April Fools!

Once upon a time, a good joke told by my favorite oncologist flew right by me because my brain was working on a 10-second delay. I was in the clinic for a checkup about 10 days after completing a fourth and final round of biochemotherapy. My doc bounded into the exam room with a grin and announced “Rich, congratulations, you’re our thousandth patient to complete biochemo and you’re the lucky winner of a fifth round!”. I nearly fainted before he explained he was just kidding. To celebrate April Fools’ Day, I’ve put this tale to music to the tune of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale” from 1967’s “summer of love”…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA

I did my last infusion,
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor.
I was feeling kind of seasick,
My doc joked ‘bout one more.
The room was spinning harder,
As the ceiling flew away.
When I called out for an Ativan,
The nurses brought a tray.

And so it was that checkup,
As my doctor told his tale,
That my face at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale.

He said there was no reason,
And the truth was plain to see
That I’d finished all my sixteen days,
And could just let it be
All of sixteen big infusions
That were aiming at the beast.
And although my brain was working,
It just did not get the least.

And so it was that checkup,
As my doctor told his tale,
That my face at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale.

For the record, I was not in San Francisco for the “summer of love” because I was only fourteen and my parents wouldn’t let me go.