Update from Systems Theory regarding Greg Amov's health
2009-10-10 by sdavmor
[I posted this on progressiveears very early Friday morning.]
I've just come from spending 2 hours with Greg at his house. I was
able to get a good sense of where he is physically and also how the
cancer is effecting his thinking. An old friend's daughter has come
from Phoenix to help Diane Amov with Greg's nursing for the next
month. She was the flower girl at Greg and Diane's wedding 21 years
ago. Which was the last time I saw her. Her husband is on deployment
in Iraq right now so she volunteered to do this until he returns in 4
weeks. Which may be (unspoken but ever-present) all that will be
needed for this to play out.
As for Greg going to Calprog with me pushing his wheelchair, it
officially won't be happening. Greg and I talked about it tonight, but
when I asked him if he felt up to it, he said no. Which almost
certainly means no to going next weekend to see Djam Karet & Steve
Roach, though I will plan for it until he tells me otherwise. But he's
not going to get any stronger from here on out, so these two events
were the best shot for a last hurrah concert. [Sat addon: I have since
come down with the flu, and feel like a truck sideswiped me, so my
plan to get a last minute CalProg ticket from someone that can't
attend is officially scrapped in favour of all-day sleep].
Greg talked about doing some work on tunes for Systems Theory next
week, but how much energy he might have to put into even one tune is
questionable. Especially since he will be getting 10 daily radiation
treatments starting next Tuesday, which certainly won't be increasing
his energy level. Sitting at a keyboard or at a computer will be very
difficult, and become increasingly more so. Much as I hate to say it,
I think that despite good intentions, Greg's involvement with music is
at this point down to listening to things he really likes. Between
increasingly frequent and necessary naps. Spirit willing/flesh weak, etc.
On a brighter note I should add that Greg hasn't lost his sense of
humor. I brought him back a couple of things from the Mott gigs in
London. Ian Hunter's "Diary of a rock'n'roll star" and Mott's "Brain
Capers" CD. Both signed by Hunter. Greg got the joke immediately and
quipped that he'd play a couple of cuts off it each day before going
for his radiation. To which I said 'definitely start with "The Moon
Upstairs"'. And he replied, with a grin, 'and end with "Death May Be
Your Santa Claus"'. At which point we laughed and clasped hands, a
high-five being a bit more than Greg could manage.
--
Cheers, SDM -- a 21st Century Schizoid Man
Systems Theory music project: <www.systemstheory.net>
on MySpace: <www.myspace.com/systemstheory>
on GarageBand: <www.garageband.com/systemstheory>
on Last FM: <www.last.fm/music/Systems+Theory>
on CDBaby: CDBaby <www.cdbaby.com/all/systemstheory>
get "Codetalkers" *free* at <www.mikedickson.org.uk/codetalkers>
NP: nowt
I've just come from spending 2 hours with Greg at his house. I was
able to get a good sense of where he is physically and also how the
cancer is effecting his thinking. An old friend's daughter has come
from Phoenix to help Diane Amov with Greg's nursing for the next
month. She was the flower girl at Greg and Diane's wedding 21 years
ago. Which was the last time I saw her. Her husband is on deployment
in Iraq right now so she volunteered to do this until he returns in 4
weeks. Which may be (unspoken but ever-present) all that will be
needed for this to play out.
As for Greg going to Calprog with me pushing his wheelchair, it
officially won't be happening. Greg and I talked about it tonight, but
when I asked him if he felt up to it, he said no. Which almost
certainly means no to going next weekend to see Djam Karet & Steve
Roach, though I will plan for it until he tells me otherwise. But he's
not going to get any stronger from here on out, so these two events
were the best shot for a last hurrah concert. [Sat addon: I have since
come down with the flu, and feel like a truck sideswiped me, so my
plan to get a last minute CalProg ticket from someone that can't
attend is officially scrapped in favour of all-day sleep].
Greg talked about doing some work on tunes for Systems Theory next
week, but how much energy he might have to put into even one tune is
questionable. Especially since he will be getting 10 daily radiation
treatments starting next Tuesday, which certainly won't be increasing
his energy level. Sitting at a keyboard or at a computer will be very
difficult, and become increasingly more so. Much as I hate to say it,
I think that despite good intentions, Greg's involvement with music is
at this point down to listening to things he really likes. Between
increasingly frequent and necessary naps. Spirit willing/flesh weak, etc.
On a brighter note I should add that Greg hasn't lost his sense of
humor. I brought him back a couple of things from the Mott gigs in
London. Ian Hunter's "Diary of a rock'n'roll star" and Mott's "Brain
Capers" CD. Both signed by Hunter. Greg got the joke immediately and
quipped that he'd play a couple of cuts off it each day before going
for his radiation. To which I said 'definitely start with "The Moon
Upstairs"'. And he replied, with a grin, 'and end with "Death May Be
Your Santa Claus"'. At which point we laughed and clasped hands, a
high-five being a bit more than Greg could manage.
--
Cheers, SDM -- a 21st Century Schizoid Man
Systems Theory music project: <www.systemstheory.net>
on MySpace: <www.myspace.com/systemstheory>
on GarageBand: <www.garageband.com/systemstheory>
on Last FM: <www.last.fm/music/Systems+Theory>
on CDBaby: CDBaby <www.cdbaby.com/all/systemstheory>
get "Codetalkers" *free* at <www.mikedickson.org.uk/codetalkers>
NP: nowt