Shopping for local grown fruits and vegetables at Old Town Alexandria's Farmers Market, Sep. 10, 2016, Alexandria, Va. Held each Saturday morning year-round, the farmers' market is an event that has been held at the Market Square plaza for over 260 years. In fact, Old Town Farmers' Market is the oldest farmers' market in the country which has been held continuously at the same site. George Washington sent his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold at the farmer's market.

Yes, indeed! When times require it, I’m a certified…bonafide…true-ifide (yep, made that word up) druggie…dope fiend…legal junkie…doper…if you can find a term for it, then I am it.

When it comes to dealing with chemo/immunotherapy side effects, all I can say is, “Bring on the 'feel good' drugs!"

And that is what my oncologist did for me on Thursday. He prescribed two types of potent medications to deal with a few acute side effects – 24/7 persistent head pain, sporadic nauseated feeling, and an uncomfortable skin rash on various areas of my body.

As indicated in my previous blog (Friendly Fire, Sep. 05, 2016), while this new Yervoy drug (approved in March 2011 by the FDA), developed by Bristol-Meyers Squibb, is the first type of immunotherapy that gives patients – like myself – a fighting chance to live longer, it does come with some potential unusual and severe side effects; particularly involving the colon, liver, skin, endocrine system, and nervous system. However, all these negative side effects can be managed effectively if diagnosed early on.

On Thursday, during her lunch hour, Teresa went to the pharmacy to pick up the medications, and then brought them to me.

Soon after taking both medications, I started to feel better; in fact, the pain in my head significantly decreased within an hour or so!

And I woke up this morning at 4 o’clock and felt like a new man!

I felt so good, I suggested to Teresa, “Let’s go to Starbucks for coffee.” Then, we went for a Saturday morning walkabout along the Potomac river, visited the Old Town Alexandria Farmer’s Market, picked up groceries and dry cleaning, and then drove home so that we could prep all the produce for the upcoming work week. Oh, still feeling pretty good...I commenced on doing some good old Marine Corps Field Day-in' around the home (A Field Day is the complete cleaning of a Marine’s barracks area from top to bottom to include the head [bathroom]).

And in about two hours, we plan to go see “Sully,” with Actor Tom Hanks.

Yep, I’m feeling pretty good ... “feeling good” the druggie way ;-)

And if some still don’t believe me, allow James Brown convince you…

ajh