I went through my 2nd chemo this past Wed. I had already shaved my head in preparation for this treatment. This time I got my IV infusion at Vanderbilt's Cancer Center which was a lot more streamlined than getting it in a hospital room, taking about 6 hours from start to finish. I drove to Vandi and they gave me the usual drugs on top of drugs (100mg Prednisone in the morning followed by 2 tylenol, 2 benedryl, more stereiods, anti-nausea meds, etc).

During the first 4 drugs/injections I did fine sitting in my chair watching TV and listening to music. Rituxan (the last drug) is usually the one that kicks my butt. When the nurse started the IV it made me feel like I was going to faint/pass out in my chair. I told the nurse about this so she gave me a shot of Ativan (sedative) which seemed to calm me down a tad. I drove myself home and woke up every couple of hours during the night to go to the bathroom. My toilet smelled really bad from all the chemicals, but I kept drinking a bunch of water which seemed to flush me out.

On Thursday I rested all day and was really tired. I needed to teach on Friday as my classes at Belmont have a few more lectures to get through before the end of the semester. Before going to Belmont, I stopped by Vandi Friday morning to get a $2500 shot of Neupogen. I am going to get these now on after every chemo (thank God for insurance) to keep my immune system strong. This shot stimulates your bone marrow to make more white blood cells.

Anyway, when I started teaching classes at Belmont I felt like I was going to faint in front of the class. I couldnt stand and would have occassional flashes. I guess I was more tired than I thought. Luckily, Kellie Meeks and I co-taught the class for the next 3 hours and I got to rest in a chair talking to the class until collecting enough energy to drive home. I may have to put my last lecture(s) on quicktime for the class to watch. I'm still playing it by ear. Saturday I was dead tired from Friday and Meghan took care of me all day. Today is Sunday and I feel a little more rested, going to try to head to church and then come back and rest.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers,

Dave

I just got out of the hospital again. I went to Vanderbilt's ER this past Sunday. I had been having severe stomach cramps (it felt like someone shot me in the stomach) all weekend. I always am of the opinion, 'better safe than sorry' so I reluctantly checked myself in again, even though I had been there the week prior. The doctors bequeathed me with more x-rays, blood work and CTs of my stomach. They said the CT showed my lower colon was swollen up, but didn't know if it was due to constipation or my low white blood cell count. So the question remained, was I stopped up or did I have a colon infection? To answer this they starved me for two days. I was on an IV only diet with sugar water infused into my veins. I got hungry at first and then just irritated. It's one thing to just have sugar water for 2 days, but another to take a bunch of meds with the sugar water...it makes you grumpy for sure! The good news about the whole stay is that the doctor said the newest CT showed that my mass had shrunk from the 1st treatment! They never really figured out what had caused the original problem but I was flowing and eating solids. My next chemo will be Wed April 18th.

Needless to say, I stayed my 2 nights in the hospital, got prescriptions for my new meds and was allowed to leave on Tuesday at 12pm. This relieved me because I had a prescheduled recording session at County Q studios at 3pm the same day. I played bass on the session with my buddy Howard Duck (keys for Rascall Flatts) and had fun cutting vocals with Shayne Hill (Sawyer Brown). We finished my song (co-written with Justin Busch) named "American Idol." There were some other great players on the session as well. I have put the lyrics below as I secretly infused some of my current situation into the song ;-)

American Idol
(J Busch / D. Tough)
April 2007

Daddy was a good man
Taught me wrong from right
Worked full time with his cancer
Knowing God's grace would get us by

When he'd come home from work
He'd always set me on his knee
He'd say "Son, love your country and protect your family"

He'd charged burning buildings
Fought the war in '73
And I knew from that day on
He's who I wanted to be

An American Idol
Standing strong in his faith,
Don't need a million people,
To show him the way
He can't dance like a pop star
Can't sing a song in tune
He's an American Idol
Red white and blue, for me and you

Now mama's gone back to work
The late shift every night
Serving dinner to the locals
With some coffee and her friendly smile

Daddy's sickness came back strong
And so did the bills
And now every little tip
Goes to paying for the pills

She's dead on her feet
But never looks for sympathy
And to me she represents
All I want to be

An American Idol
Stands up for what is right
Don't need to hear the crowd roar
In the bright spotlight
She's never dyed her hair
No crazy tattoos
She's an American Idol
Red white and blue, for me and you

BRIDGE:
From up here on the stage
Looking back at me
Are everyday American Idols
Defining who I want to be

You're an American Idol
Stand up for what is right
You don't need to hear the crowd roar
In the bright spotlight
Don't need to dye your hair
Don't have to sing in tune
To be American Idols
Red white and blue, for me and you