Benefit this Friday

I hope those of you who didn't make it out to the last one can make this one. There will be four bands on-stage.

8:00 - reggae DJ (tba)
9:00 - Common Language
10:00 - Three Shoes Posse (with me on drums)
11:30 - Mystic Roots (from California, who usually backs Pato Banton)
1:15 - Crucial Prophets

There will be vendors set up also, including Anne's awesome Threads of Change t-shirts, which are very very comfortable. Healing Is Believing wristbands will also be available and they have been getting a great response from everybody.

Hope you can make it!

Blessings!

RJ

I'm Still Here

Hey peeps!

Just an update for you on the latest.

Had a great weekend. Went to see Kelly Willis with my sister on Saturday night and they have a tight band fi real. Lori was so excited to meet one of her favorite singers.

Opening the show was Hayes Carll and he was good too, some of his songs were funny. His drummer, Lisa Pankratz is the daughter of Mau Mau Chaplains drummer Mike Pankraatz and she was great too. I had not seen her play in a long time.

Sunday I ran sound at church and struggled to get through the day due to the rawness of my mouth. Luckily on Monday, I got some new drugs, one being a triple mix of liquids that numbs out my mouth when I need it. been doing pain pills as needed also so much better with that now.

Gotta run and get ready for The Dad Show show for tonight which is 6-7 pm on KAZI 88.7.

RJ

"I'm Back And I'm Proud"

Well I haven't written in awhile. Life has been up and down the last week.

It looks like I am done with eating food through my mouth. Making the transition to the tubular way. Certainly easier that eating with my mouth.

Lots of my hair falling out this week and I am wondering if that is going to slow down, or if I will end up shaving it off. Not sure at this point.

Played with Three Shoes Posse last night at Ron Paul's Austin Presidential Campaign 2008 grand opening. The performance went very well and we had fun.

Off to Kalaiah's birthday party right now.

Thanks again to all of you who have contributed with prayers, financial help and words of encouragement. You can still make donations through TexasReggae.org.

Know that you are blessed in all you do!

RJ

Great Weekend

This week had a few shaky days due to nausea. It's all been good since Friday. Had a wedding gig out in Liberty Hill last night and had a blast. Congrats to Kaylana & Jason and their whole family. They were some of the sweetest people I have worked with. Excited about the benefit today at Flamingo. Life is so good!

RJ

Birthday Party & Benefit - This Sunday

Hope you can make it! This is going to be a great event.

BANDS SCHEDULED TO PERFORM:

6:00 - Vida Deluxe
7:30 - Irie Jane
9:00 - Mau Mau Chaplains

Food by Winston's Hot Sauce and Chow Baby, silent auctions and DJs also.

Location is at Flamingo Cantina, 515 E 6th street in downtown Austin.

Thank you all for your support. I really appreciate all of it.

RJ

Monday's Treatment

Chemo's ok today for the most part. Had a reaction to the Taxell at first. I got 'tomato head' and short of breath for a minute, so they stopped the IV and gave me more Benadryl and Solumedrol (a steroid) and I am fine now. Just doing some work and chilling...

Weekend was great. Got to see Alexandra, Anne, and Kalaiah. Watched a couple of good videos too: DejaVu with Denzell Washington and Dreamland which had some very interesting characters.

Did a wedding Saturday night at The Austin Club. Great venue.

RJ

A Happy Friday

I took Kytril this morning and returned home from treatment and I am not feeling nauseous at 11:40. Took an Ativan last night and slept great. Looking forward to doing a wedding on Saturday and rocking the house.

RJ

Happy 4th of July

I had a fever of 101 last night, today my tongue is totally white. So I called my doctor and he said I have Thrush and is prescribing antibiotics. I spent around 16 hours in bed from last night until this morning. Luckily, WalGreens is open and will fill the prescriptions for $163.

Happy Independence Day!

RJ

Our Lovely Healthcare System

Mom and I went to see SICKO tonight and it is another great piece of work from Mr Moore. He shows how universal healthcare could make this such a better nation. He shows how it is done in the UK, Canada, and France--and it works!

Go see this movie!

Then let's figure out how to vote for somebody who gives a damn to make this happen. We've been hijacked by insurance companies who have bought our politicians. It's so sad, and it doesn't have to be this way.

It just reinforced my lesson earlier in the day. I was speaking with my pharmacist about a different solution for my nausea. I did Compazine and Promethazine last week with mixed results (see Ralph below). It had been suggested that I try Kytril. When I asked her how much they were she told me 20 pills would cost me $600!

My social worker put in an application to see if I can get some help from the drug company. I should find out tomorrow how that will work out.

RJ

Good Monday

Almost finished with chemo today and it was a breeze. Didn't have any problems at all, other than falling asleep for a minute. My brain woke me up at 5:00 this morning, so I am a little sleepy I guess.

Weekend was great. Got to see Alexandra, Anne and Kalaiah. Rehearsal went well and the doc this morning said I will be fine to perform at the benefit on the 15th. More details coming soon on that.

RJ