#315 - Twilight Metamorphosis Baby - Part I

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

I love the stuff that Jay Greenspan is contributing to the blog from Australia. I recommend that you keep up and I’m personally going to see if I can occasionally try out Jay’s style in some future blogs.

But I don’t need to convince you to read Jay’s blogs from the Aussie Millions. You’re reading his updates in such large numbers that even some of my most frequent correspondents are saying things like “Fired huh? Guess it was inevitable” and “Haven’t heard from you in awhile. Enjoying Jay’s blog. Got his e-mail address?”

Sorry to break the news to you but I’m still at work. I’m just not working very hard. I’ve been off-circuit since WSOP-E but I’ll be back soon. We’ve got FTOPS VII coming in less than a month and I’m working on some new ways to cover the events. (I am continuing to accept your suggestions at mrchaotic@aol.com.) It looks like I’ll be covering the NBC Heads-Up Championship for Full Tilt at the beginning of March, which is also when I’ll be returning to tournament poker as a player. After that, it will be a busy spring leading up to the World Series in June. I usually don’t like to plan two HOURS in advance when it comes to entering tournaments on Full Tilt, and I have a history of leaving (or being asked to leave) jobs on just a few minutes notice. But I’m excited about what’s coming up.

MOMMA TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE DAYS LIKE THIS

I think John Lennon is also the one who said, “Life’s what happens while you’re making other plans.” Both sayings have some application here.

Jo Anne went in for her sixth chemotherapy treatment (out of eight) last Thursday. I already had February 21 circled on my calendar as the date for her last treatment, and planned on returning to tournament poker at the Wynn Classic the following week, as well as attending – maybe as a participant, if I can win a satellite – the NBC Heads-Up Championship. We also discussed having a contest after the last treatment to see whose hair grew faster. “The Race to the Pony Tail.”

Just a few minutes into the treatment, something went very wrong. Jo Anne went into allergic shock and couldn’t breathe. The nurses and doctor rushed into the room with oxygen, steroids, and drugs to fight the allergic reaction. She stabilized and, after being able to breathe on her own, met with the doctor about the future course of treatment. Even though she already had one treatment with this drug, she obviously had an allergic reaction so it will be discontinued. That means they have to switch to a different drug to complete her chemotherapy.

They administer the new drug – generally given only to patients with cancers that have metastasized, but being rushed into service for Jo Anne because this more common first-stage chemotherapy drug isn’t working out – in three “doses.” Each dose, however, consists of three half-hour sessions, once per week. After each three-session dose, there is a recovery week.

Jo Anne was scared, then she was doped up, and then she was disappointed. She’s fine now, but February 21 is out the window. Early April is the soonest time we can expect this to be completed.

The real victim in all this, of course, is me. I’ve been shaving my head before every other chemo session and now I’m bald for no reason. I’ve been shaving it once a month so far, but with one treatment per week, when am I supposed to shave it now? And don’t wait for the oncologist to answer that one because Mr. Drug Shock – excuse me, DOCTOR Drug Shock – wouldn’t have any idea.

And then there are the plans I had to be away for the Heads-Up Championship, the Wynn Classic, etc. I’m still going. I’m just not going to feel good about it.