HBackup, my backup software has just seen it version 2.0.0 release. The version bump is due to the enhanced backend which now supports storing file data in chunks. This saves huge amounts on disk space for certain files such as databases and mail files. The former are often modified in some scattered places only, while the latter often get data appended at the end.
The companion library HToolBox has also seen a release that goes with HBackup, at 1.7.0. Nothing really stands out.
As most of you probably know by now, Texas Instruments (AKA TI), which still is my employer, is going to close down its Villeneuve Loubet development centre. The official notification is expected end of June. Knowing that the decision from TI was taken middle of November, one can understand why Google and Amazon are not keen on investing in France! 7½ months to close down a site is just absurd IMO.
Anyway, I was fortunate enough, like a number of my ex-colleagues, to suspend my work contract with TI and start a new job, at NVIDIA. The job is interesting and the colleagues are very nice, helpful and knowledgeable, so I am quite happy so far!
BTW, TI was not about calculators but processors for phones and tablets and NVIDIA in France is not about graphics card (where they are n°1) but modems and integrated processors for phones and tablets.
The third injection of phase 3 made Héloïse sick for a week, after which we went back to hospital. We were told that the problem was acetone and it could be avoided by giving water with sugar in small quantity at regular intervals. Had they told us that before, she would not have lost a lot of weight!
For the fourth injection, belated by lack of white globules, we went prepared. Coke was sweet enough and did the trick. She went out Sunday afternoon, thus ending phase 3. The result so far are excellent…
So Héloïse started phase 3 about a week late. Phase 3 consists of 4 times 3 nights in hospital every 2 weeks, and she had her third injection Wednesday, so she came back home today.
She was also home for her 5th birthday 2 weeks ago, but the celebration took place last week. We had clown friends making a show for her, her numerous friends present, and their parents. It was a wonderful party despite the unexpected rain putting things on hold at some point.
Héloïse’s results so far are very encouraging. The disease is receding and she’s been receiving the treatment rather well so far. A bit less so this time as she vomited a lot and is still not eating much. Let’s hope she recovers some weight these days and it will be better for the last injection of methotrexate.
After that, two phases left which are the same as 1 and 2. Then a lighter treatment for 18 months, but which affects the skin reaction to the sun, so we’ll have to stay in the shadow…
So after a myelogram showing that the disease is receding, we thought phase 3 would start Tuesday for Héloïse, but she got an infection and had to have her catheter removed (yesterday) and a new one installed (Monday in theory.)
The next phase should start Tuesday 12, with just one week delay.
So I ordered another of those cheapo relay boards from Denkovi. This one has a TCN75 temperature sensor controlled by I²C, thus using two pins of the FTDI FT245R chip.
This is when I realised that I had to implement the I²C bit banging myself, and that the Web was not full of ready-to-work implementations 
This is not a difficult task though and only took me a few hours. The code is in available under the GPL and can be found here.
Héloïse is now back home waiting for her levels to go high enough to have a myelogram done, hopefully Wednesday. She is wearing a little rucksack when she has mechanical perfusion systems giving her antibiotics.
Once everything is ok, she’ll enter phase 3 of 5.
So Héloïse did come home again after a few days, and she even started walking again (kinda.) But then last Tuesday, when she entered hospital for her last perfusion of chemotherapy, her foot had got worse.
This foot looked like a side issue so far, something that was getting back in order and was under control. It now appears that we need to keep and eye on it as it may take time to cure and will bother us until the chemotherapy ends and Héloïse recovers her natural defenses.
Still, the doctors are not overly worried and the infection is not big, so chemotherapy shall resume very soon and hopefully we will soon enter phase 3. Also, Héloïse seems to be doing OK fighting the Leukemia, so we keep our hopes high!
It was never going to be easy. If it does not worsen, this will hopefully soon be just a bad memory…
On a side note, this site is now open for registration, so feel free to post comments/questions!
Héloïse had a bit of temperature yesterday and her foot was swollen, so we went back to hospital. This is going to delay the treatment a little as the chemotherapy would help the infection develop. We first need to reduce the infection before things can resume.
The good point is that she is not too low on natural defenses so we don’t need to wear protective gear to approach her.