Time and Date set!

The time: sometime before tea (11:00)
The place: City of Hope in Duarte
The reason: check in to the hospital for treatment

Finally it happens. The stem cells are prepped, the chemo is set, and all I need is a bed (and a room).

FAQs

Can I come up and visit? Yes, but you will need to scrub up, mask up, and glove up before entering the room. While I appreciate any and all visitors, I totally understand that it is a long trip (32 miles one way from Fullerton), and Duarte is not exactly the garden spot of Southern California.

OK, it's a pain in the ass to drive up, can I call? Of course! I will have my cell phone with me, so you can call that phone (local to OC). You can also e-mail me often.


You will have a computer? Yes, TV and radio can fill the void only so much. The main reason is so I can have SKYPE with me, and you can call me that way ( search JIM.IS.ILL ) and we can video conference. Plus, I will be playing Battlefield 1942, blowing up Germans...

Where do we send flowers? Don't. Flowers, plants, even balloons are forbidden on the hospital floors. Save your money. Since everyone there has no immunity to allergens or disease, they keep them far away from folks.

How long will you be in there? Two weeks, possibly more. More time at home to recover, with a possible second treatment in 6 weeks or so. I will be "fragile" for 2-3 months.


When is it a good time to call/skype/visit? Pretty much any time. I will try to stick to my schedule of being awake from 7am to 10pm. I will nap a lot, but don't let that stop you. If it's inconvenient, I will let you know.


That SKYPE thing on the side of the post, says you are unavailable, can I still call you? Yes, that seems to be a bit buggy, but it's better than nothing. Remember, I can't go very far away from the computer. Call the JIM.IS.ILL account, that goes to the laptop.

That's all I can think of at the moment, so have fun while you can!

jc