Dear Fort Wayne Track Club Members,

Thank-you so very much for extremely nice basket of spring flowers that I received a couple days ago. Thank-you also for the members who have sent cards and e-mail.

I may have run 173 marathons, but those experiences pale beside what I am facing now. A great surprise to me was that a person who has never smoked, who has been a runner, and who has maintained a healthy life style could end up with lung cancer, the type for which there is no known cause. It completely infiltrated both my lungs, so there is no tumor to remove, nor can they use radiation without killing my lungs.

This whole situation is contrary to my personality. I am not used to being the one waited upon. Ray and I got married two weeks ago, and he is dedicated to being by my side and seeing me through this ordeal. I know it is very difficult to watch a loved one having to endure pain and suffering, but I am looking for the time when this will be behind us, and we can both enjoy the good things in life.

I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had, and for all the friendships I have made through running. If you have a couple of minutes, drop me an e-mail. It does help to know that there are so many good people out there pulling for me.

Happy Trails!

Joyce (Hockensmith) Boytim

Date: Tue, 22 May 2001

From: Marathnjoy@aol.com

Dear Friends,

Forthcoming news has been mighty sparse for the past almost 2 weeks. I much prefer to look om the upbeat brighter side of things, but there hasn't been much of that lately. A collapsed right lung landed me back in the hospital on May 10, and that is where I have been hiding out. I had another drainage tube inserted which was removed 6 days later, only to be replaced by a drainage tube to the left side, which unfortunately is still there. I feel a little like an astronaut in my oxygen gear, and it is inconvenient when it comes to eating, which is not one of the high points of the day. They still seem to think they know better than I what I desire to eat.

Ray has been great...he makes his first trip in the late morning and stays till late after noon, returns home for a couple of hours, then comes back after dinner until my bedtime at about 10-11 PM. He is wonderful about bringing my email and snail mail, and the crosswords from the morning paper. I am truly blessed to have him.

Right now I am in a holding pattern, trying to get my lungs healthy enough for another onslaught of chemo.

Thanks for your prayers and good wishes.