Update July 28th, Tuesday, 6:44 PM

Hi. Just returned from Stanford and we are ensconced in our motel room. Linda had a long afternoon of x-rays and consultations with the medical staff. Her current problem is a bloated intestinal system, filled with major pockets of gas, that presses on the lungs and inhibits breathing. As a result, Linda is limited in movement or exertion and the lungs are compressed to the extent that mucus forms in parts of the lungs. This mucus creates discomfort and contributes to coughing "jags" and inability to draw breath easily. So, Linda was referred to a G.I. doctor who used to work at Stanford, and with whom Linda had contact three years ago, when she first had distention of her abdomen, which was found to be related to radiation damage. This doctor now works at another hospital in the Stanford area. We plan to see this doctor tomorrow. We hope he knows a means to rid Linda of the gas, as all the usual methods have been tried without positive results. We also hope to find means to prevent the problem from occurring, again, in the first place.

The Stanford visit today was so remarkable in terms of the responsiveness of the staff, their kindness and thoroughness. We've never before experienced such dedication and commitment on the part of a professional staff. Where people like this come from, and how they are made, is a wonderment. We both came away from the meetings today with a better feeling about human kind and a sense of true partnership with the medical team.

So, still here. More tomorrow. John