Chops Were Busted (but in a kind way)

In the picture, there is a teddy bear that is a gift from my Nurse Practitioner. Giving me the bear is what she wanted to bust my chops about(i.e. knowing that she was responsible for making a grown man take a teddy bear to the hospital). She took special care to make sure it looked "manly." She did good. I have to respect her because she's the same person who did my bone marrow biopsy. That makes her the only person in my life who has taken a piece out of me. On top of that, she's an amazing professional and an amazing person.

Also in the picture is a voodoo doll that a friend of mine brought back from Haiti. He was there on a mission trip with his church and thought we could supplement my care with the voodoo doll. We did perform a short voodoo ceremony on "the alien."

I was examined by the Nurse Practitioner yesterday and she confirmed that the spleen is back to regular size and there is no cancer on it right now. She confirmed that "the alien" is still in there, but is fading away. Only the "hot spot" is left and that is what the current treatments are for - to send it packing.


Today, is first day of Chemo Camp sleep over (yesterday was a Chemo Camp Day Camp session). My Nurse Practitioner told me to not be worried about it and that things will be fine. Good enough for me. She did say that possible side effects may be nausea, hallucinations (can't wait for those), agitation (so if I say or do anything to you that seems "mean" while I am in the hospital, hang with me), and drowsiness (I never turn down a good nap). If you come visit me in the hospital (remember, if you are "feeling puny," it would be best that you wait until you are feeling better to come visit as my blood counts will be down) and I am not in the room, hang out a little bit as they want me to be on my feet taking walks every hour or so. No marathons, but some activity to avoid blood clots that could result from laying still and all that stuff. All of it preventive - not something to obsess about. I look forward to skewing the reaction statistics with this recipe. My main concern is that the nursing staff in the hospital will be as cool and fun as the nursing staff at my clinic. We had fun yesterday.

To my Jewish Family: May you have a joyous Passover.

"See people rocking -- Hear people chanting -- Feeling hot hot hot
Keep up this spirit -- Come on let's do it -- Feeling hot hot hot
It's in the air - Celebration time
Music sweet - captivate your mind
We have this party song - This fundamental jam

So we go rum-bum-bum-bum
Yeah we rum-bum-bum-bum
Feeling hot hot hot -- Feeling hot hot hot - Oh Lord" - "Hot Hot Hot"-Buster Poindexter