And what has this experience taught me so far? That you know who your real friends are in adversity. But that comparative and complete strangers can surprise and delight you with their good will and generosity. What the word 'aquaintance' really means. That some people run for the hills when emotions are involved, and we have also learned that there is no shame for them in that. We have learned about tolerance and about keeping your face as straight as a poker player in Vegas when circumstances demand.I have enlarged my dictionary to take on an increasingly wide variety of medical terms, stuff I never knew existed outside ER! And we are one cycle in - thats 4 complete weeks of chemo to you, squire. No new stuff, just 2 more lots of the same old same old. I know that you can take panadol for back ache brought on by chemo, just the same as you would without! Well, yes, derrrrr - but you dont really really know till they tell you its ok..!Something else which is starting to worry me (as if there wasn't enough already!), is the number of oldies I'm seeing in hospital beds with noone to sit with them or visit. Saw some today, androgynous, toothless and very very poignant. One clutching a large teddy. Now that really affected me. Please Please Please dont let it come to that - euthanasia or not, that is not quality of life in any shape or form. Well not for me anyway.Oh, and humour. Thats what has renewed me every day. Laughter, snorts and that other word beginning sn which the machine doesn't like, huge belly laughs and gasps, laughing till you cry or just plain smiling. Here's one now..