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A story with a terrifying beginning and an amazing ending.
I know this is a music website, but you guys know me, at least
from a distance. So where better to tell this?
I do not want to bore us so let's get to the chorus. I will keep it in a musical setting.
"Squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil, which is HPV positive, is classically treated with radiation and chemotherapy," I said that just in case someone has better information, say so. Radiation is generally damaging both in the short term and long term when used at 60 grays. A gray is a unit of measurement for radiation.
We have evidence of a much better management tool that combines chemo and radiation at 30 grays, which does not produce any damage to your body.
Here's the catch. Science can demonstrate that, but you can't have it. Why? Because our foolish medical approval system lags far behind science.
HPV is an epidemic in the United States and is causing cancer in more than 50,000 people a year.
Back to the beginning of all this for me.
In a pretty normal blood test, I showed signs of having bone marrow cancer (multiple myeloma). A bone marrow biopsy proved that I did not have myeloma. Great news! A PET scan showed high molecular activity in the left tonsil. Not great news but possible just an infection. The ENT doctor looked at it and said I don't think it is cancer. Great news!
A few days later, I poked a video camera down my throat and sent her the video saying I disagreed and we should do a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive for small cell carcinoma of the left tonsil.
Schedule surgery ASAP.
The surgery went more or less without any major complications. ICU recovery was no problem. The remaining hospitalization was a nightmare of intuitional bureaucratic government failure. I survived and demanded discharge and came home and took care of myself with my wife's help. There is nothing on the planet that will replace a good wife! Thanks Eva.
I was terrified of the prospect of radiation therapy. I went to the ENT doctor for the final pathology report today, and the tumor was smaller than shown on the CT scan and only involved the first lymph node. No chemo or radiation is needed. She got it all with her trusty robotic knife! I actually cried when given the good news.
The PA who works for her came to me and said, you may have just saved someone else life as early as today. We have changed our process as a result of what you showed us. I cried again.
The recovery from the robotic surgery has been super painful but a little better now. Tubes running out of my neck, feeding tube in my nose, and my throat cut from ear to ear…lol
What a dark time in my life when sunshine appeared from nowhere!
Never give up and never doubt yourself and speak up when dealing with doctors.
I guess there is a song in this somewhere.
Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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Great story Billy! Thanks for sharing!
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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A great outcome Billy. Keep getting better  PS: To keep it musical, we'll need some lyrics: "...And he sang and he watched and waited 'til his Billy boiled. You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me" 
Last edited by VideoTrack; 10/15/21 03:54 PM. Reason: musical content required
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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A horrifying story but a happy ending. I'm glad that things worked out OK for you.
"There is nothing on the planet that will replace a good wife!" That is so true!
Me, it's not about how many times you fail, it's about how many times you get back up.
Cop, that's not how field sobriety tests work.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Thanks, Steve, Mario, Trev
In these days of Covid pandemic isolation, it is a great feeling to have internet friends.
LOL...Perhaps I will write a song or two about all this but no singing is in my future anytime soon. Going to a speech pathologist to relearn how to talk.
I don't know how many of you have been sick enough to need morphine but the dreams are really strange.
Somehow all this has reminded me of several members of the "27" club. I dreamed about Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin while in an opioid-induced haze.
I have never used heroin but perhaps the effect is somewhat like morphine.
Perhaps living through the sixties in the United States leaves an indelible mark on a person if you are into music.
I have been very fortunate to live a long time without any illness. Well...not any physical illness. Been a little crazy after Vietnam.
Perhaps a potentially fatal situation gave me pause to realize how connected I have been to the music and the musicians who play it.
I think my guitar is looking pretty forlorn and sad and missing me. I know I will be glad when the day comes that I am well enough to pick it up again.
Take care and be safe my friends and thanks again for being there.
Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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Congratulations on all levels.
Yes, we have to, in some level or other, take responsibility and ask for a 2nd opinion, other look etc.
You've done well for yourself and others. Good on Eva too!
Robotic surgery is GREAT. I've had it. Mine wasn't as complex or narrowly confined as yours but it still cost AUS$20k for the two days in hospital and the surgery. Fortunately the government & health insurance folk are now properly covering the process...faster return to work time, less time in a bed, etc. mean it's worth it. At the time of my surgery I'd been paying into private health insurance for 35 years and into the national scheme for even longer and all I was rebated was AUS$2k. Mind you, I was happy to pay to have my life saved and was lucky enough to be able to pay the fees...left me with no savings but a means or garnering more was now viable.
Oh, I was lucky enough to have no need for chemo or rad treatment after the fact...that was a real phew! moment.
Get to that guitar as soon as you can, I know mine certainly assisted my rehabilitation...something to do, some brain work to process some creativity to express...good for body & soul.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Congratulations on all levels.
Yes, we have to, in some level or other, take responsibility and ask for a 2nd opinion, other look etc.
You've done well for yourself and others. Good on Eva too!
Robotic surgery is GREAT. I've had it. Mine wasn't as complex or narrowly confined as yours but it still cost AUS$20k for the two days in hospital and the surgery. Fortunately the government & health insurance folk are now properly covering the process...faster return to work time, less time in a bed, etc. mean it's worth it. At the time of my surgery I'd been paying into private health insurance for 35 years and into the national scheme for even longer and all I was rebated was AUS$2k. Mind you, I was happy to pay to have my life saved and was lucky enough to be able to pay the fees...left me with no savings but a means or garnering more was now viable.
Oh, I was lucky enough to have no need for chemo or rad treatment after the fact...that was a real phew! moment.
Get to that guitar as soon as you can, I know mine certainly assisted my rehabilitation...something to do, some brain work to process some creativity to express...good for body & soul. Thanks racy, I guess as you well know it is good to be alive and have hope for the future no matter the cost. The economics of serious health issues are the number one cause of bankruptcies in the United States. Fortunately for me, I am covered due to military service. I also have private insurance. God only knows what all this has cost. The cost of health care is unbelievable here in the United States. I had a pretty simple issue a couple of years back and a four-day hospital bill was $48,000 USD just for testing. I have a limited range of motion at the moment which is getting better day by day. It may be a while before I can pick up my guitar but I think I may be able to play around with the piano in a few days. I am forever grateful to members of this forum for their support while I have gone through all this. Best wishes to you and yours, Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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Billy.
i sincerely hope you get back to normal. and full recovery and enjoyment of your musical and daily life.
the following is a true story. which mirrors what you said bout the system in the states.
through a chance encounter once i met an artist who was extremely well known//a star and who astounded me over lunch describing the medical system in the states.
(i cant say the persons name, as was sworn to secrecy.)
frankly the person floored me. i never realised it could be so expensive.
wishing you the very very best billy.
om
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Great news Billy.
I wish for you a speedy and complete recovery.
And write those songs.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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good news Billy... Get well quick.
Bandcamp Soundcloud Win-11; BiaB-2024-latest Beta;
Cakewalk; Melodyne-5; Scaler 2; NI Komplete:
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
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Glad to hear you're on the mend, man. Were you treated at the VA or Jackson?
I worked at Jackson for over 16 years. There was a joke going around (JMH is a teaching hospital):
What do you call a guy who graduates 299th out of a class of 300?
"Doctor".
Regards,
Bob
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Can't tell you how much I loved that story!!! One Vietnam Vet to another!
Welcome home.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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You are so correct about "I survived and demanded discharge and came home and took care of myself with my wife's help. There is nothing on the planet that will replace a good wife! Thanks Eva." That's one lucky star to have and I'm in a position to say that with confidence and authority, you are truly blessed.
For many years I was fortunate to have a good wife too. And even more so, one that was a RN/PA and eventually an APRN (Nurse Practitioner). My job as a large loss fire specialist carried the hazards of falling off ladders, roofs and through floors and all the while, stepping on everything sharp imaginable.
Glad to hear you're on the mend and keeping good spirits. Get well soon.
Charlie
BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Thank you all for the kind words. I read everything so be assured I am looking even if I do not respond.
I was so overjoyed about the no radiation issue I forgot I was still not well.
A special thanks to you Eddie, we have a special bond.
Thanks Bob (90db) I was in the VA but my wife went to the Jackson ER once. Yep, a bit of a zoo...lol
Thanks Notes, I have scribbled a few lines down last night,
Thanks bloc-head
Thanks Deb
And thanks OM. I get a kick out of all that stuff you do from near the church bells...lol
And finally thanks Charlie, you have always been a good friend to me and picked up the phone when I call.
Again, thanks, everyone. I am getting better and soon back to asking stupid questions about BIAB and making Matt crazy with technical questions about music theory.
Here's hoping every one of you gets some good news. The last couple of years have been pretty rough on everyone.
Cheers,
Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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AND now there's a very cool delta blues style recount in the User Showcase...it's bloody cool too.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Good to see you back Billy, getting better and singing, they can't keep a good man down for long. Keep well
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Thanks, guys, I am not sure it could really be called "singing" lol My vocals are pretty bad in normal times...lol
First time I had my guitar in my hand in several weeks.
I was unable to play the guitar and sing at the same time as I would normally do( all the pain meds are still affecting me )so some guitar notes covered the voice but were not too distracting. That made it a little less polished but perhaps that was a good thing.
Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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Whoa...glad you are on the upside!!!
J&B
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Whoa...glad you are on the upside!!!
J&B Me too!...lol It has been a life-changing experience. Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment
If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
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If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
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