By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall, 75, plans to drive to Florida next week and board a cruise ship bound for the western Caribbean. For the active Nuxhall, who is still a frequent golfer and gardener, this isn't unusual.

Except for this: He is undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The Reds broadcaster and former pitcher revealed publicly for the first time Wednesday that he has already had four treatments of chemotherapy, and has four more to go. So far, his only reaction to the chemo is fatigue.

On Monday, doctors will check the white blood cells to see how the chemo is working, Nuxhall said. The chemo kills cancer cells. But infection is a risk if too many of the normal white cells are killed.

"I'm very confident. We apparently got the lymphoma in the early stage," Nuxhall said. "There are several kinds of lymphoma. Mine is one of the kinds (more responsive) to treatment. It's a matter of time to see how it works out."

His white-cell count could determine whether he gets to take the cruise. He had a chemo treatment Wednesday and was the featured speaker at the Elder High Sports Stag that night.

"Nuxhall not only showed up, he gave a great talk," said Elder athletic director Dave Dabbelt.

"Joe's amazing I'd have been home in bed," said Nuxhall's broadcast partner, Marty Brennaman. "There is no question in Joe's mind that he's going to beat it, just like there was no question he was going to beat prostate cancer (in 1992). The single biggest key test he had was the bone test, and that came back negative."

Reds medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek said the various types of non-Hodgkin's disease make it hard to diagnose.

"It's also a lot more common than you might think," Kremchek said. "I see people in here every day who are getting a knee or a shoulder worked on, who also happen to have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - in some cases for 10 or 15 years. My father had it for over 10 years, and died of other reasons. Often, that turns out to be the case."

Nuxhall remains upbeat.

"Everything is absolutely on the plus side," Nuxhall said. "If the weather is decent (this morning), I plan to get nine holes in. I'd have been out there during that run of warm days we had, but I was spending time at the doctor's."

He said he detected a lump on the side of his face near his ear in September. The lump was removed in a 3 1/2-hour surgery two weeks ago.

"Dad and I always meet for breakfast at Bob Evans promptly at 7 o'clock every morning," said Kim Nuxhall, Joe's son. "I figured I'd just go over on my own that next morning, Saturday, at the regular time. I was driving up and I saw what looked like his van. I figured it was somebody else's, but when I got inside, there he was. I said, 'What in the heck are you doing here?' He said, 'I needed a cup of coffee.' "

Nuxhall said he feels great and would like to add 20 more games to his schedule of broadcasting 60 games next year. He intends to talk to Reds chief operating officer John Allen next week to see if the Reds can accommodate him.

Nuxhall will be feted Tuesday night at "A Tribute to Joe Nuxhall" by the Fairfield Community Foundation. It is a fundraiser to kick off the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund. Brennaman is the master of ceremonies. The speakers include former Reds Ron Oester, Jim O'Toole and Ed Bailey. It is already sold out.

"Joe's a guy almost totally without ego," Brennaman said. "He was genuinely surprised by the outpouring of love from people when he had prostate cancer, and he'll be the same way about this. But he also feeds off the adulation. It helps him."

E-mail jerardi@enquirer.com