Back home

Thursday, July 9. 6:30 am. I was released Tues. afternoon. I'm weak but ok. On anti biotics of course. So, it's time to sit in the garden, read a book. Take a 1/2 block walk etc. Did DVDs again of fine music. I got out last night to hear SwingTown at the Farmers Market in SO. Then dinner at the Village Diner. Then Yankees baseball. Didn't make it to the end of the game. Passed out early. I'll go listen to some MapleWoodstock on Sat/Sun. Thanks to all for your Facebook notes of encouragement and good health. I made sure I called the kids when I was feeling better, I probably frightened them a bit when I spoke to them earlier in the week. I was pretty messed up. Had 2 interesting encounters last day. As the Docs came in I was wearing my Maplewood Recreation Baseball cap. Head Doc asks "you from Maplewood Mr. B??" Yeah Doc, the Cultural Dude, I responded. He tells me he lives on Durand Road (fine historic homes) and then a Resident speaks up "I grew up on Durand Road, I graduated CHS as well". Then a visitor arrives from Recreation on the 15th floor. She sits to converse and visit. Very nice young woman. As it turns out, her Aunt from California went to school with me from Elementary School through CHS!!! What fun. We've since said hello over Facebook. Too cool. I love meeting/re meeting folks from the past. That's what is so cool about Facebook. I'm hearing from friends/students from 30, 40 , 50 years ago. Too much.
OK, keep healthy everybody. Thanks for your support. Back to the woodshedding on the basses. JIMBO

July 4th, 2009

Sat., July 4, 2009.12:30 pm. I'm in MSKCC, since Monday, with pneumonia. Heart Arrhytmia complicated issues Tuesday/Wed. I had a 103 temp when admitted and developed a severe hack and rapid heart beat reaction to the pneumonia. It was scary, but the cardiologists got things under control quickly and turned me around. Today I feel good.I had to wear a an electrical telemeter monitor on my heart for 2 days. Carol has taken good care of me but I haven't been good company. Thanks Baby. I'm missing Woodstock and visiting RJ and Joe. Mildred is in Cornwall with Debra.Carol is home today gardening and taking a break. It's beautiful outside my window. I have to walk the halls. Good to see my 12th floor friends again. I did a few pastels this morning. Have my earphones for the itunes. Later. JIM

Back on the Upper East Side

Tues. am 2:30 am. I hitched a ride with Carol who was coming into MSKCC to do her therapy and stopped off at the Urgent Care facility. My issue was a high fever, and still a sore back. So, after a chest x ray the Doc said I have pneumonia and she found a bed in isolation on the 15th floor. Sooo, I'm still getting settled in. They sent me to do 3 CAT scans yesterday on the mid area, lumbar, lungs etc. Hard to hold your breath when you have pneumonia. I'm sitting here at the computer at 2 am with my healing blanket comforting me. The night team here is terrific tonight, Melissa is my nurse and Jose is the assistant. During the day I had Erin and Simone.
In any case I hope we can finally get the full picture on the back issues. Gotta go. JIMBO

Summer is here

Tues. June 24th, 12 noon. A rainy season here with little sun but that seems to be changing, and we'll have summer now. The pool is open. We head North to Woodstock again for the July 4th weekend. Can't wait. We've started playing our 1st outdoor Summer Concerts with the Concert Band at Memorial Day parade then Library Concert Wednesday. We got to the Beach with Ben and Maayan on Friday to see Jane and Ryan and Maggie, Ryan's playful dog; then to the Boardwalk for Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, slides, ice cream etc. Ben read a chapter book in 1 day here (in a couple of hours Sunday. He's a chip off the old block; Carol and Riv do the same. Riv is in a book club with all she has to do. Great!). New front door looks great. Now for a new back doors and deck so Mildred can sit out or in a screened in porch without climbing. Will be finished mid July. Carol has completed 1st 2 of 6 immunotherapies. Takes all of 5 minutes at the hospital. She's fine. She went to aerobics last night even though procedure was yesterday. Her garden is blooming. Dylan and Elana were here for Shavuotov. Bravo. Greg will marry Jon W this Sunday. Carol and I will return to Bethesda to be with the kids while Greg and Riv travel. I've got back problems again. I'm a bit out of shape. I played Golf last week, then walking the sandy beach and riding in the car doesn't help. A couple of sleepless nights also add to the woes. Really, sitting here writing feels ok. So I'll stay put today. All bloodwork etc. remains good. I'm blessed. Do yourself a favor and read Smithsonian Magazine about the microRNA genetic material. They describe my exact disease in the examples (AML) and you can see the future of cancer therapies in this report. They "paint" the cytology report to see the inversion of the 16th chromosome which I had. Interesting stuff. I bless the MSKCC staff: research, labs, docs, nurses, clerks, wait staff. All dedicated. As soon as the back pain lifts I have cello and bass to practice. Rebuild my strength. Gotta go. Love you. Enjoy the summer. Enjoy life. The water, the trees, the birds, the sounds, the mountains, the waves, the sand, the dirt, the groove. Ahhh, the groove. The pocket. JIMBO

June sun

Sun., June 9, 2009. 9:45 pm. Go Kobe. Go Tiger. Great fun playing in Princeton this weekend for Kirsten and Craig's wedding. They and their friends and our cousins all look sensational and had great fun. Brass 5 and Jazz 6. Today beautiful MSKCC friends at the Rock and Run. Fellow patients Brad, Duane, and Geoff. Our nurses Catriona,Chrissy, others. Dr. Frattini, Dr. Berman. Donna. "We are family". Left 3 paintings etc. for a show at 1978 today. Off to Penn State with Ron tomorrow for the Bass conference. Carol's next procedure is next Monday. Carol and I really enjoyed the weekend. Thanks Randi and Matt for making it possible.
Only about 1 week until the Grands arrive. Broadway,Shore,hanging with Grandma. Books, math,and more. Can't wait.
I've got to put some of my ideas and experiences down to share with my fellow patients at MSKCC. Duane helped start Bridges and I mean to make a contribution soon. Thoughts, feelings.
Gotta go. Love to all. Thanks. JIMBO

Carol's fine

Thurs. May 28. 9 pm. Carol had a 2nd procedure this week at MSKCC and she's fine. A few low grade cells were excavated from her bladder. She's feeling fine. We're awaiting a pathology report but the doctor said she suspects little or no follow up. Probably just monitoring. So we're relieved and happy. Gotta go now, but we'll keep you posted. JIM

Memorial Day

Mon. May 25, 5 am. I'm up with the birds again. We'll march in the parade with the tuba. Carol and I had an extraordinary 3 days in the W oodstock house. Beautiful sun, overnight thunderstorms, birds chirping. Friday night dinner streamside at Bear Inn, then to Bearsville theater for Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Sat. a trip to town was wonderful; galleries, shops, ice cream. Dinner after walking the sunset at Reservoir Inn followed by movie "the Soloist". Sunday chopped a little wood. Then biked around Wrolsen Road (5.5 miles). Then chill out. At 2 pm to a fine concert by 2 Julliard pre college players in St. Gregorys. Schumman, Bach, Shostakovich and Tschaikowsky. Great. Garden as well. Final dinner at the Bar BQ joint outdoors. Fine. Burp!!
Tomorrow Carols procedure at MSKCC is at 3:00 pm We'll be home I'm sure by 7 pm. We'll keep you posted.
Enjoy the holiday. Keep healthey. JIMBO