Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Game Plan

Ok. Got my preliminary road map -- not yet to the sunny coast but, say, 'least to Waxahachie. Day 1 of my old friend Rituximab is behind me. Walk in the park.

Starting today, 1st of 5 days of high-dose chemo to torpedo the current, bulky, cruiser-sized boat* into a loosely banded flotilla of rowboats, freeing up space between them for numerous nooks and crannies of attack.

[* for those new to this journal, "BOAT" stands for "Bastard Of an Abdominal Tumor, which I use in euphemism so as to lend neither credence nor power to the word "tumor." So, for the uninitiated, say it with me, in your best Aarnold-Governator-Kindergarten-Cop voice: "It's NOT a tumor" -- it's a boat, soon to be told "Hasta la vista, baby."]

Will be eradicating my own immune system in the high-dose process for what they expect will usher in a 3-week "cell trough," whereby I'll need to stay here in quarantine.

Then, I might be able to go back home for a week or two and come in daily, bi-weekly, as out-patient for further tests (CT, UKG, EKG, etc).

Already missing my apartment, and my drums, and general freedom, private sphere, Captain & Tenille and Sgt. Pepper -- and of course all of you. Thanks from the heart for your thoughts and messages. Keep the good vibes coming, and spare me and yourselves the pity, worry and fear (oh, and the myrhh, am not so big on the myrhh). That doesn't help any of us. Only feeds the Bad Wolf. And screw him anyway.

Got me my Good Wolf. Got my newly strung guitar and my drum sticks for daddling -- and the drum pads (thanks to SAP friends) coming once I'm through the deepest of the cell trough and start regaining strength.

Roomate is 71, really good guy, and fortunately understands my passion (and treatment need) for music. So that won't be an issue, at least for the week or so until he's planned to get his walking papers. We'll see how the next mate is.

Am now enjoying a burger and fries at the outdoor cafe. Probably the last day they'll let me out for a while. Gonna take in every minute I can of sunshine 'til I check back in at 2:00.

When I check back in in a bit, got plenty of films to watch, NFL games galore. Go Bolts, Saints, 'Boys -- oh and what the heck, Lions and Bills, too. Go underdogs, everywhere. Solidarity, bruthas. Pay no heed to the odds, just go out and clobber 'em, day in, day out.

That's my game plan, anyway. Throughout this 4-year wild ride, they've told me time and again I'm up against all odds (even once advising it was so bleak, I'd best not to go renewing any magazine subscriptions).

But looky here, surprise-surprise-surprise, still, here I am, with a vengeance, and a purpose, and a lot of dreams and goals yet to fulfill in life, and a still whole lotta fight left in this dog.

Go. Fight. Win.

- Chris