As many of you know, I have worked for years in the 'food-service industry'. I spent long hours on my feet and didn't get a whole lot of money in return, but really enjoyed serving people.

The worst part of working that way was the physical strain - my hips, my shoulders, my low and mid back, my legs, my arms and neck and face, my tailbone... all took their turns giving me pain. More often than not, there was little I could do about it. I couldn't talk about it, I couldn't ask friends for help, I couldn't afford to see a professional, and always seemed to hurt myself more when I exercised or practiced yoga. Sleep, lying down, advil, caffine, alcohol - they were my pain management team. Not very sophisticated, but effective enough to get me through.

Now though, with Taxotere, my new chemo drug, all of those pains are revisiting me. It's truly terrible. I am in an agony of familiar pains. It is surprising and disturbing. I don't know how long it will last.