

How are you guys handling the rolling black outs?

DOnna

May 9, 2001

Donna,

My poor DH was too tired to go out tonight, so tomorrow he's supposed to

try this new restaurant my sister recommended called Pod or Pods. Have you

heard of it? My sister is flying back to Philly tomorrow. That's amazing that

you met your sil's doctor like that. I'll let you know how my cousin does

later this month, my sister from Philly, may be going with her to

s Hopkins. Let me know how you like the doctor for your sil and I can

mention it to my sister in Philly. I don't know if my cousin will be staying

with her or what they are planning.

Today my younger sister Jackie, who had surgery last month had another

surgery today. She had to have half or her thyroid removed. So I have visited

another hospital. I think including my sister's two operations at two

different hospitals, my daughter's broken arm seen also at two different

hospitals and my grandmothers time in the hospital gives me some kind of

personal record for time spent in different hospitals lately. Gennie has to

go back 2 more times to Children's Hospital, once to replace the cast with a

shorter one and then to take it off.

I can't believe it is Mother's Day on Sunday and fil's birthday Friday. I

really don't feel like celebrating anything at the moment and I am totally

unprepared!!

We are awaiting our turn for a black out soon. My parents who live 3

miles away from me are lucky because they live very close to a water plant

and they are exempt from the blackouts. I may be going over to their house a

lot this summer if it gets really bad. Brook needs to watch his videos. I

just hope it doesn't cause problems with his routine and school. They are

trying to figure out what to do at the school because they are afraid of the

blackouts happening while the kids are at ESY. Plus where Brook goes to

school it gets quite a bit warmer, so they are talking about starting summer

school at 7:30 AM. Sounds like Brook will be taking a very early bus.

Marisa,

Mom to Miles 14, Brook 11, and Genevieve 3 yrs

June 19, 2001

Donna, how is your sister in law doing??

June 19, 2001

In a message dated 6/19/01 6:32:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Ltb3105@...

writes:

>

> Donna, how is your sister in law doing??

>

Ok . She just started a new treatment two weeks ago. Shots every

week that she'll inject herself eventually. Things were looking very well

for a while, but now the numbness has spread to her whole face, which is not

a good sign. Last Saturday at the party here, she and I were chatting

coming down the steps, and she suddenly *ploppped* on the steps. Yes, much

like our kids do, cept she had no control. She acted like nothing happened

and pretended she just wanted to sit and chat. Very weird for me, since I

wasnt' sure what to do. She obviously wanted to pretend nothing happened.

UGH!!!! Tough stuff!! Apparently, sometimes late onset MS patients

become afflicted quick and fast. We were hoping she didnt' fall in that

category. We're all nervous.

Thanks for asking !!! How are you guys managing to get through the

days without your Dad? Been there!!!! VERY VERY tough stuff!!!!

{{{{{hugs}}}}

Donna

June 19, 2001