Student: There's something that I probably should have told you earlier, but I've kept quiet for two reasons. First, I've always had the feeling that you don't really like me. We're pretty different people, after all. Second, I don't want you to treat me differently than any of the others in the group. I believe that people should be judged based on what they do, and I wanted to earn my grade, not get a pity grade.

So anyway, this past week, we put my mom into hospice care. She was diagnosed with uterine cancer last year. The doctors say there's nothing more they can do, so we brought her home from the hospital. She probably has a few more weeks, but we really don't know.

I've been driving home from campus every day trying to help my family, especially my little brother. He's only 12 and he's a mess. He's been acting out in school and stuff. And so I've been dealing with that too. That's why I missed the meeting a few weeks ago. I was on my way to meet you guys when I got a call from my brother's principal saying that he'd gotten into a fight and I had to come pick him up.

I had to book it down there to deal with that. This may come as a shock, but school used to be pretty much my life. I was planning on grad school. I only have a year left, but now I really don't know what I'm going to do. I mean, after Mom goes, I'm going to have to move back home to take care of my brother.

I guess I'll get a job and try to finish my degree online. Anyway, I'm sorry to lay all that on you. I know I've been a pain already. Regarding the research, I've actually got most of it done. There are just a few more articles that I think might be relevant.

I need to go through them and pull out what would be helpful for the presentation. I'm home right now, but I can send you guys all my stuff by e-mail and you can have it for the meeting. I don't know about Tuesday, but hopefully I can make it up.