Back to Boston for the Chinese New year and have spent a lot of time in the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Isreal Deaconess Hospital these few weeks because a good friend of mine has breast cancer. She is one of the many American women who suffers from this dreadful disease of which the cause is still unknown. She is in her forties, and the lump came out of nowhere despite regular mammogram and self exams. Actually she  was the founder of the Asian American Cancer Center for Education and Research, and is well informed on breast cancer herself.

The surgery went well, and she has started on chemo. There will be four cycles of Cytoxan and Taxotere, followed by radiation therapy and 5 more years of hormonal therapy. Her experience as a radio boardcaster and assistant to the Mayor will help her to be a good cancer advocate later. I think my time supporting her through this period of difficult time is well spent.

It is icy and bitter cold in Boston. The weather do remind me of the old days when I was in private practice here. The drives in snowy night to operating rooms, the long weekends making rounds in hospitals , the many summer evenings in the Harvard Countway Medical Library¡K¡K¡K¡K..those days are like yesterday!