Chemo Treatment #11 - ONE MORE TO GO!

Everything went great again yesterday at my Round 11 chemo session. Mom and dad showed up at 7am and, as usual, the morning started with smiles all around and a toasted Starbucks croissant. Both mom and dad were elated that we were finishing the second to last treatment today. We were on the road early, bowing to dad's desire to arrive early as opposed to my penchant for showing up just on time. We were at Park Medical early and I was in to see Dr. Seifter around 9:15am. The one question I had was about the probability of the long term side effects of my treatment regimen for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, in particular secondary malignancies. As with many cancer treatments, patients cured of Hodgkin's Lymphoma remain at increased risk of developing secondary cancers. It looks like there is a 1 in 200 chance of developing acute leukemia or myelodysplasia within 7 years. I like those odds!  

After a quick checkout (all vital signs are fine) I was in my chemo chair by 9:30 ready to go. Both Dawn and Anna were manning the fort today. For the second week in a row Dawn hit a homer with the IV on the topside of my right hand just below my thumb. The blood flowed out and the IV fluid flowed in with no problems. My CBC was fine although we're beyond the point of changing the treatment as a result of blood counts. To top things off my buddy John showed up around 9:45am and stayed for the duration. Mom, dad and John had to split time sitting with me because the room filled up with patients by 10:30am. It's fun when John, dad and me get going on current events of business issues - lot's of good info and opinion. Dawn and Anna have been so accommodating when my family and friends show up with me. I am in the minority because most patients either show up alone or their family/friends leave or stay outside in the waiting area.   

It was a good week leading up to treatment #11. The highlight was dinner on Wednesday with an old college friend and teammate who was in town on business. I first met Bondy before our junior year in high school on the hoop courts of the 5-Star Basketball Camp at Robert Morris College, as it was called back then. It was pretty easy for two laid-back, 6'7", skinny, white guys to quickly become friends that summer. In addition to trying to make a name for ourselves, we were treated to daily games by a rising basketball star whose nickname at the time was "Blagic" - in deference to Magic Johnson who was just starting to make his name in the NBA. That high school player, who to my recollection beat Linton Townes (JMU) handily in a pickup game one afternoon at camp, was none other than Michael Jordan. At the end of that camp Bondy headed back to Richmond, VA and I returned to the suburbs of DC. Somewhat fortuitously we both ended up at W&M as teammates a few years later. Bondy is one of those guys that always brings a smile to my face. I can't recall that I've ever seen him in any other mood than upbeat - except for many in the heat of commotion on the court. It was great to see him. And now, some 32 years later, we were sitting across from each other have a good meal and a great laugh as we caught up. I'm smiling as I type this.  

Below are my Round 10 scores. You can see the dip where I caught a cold. And even though I was below average for the almost the whole round, it was a good round with no new side effects or other issues.

Round 10 Scores

Well, all I can say is March 15 here I come. One more to go. It would have been a much tougher road without all of your support for me, Jen, Chris, David and Alison. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  Much Love.