Some days I feel like I'm running around with a big question mark tatooed to my forehead. I just can't understand why good fortune, considering the circumstances, continues to rain down on me. Here's the deal. My oncologist had persuaded me to try an oral chemotherapy even though my insurance company considers its use to be investigatory in nature and uncovered. The drug, Xeloda-a brand of capecitabine (the iv version) is grossly expensive. If this household had to pay for it out of pocket I would need to sell our home and liquidate all of my other assets. It is that expensive.
The pharmaceutical company gifted me my first round of this medication and I am having little, if any, side effects. The coverage is being appealed to the insurance company and documents regarding its useage as standard protocol have been submitted. It may or may not eventually be covered. The need to continue on the next round of the drug is coming so the pharmaceutical company has again gifted me another course of treatment. My biggest fear is that this stuff would work and I couldn't have it. I'm sure you can understand the emotional side of things if that happened. Well, to make a long story short the cancer clinic I go to has just told me to not worry about it. No matter whether the insurance pays or not I will receive this drug free of charge if it is working for me.
After the second round of chemo I'll get a CT scan and the images will be compared to my last CT to see if the disease has progressed, stopped in its tracks or reversed course. I'm really in touch with my body and its telling me that this stuff is working. I could bitch about a number of things that are no longer normal but I'm in generally good health and can enjoy every day. I can actually make plans and follow through with them. That may not seem like a big deal to you healthy guys but it is what gives me my life back. Previously if I were invited to do something I'd have to qualify my response with "sure, if I'm feeling good enough". Now I can say, "what time?".
On the stereo front the Syrah has been sent off for repair and I purchased a used Wright WPL 10 V just in case. I should be getting it in a few days and I'm sure I'll be happy with it. I also contacted Robert at Ridge Street and ordered another pair of the Poiema! speaker cables since my speakers require two stereo pairs. I also ordered some Eichmann banana connectors to use with these cables from Robert. Now, remember Robert gifted me two pairs of RCA's and one pair of the speaker cables earlier. He charged me so little for all this other stuff that I consider it a gift too. Just the interconnects and the speaker cables have made a huge difference in my system. In fact, the retail price of the cabling exceeds the value of my amps, crossovers and speakers. Well, I did buy them used you understand. Looking at everything in retail dollars the cabling is about 50% of the price of the parts I just mentioned. It sounds better doing it this way than moving up the food chain with my hardware for the same dollar figure. Not long ago I wouldn't have believed this possible.
I now only have one challenge left with the system. Assuming the Syrah never returns I need step up transformers to use with a new cartridge. I just love the Bent Audio transformers. They sound great if broken in and the cartridge loading is very easy to change. They are out of my price range however. If anyone has any ideas about a cheaper way to go I'd be most interested. I really only need about 10 db of gain but configuring for other gain settings would be a plus. Cartridge loading changes would need to be easy because I'm so ignorant about the more difficult ways its accomplished. Dip switches would be okay but the way the Bent Audio unit works is just too cool. You simply clamp the resistors between two posts to attain any value you want. I saw this first hand in Miami thanks to Doug Deacon and was amazed. I was amazed by how easy it was and also how clearly audible very small changes affected the sound.
I also had some good fortune on the software front too. I'd been looking for an affordable MOFI copy of Muddy Waters "Folk Singer". Affordable is a laugh. What I did find was a Chess reissue in mint condition. After having played it I find it difficult to believe the MOFI is any better. This is great content and a wonderful performance recorded about as good as it gets. I love this album. I'm also very impressed by the album Bem Campbell sent me. It's Nick Drake's "Five Leaves Left". This album has really grabbed me after a few plays. Considering that it was originally released around 1968 and I can't remember having heard it before makes it all the more interesting.
Did anyone here take my advice and buy the David Roth album? Just curious what others think of it.
Two friends from the Midwest are arriving today for a weeks visit. We'll be going out tonight for some live blues. I have some fun things we're going to do while they are here but the bulk of the time will be spent listening to tunes, visiting and getting small. As soon as this is posted I'm going out to buy a good bottle of cognac to go along with those cigars I bought in Miami. Ah, the aroma of stinking up the house with old friends is something I really look forward to.
