July 17 -- When we last left our intrepid traveler, she was chipper and active in the wake of her first chemo treatment. She'd battled off the first hints of nausea with tea and big vocabulary words, and was enjoying a cool summer evening on the back porch, tallying up the score at Leslie 1, Chemo 0.

By Saturday morning, the chemical cocktail sloshing about inside her had made like the Japanese women's soccer team, and snuck in a score of its own. Leslie woke up feeling queasy and worn down, and spent much of the morning drifting in and out of sleep. The heavier anti-nausea meds were keeping everything in, but she'd lost all energy. We passed a very quiet day, expending the most energy on ensuring that Leslie stayed hydrated on Gatorade in flavors and colors not found in nature.

(There's method to the Gatorade madness. A friend suggested not drinking things you generally enjoy when you are feeling nauseated; that way, you don't risk developing an aversive reaction to something you like...this friend had become repulsed by water, not a good thing in the long run. As the resident runner, I am also the Gatorade sommelier.)

Today, Leslie has rebounded well. Though she has little get up and go, there's really nowhere to...get up and go, what with the 90 degree temperature and matching humidity. Instead, we've stayed in our air conditioned room, watching Le Tour and the Women's World Cup final. Feeling like eating is still a challenge, but Leslie has found a few sustaining foods she can take in - lots of blueberries on cereal and in a smoothie, and homemade chicken soup for dinner.

Ennui is taking the place of enervation and, as I type, Leslie is doing pliés at the end-of-the-bed-barre and practicing agility, strength and balance exercises given to her by her trainer. I'd say we've weathered the first weekend well.

Sustained focus and conversation are still draining, so please excuse Leslie if she doesn't come to the phone or answer e-mails immediately. Know that she is enjoying every response to these messages!