Thursday afternoon. Just heard from the doctors office. Blasts are around or under 2%. So at this point I'm considered in remission. Next apptmnt is next Wed and we'll see how things are progressing. This is good news. I'm feeling good but taking it easy today. Started walking around the block now and will start to buildup to brisk walk soon. Gotta build strength. Starting to practice with more intensity and energy. Conducted briefly last night at Concert Band, feels good. Mom now has Bronchitis so on to a stronger anti-biotic. Carol is trying to keep us at opposite ends of the house since bronchitis has been one of my problems in the past. So far so good. Peace and Happy New Year to all. JIM

Post Christmas day

Tues., Dec 26th, 2006. 3:00 pm. Well today is our 42nd wedding anniversary. Just had a wonderful lunch at Verjus with friends. Yesterday we all traveled to Brenda and Rudys for gifting and eating and all around good time. It is so lovely to see our Grandchildren playing with their cousins. David and Rudy gave me figures to add to the train table, so little by little the train set gets more and more interesting. Matt added once again to my guitar book collection, an amazing volume "Acoustic Guitars" by Dave Hunter. Then the Grands went home to Bethesda, they'll be back next weekend. Ben has a Yoga class this week. Maayan seems interested in violin. Ben is soon to pursue dance. Glenn made a CD of our Army big band from the 70's; great fun to hear 30 years later. Can't wait to share it with others. Hopefully tomorrow we'll get a reading on last weeks biopsy/aspiration. We're planning to get away to a spa or something for a few days after Monday and Tuesdays apptmnts at MSKCC. I'm starting to feel strong enough now to start playing, gotta put together a session or 2. I have a new acoustic/electric bass here I'm anxious to work with. Want to eventually experiment with some of the smaller uprights, there has been such improvements recently. Today's is my first day with shoes; soon sneakers and walking/exercise.
Also want to get out of the house now to visit some friends. Peace to all, Happy New Year. Thanks for your prayers, cards, support in many ways. Peace. JIMBO

Friday, Dec 22, 1 pm. Well the Grandchildren are on the way and I'm ecstatic!! Today I wore socks 1st time (1/2 day only), so edema is getting under control. Last night the most extraordinary thing happened, 25 friends from the Two Towns in Harmony chorus, and some of our rocker buddies, showed up to sing Christmas Carols to me. What a scene, I laughed with joy, and cried, and sang along a bit (my voice is still very challenged). Vicki and Helene wrote a song about me to "Frosty the Snowman" called "Jimbo the Bassman". Hah!! It was amazing. Reminding me a bit of what Billy sang on the other blog. Extraordinary. Fun.
The gig Wed night was fine. Band sounded great; good crowd, and Chris and Centanni provide extraordinary ambience and food, and wine!! Gas. Love to see the swing dancers out there.
Carol is over to Zaydas buying the Kosher food for the long weekend. Picking up a few gifts here and there. Several friends are visiting, we love to dig the music together. I'm trying to keep all the guitars tuned and working on my changes. Bass too now. Well somebodys here, gotta go. Peace and a good holiday all. JIMBO

Wed., Dec 20, 2 pm

Well,for some reason I'm having trouble uploading pix. Next time. Meantime, I just heard from the Doctors office that I need to wait another week or so to get results of Mondays bone marrow test. Meantime I'm feeling great. Diabetes seems to be under control, strength is growing. Tonight SwingTown, my 20 piece big band is playing at Centanni in Maplewood; so it's my first Gig since the hospital/chemo scene. I'm not playing, just conducting but I'm sure it'll feel great to be back in the saddle a bit. I played the valve tbone today a bit to get the chops and ears working a bit, and finally just bowed the upright through a few scales. Man, gotta rebuild the chops. The fingers got a little weak and soft, no callouses at all left. Little by little I'll rebuild. Have had nice visits with Bayou (who went through a bad hospitalization at the same time I did), Scott, Larry, Bob, Roger, Bruce and Laurie, and Steve was by yesterday as well. Great to see everyone. To the diner today with Susan and Ben. Got most of the New Years cards out yesterday. Really enjoy hearing from folks. Millie did alot of the work, stuffing, sealing, stamping. God bless her. She is incredibly efficient. No wonder they loved her at the NY Public Library (which she worked at until 91 plus years of age!!!
Got the tree and lights up, and a lovely new Chanukah table cloth for the season. Am working on the trains for when the kids arrive. Have a good week. JIM

Saturday, 4 pm. Alex and Tom came by today for a nice visit. And Laurie and Bruce dropped by Thurs night. Got to the Parkwood Diner for breakfast at 8 am so Carol could go to aerobics. Then I spent more time on the Christmas tree and lights.
Mildred keeps me on my toes, she usually cleans up my plate about 2 seconds after the last morsel is gone!!. Digging my videos of musicians. It's a good time in my life to lay back, dig some sounds and get inspiration. Feeling stronger each day. Today is the first day w/o pain in the feet/legs due to Edema. Things are better. Sugar too.
Happy Chanukah everybody. Don't the candles look beautiful?? Our favorite Menorah is a group of Klezmer musicians, shiny brass. Love'em. Peace and Love. JIMBO

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7:30 am. This is Bill Tally dropping off a wonderful meal. Thanks Peggy. And there's Ian Kenselaar showing me his new Victor Bailey acoustic/electric bass guitar. What a beautiful instrument.Congrats kiddo.
Well the trips to the hospital the past 2 days were exhausting, but very productive. Tues. the ENT docs gave me an OK on my throat; it should heal on it's own in a while. What a relief, I was worried the Chemo etc. did some permenant damage, but they think I'll be fine. Then yesterday my session with my Chief Dr., Dr. Ellin Berman, at 10 :30 or so. All signs are good. She was happy, and rescheduled another review with Bone Marrow Biopsy for next Monday. Soon we'll be doing our "Consolidation Chemo", which will be 5 days in MSKCC followed by several weeks of clinical evaluations from home, and that will happen 4 times. So, I expect to be into Spring with those Chemos. My brothers Bruce and Kim are not possible donors to me if I eventually need a Bone Marrow Transplant, but that is all a bit of a while away, maybe a year away.So then I had a long session with Dr. Farooki's office. A brilliant wonderful young staff, Carolyn the nurse, and Doc. Diabetic reevaluation. He changed my numbers, made adjustments, and already I feel more confident I'm controlling the sugar better. It's been an awful challenge with all the events of the past month, but we seem to have it better under control now. Today I'm home, and feeling good. Changed the strings on my Acoustic/electric bass guitar yesterday, enjoying that axe. Earlier this week John Straus came to hang and played some nice piano blues, letting me jam on guitar ala blues. This was my first time taking my blues guitar playing out of the closet/practice room. Lookout Keb Mo!!! With my screwed up voice box I got a real blues growl!! So, thanks to all for your love, prayers, dinners, support for Carol (today is the 1st day she has been able to sleep in, getting much needed rest. God Bless my beautiful wife. What a strong woman.
Peace and love to all, have a great weekend. I gotta setup my Christmas tree now, then my trains for the Grandchildren.
Peace and Love. Happy Holidaze. JIMBO

Its Tuesday

That's Bahati who came to hangout and dig some tunes last night. Well I have to thank all our friends for the delicious food. Last night Phyllis's Chicken Caciatore, Sunday Brians Orzo salad and chicken, Brendas amazing healing Chicken soup, Jon's Chili and Chicken, this week Billy brings by some crockpot healing food, I loved Suzy's Lasgna, fab. So thanks all. Yesterday morning was a gas at the Pancake house with the JCHS retirees. My legs (Edema/burns) and sugar are still the big problems, but were dealin'. Ellin, the Diabetic Educator at MSKCC called me and spent 1/2 hour over the phone going over the numbers, the diet etc. Such care. Today we have a 2 pm with ENT at MSKCC. Tomorrow 2 apptmnts. Hope to get a new Christmas tree today, the old one has had it. Can't wait to digout the pld Christmas balls and lights. Lotta memories. See you all soon. JIMBO

It's Sunday, noon.As you can see I'm wearing normal clothes!!! Been home since Thurs night, adjusting.Great to hear a real sound system, wear pov clothes, eat at a dinner table, go to the diner for breakfast, have guests come dig music together, sleep in our own bed, shower in my own shower!! Yesterday my buddy Bob Kenselaar came by and setup my MacBook with wireless internet so I can sit here on my couch, or anywhere in the house (hey, the next blog might be from the head!!) and write/communicate. While he was here Carol determined my legs were in a terrible condition with rashes and burns so at 5 pm we drove back to the emergency room at MSKCC and got an evaluation. No fever, all vital signs ok, but the nurses and doctor where also horrified by my legs. So after a full bloodwork, they determined my WBC was high as if I was fighting an infection, so Doc consulted with Ellin Berman and they determined to give me an oral anti-biotic which I had not previously had, so as to help fight infection. They did not dress the wounds, but said it would be ok for me to bath them. So, we got back home 9 pm, Sat night, had dinner, and tried to have a quiet night with my feet in the air. Slept good. But I still gotta get up at 5 or 6 am. I know the papers and coffee are ready. Well this afternoon Youth Orchestras of Essex have dedicated their concert to me, but my feet are too messed up to go; I hope to get an extra copy of the program. So it's great to be home. I'm organizing my get well cards, there are hundreds; THANKS everybody for your support, prayers, well wishes. I go back to MSKCC for apptmts. on Tues and Wed (another Bone Marrow Biopsy, ugh!!) to evaluate things. Hopefully we can hold off beginning the new Chemotherapy until after New Years, but I'll do whatever they say. It's been the best care. JIMBO

It' 2:15 pm on Thursday. I'm going home now. Just gotta finish 1 more bag a shit and I'm outta here!!! CB is on her way with my buddy Larry Hardie to helpout. I got the OK about an hour ago. I was expecting to sleep here tonight, but I'll count sheep in Maplewood thank you. No more peeing in graduated urinals!!! Yes I did make a BM today. Loose I'm sorry to say.See you guys at the Diner. I'm outta here.
JIMBO

1:15 am Thurs morn. 1 night to go in hospital. Tricia Woods dropped by between gigs. Also Rich Berggren , Bob and Colleen Helmacy, so a nice day of visits. For uplifting joyous music been enjoying the Beatles, Max Morath, and Henry Fillmore etc. Uplifting. Food has been sensational, both a veggie Quesadilla and a Mandarin Chicken Salad to die for!! Diabetes educator is working on a new routine for me. All drugs seem to have stopped (mostly) and just flowing water to clear me out. Down to 1 line!! Gotta nasty rash from the drugs we're trying to clear. The ENT doc shoved something through my nose into my pharynx to check it all out, again we think without all the drugs I'll heal ok. Well I was a little Anemic yesterday so they gave me another Blood transfusion, knocks me on my ass for a while. Poor Carol, by the time she arrived yesterday I was a Zombie again. But had a good meal and a walk. Now out of single room into a double room for my last 2 nights; "A Room with a View of the Bridge" again. OK.I'm short!! Not to complain. Followup next Wed. 12/13 with Dr. Ellin Berman; she'll do a bone marrow biopsy and we'll see where we stand with this disease. Followup/mopup Chemo begins some short time thereafter, 4 rounds 5 bags, less real physical problems associated with that "Consolidation Chemotherapy". Probably bring me into Spring anyway. We're a dealin'!!!
So, all questions were answered, it looks like I'm in ok shape, expect to be tired naturally, but ok. Can't wait to hear real music again on my sound system. Can't wait to have Millie remind me to put my car away!!. Play my basses. Hug my wife without a mask on. Really, maybe I will keep the masks and rubber gloves around for old times sakes. A little kinky, No???
JIMBO

Emily came to see me and sing a delightful tune to me on Monday.
Tues am,8:30. Doctors just left rounds, they told me I've made 4600 WBC!!!! I'm making cells; I collapsed in the doctors arms with JOY!!! So, they say they are reducing my intake of antibiotics, need to buildup my phosphorous, 1 more anti Fungicidal today, and then, they are getting ready to release me before the weekend. The prayers, support, good vibes from all over have helped me tremendously. My poor wife, what alot of work, but she's there daily for me, Carol's the Daily Show!!! Well, I'm ecstatic, but hungry, gotta go eat.JIMBO

Sun, Dec,3 at 10;45 AM. Sunny, cool. Yesterday I enjoyed listening to Band music with Vivian and Jim. Then Ben W and Sue Dillon came by to report on M4K and hang. Nice. CB came by around dinner time and we had a quiet night digging the Dog shows on the tube. Am trying to make WBC's!!!Balancing an occasionally tempermental Digestive track (think BRILLO!) with my desire to eat normal amounts of food. Taking Lozenges for me throat, rough.
Rivka is on the train from DC to Penn Sta., and CB will join us fo a violil/double bass recital at 2 pm on the 15th floor Rec Ctr. We're all looking forward to it. I started watercolor, have my teachers (Evelyn Graves) chart with me and am painting my bed scene to start. Gotta go save energy for later. Love, JIMBO

It's 1 am Sat Dec 2.Recent relative good hours all related to no fever.I've had again simple appetite, thoughts, plans and goals, because no fever. And my lover was here to support me, Carol helps me out immensely, and puts up with my abuse. I had a long interesting meditation with an arts professional today. I can get deeper with a professional taking me. I'm a yoga/arty kinda guy, very willing to go there. The long session went many places, but resulted in my working throughsome papercut expression w cuttings, origami, shaping. Ahhhhhhhh...........Oooooommmmmmmmmmm..........
Finally I'm getting Lozenges for my damaged voice. Relief. The Maalox procedure is helping the "Brillo intestines"....I finally rec'd permission to walk outside my room today, good for my lungs!! and legs. Which btw are a ton of Edema today, probably carrying extra 10 lbs on my ankles. OI Vey!!! Carol used cold compress to offer relief. They still pump me with alot of antibiotics, antiinflamatories, anti Virals, , anti Funguses etc. etc.. All to keep me alive until I (Please God, soon!) start to make my own goood cells again.
Well have a good weekend guys, SCYO Concert, M4K etc.
I love you all.JIMBO