Back on Bass!!

Sun., April 29, 9:30 pm.
Well that was a satisfying week of work. Todays performance of Elijah was much better than I expected. Long. 3 hours, but dramatic and musical. Exciting!!! Carol and Mom came to hear it. And last nights Requiems were gorgeous!! Like listening to a French Impressionist painting! Again, the acoustics, the tone quality, the close harmonies. Beautiful work. Great fun for me.
Now I'm tired enough to sleep very well. Tomorrow breakfast at 7:30 with Chris D and Don S. Then to a bass repair shop with Ron N at 9:30. Tomorrow night movies with Budo. Tues.-Thurs. business and relax and more exercise (gotta loose weight and get stronger). Fri-Sun to Bethesda. Mon next week back to the H. Peace. JIMBO

Less than 2%

Wed. 4/25 at 1:35 pm. Just got a callback from Dr. Berman's nurse Coco. The results of my recent bone marrow aspiration are less than 2% Blasts. Again. This is the 3rd time in a row. So, I hope this is a precursor to the future of a long remission come next Fall. I'm hoping these Chemos are wiping out the cancerous cells and we'll be in a favorable remission. That's the goal I do believe. Meantime we gotta do what the Doctor and Hospital needs to cleanup this disease. So, back for more Chemo on May 7th-13th. Then isolation for a few weeks. I suspect June will be a fine month to play in sea and sand, woods and lakes, clubs and concert halls, parks and forests, art galleries and museums, jazz/blues and concert bands (Orchestras).
Again, thanks for all your messages, prayers, blood, platelets, food, and rides.
Please say a prayer and send your best wishes to my good friend/roomate/floormate/ and "Docmate" Brad Aspell, this week receiving his bone marrow transplant. (We both think the world of Dr. Berman).
And of course every day we think about the late great Mikey B. A prayer for him indeed.
Much love to all. JIMBO

Spring is Here

Tues. April 24, 2007. 4:50 pm. Enjoying this lovely weather in Maplewood. Spent Fri-Mon at Cape May, Bacchus Inn. Loved biking among the Victorian homes along with the horse and buggies. Decent restaurants and beautiful beaches. Got to bird sanctuary, zoo, beaches etc. Porch sitting is the best. Feel rested. Last night 1st time back behind the upright bass since October. Took 2 gigs w/ 4 rehearsals this week, so it's fun to play. Durufle and Faure Requiems and Mendelsohn's Elijah. Next week back to blues and jazz!! New Chemo date is May 7th-13th. So, I expect to spend most of May around town here. Then in June we'll try Woodstock and beyond. Listening to Faure now; In Paradisium sounds like I'm in heaven. What beauty. We are so fortunate to have this magical mystery tour known as music to inspire us, enchant us, torture us, and drench our souls.
Last week I blewup the hospital pastels I did in March. Now 20x30 on 30x 40 board. Fun. I gotta work bigger. Keep practicing everybody. The birds are vocalizing here by the hour. Peace. JIMBO

Checkup and Schedule

Tues. April 17, 2007 . 3:30pm. Yesterday CB drove us to MSK for a checkup. All bloodwork looks good. A little anemic (low Red Blood Cells) but not to worry says Dr. Berman. No transfusion needed. Then had a Bone Marrow aspiration procedure. Results will be available in about 10 days or so. Meantime trying to schedule next Chemo for May 7th. So, I should be in H 5/7-5/13/07. Feeling good. Practicing. Listening. Trying to get out to see people. Hope to go see the Grands right before I go back to H. I took the pastels I did in the H to Staples of all places to experiment with copying and enlarging (to 20"x30"). Fun. Want to begin working bigger as well. Get some beautiful paper. Had a wonderful lunch with Alan and Elaine yesterday. Susan wrote this really nice article about me in Matters Magazine and another soon to be published in local Rec newsletter. I'm amazed at the healing support for me when dealing with this disease. The support from Community, and family, and friends. The caring phone calls, food, blood, prayers, notes, and cards. Amazing. Thanks. JIMBO

Cold Spring

Tues., April 10, 11:25 am. Yeah it's cool out there, but beautiful. I'm waiting to see when the cherry blossoms will peak in Branch Brook Park. What a treasure. Had a fine Seder at Randi and Glenns on Easter Sunday late afternoon. Also a magnificent Easter gathering at Bruce and Judys early afternoon. Great food and family fun. We're lucky. Fun photos from 40 years back to present!! Carol is off to Westfield Library. I'm talking etc. about SummerMusic and MapleWoodstock to all. Volunteers to help run things. We'll see. I'll be tied up but things can still happen. Am feeling stronger but was a bit tired yesterday, like last Monday. I guess Mondays I have to recover from the weekends. But I don't think it's blood count related, so I think I'm ok. Next Monday will be checkup time, biopsy etc. Thanks to all for your support and blood and platelets and prayers. Have a beautiful Spring.
Go Yankees!!
JIMBO

Happy Passover and Happy Easter

Tues. April 3rd, 10 am. Hooray, it's Maayan's 4th birthday!! We had a great time in Bethesda with the kids over the weekend. Yesterday I saw Dr. Berman for the 1st time since the hospital. All numbers are good. No infections. No transfusions. I did feel sluggish yesterday, kept napping, but I think it was recovering from the weekend. Today feels good. So, next apptment is in 2 weeks, when she'll do another Bone Marrow Biopsy, and we'll setup next Chemo. I suspect May 1st or so. I hope not before that because I took 2 gigs for April 28 and 29. Fun.
Friday I played trombone for 40 minutes or so with our trombone quartet. 1st time since October. Feels good. Keeping the lungs, heart and diaphragm working. Reading the best book about Orchestral Musicians lives by Boston bassist Justin Locke: Real Men Don't Rehearse. A great gift to me from Ronnie Naspo. Thanks man. An easy great read. I'm laughing through this irreverent, but honest, book. Hah!!!
My hope is to get the Woodstock water on now so we can enjoy some time up there in the woods. Go fishing. Then we'll spend a few days in Cape May. Got some details around the house to finish up. Glad to hear my students enjoyed Region, All State and other playing opportunies; shows etc. Thanks to everybody for your good wishes, greetings etc. Enjoy the holidays this beautiful Spring. See you soon. JIM