So the other day on Facebook, I saw that my friend “Amanda” was going to Costa Rica for 11 months. I congratulated her in the comments section. The next day, “Jodie” wrote that she was moving to London for two years, and some time later “Kris” said she’d be in the Dominican Republic for three … Read more
In February of 2003, a few months after my cancer diagnosis and surgery, I attended a cancer retreat in the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne, Australia. It was an amazing ten days, that helped me transform my cancer experience into something that had value and meaning for me. Part of what made the experience amazing were … Read more
Wednesday evening I came across this article by Roger Ebert and reposted it, with the status: “I love this guy.” In Ebert’s post, he was talking about making some changes–pulling pack because of his health, but also looking forward to new interests and endeavors. He also said, At this point in my life, in addition … Read more
CASTING REAL CANCER PATIENTS – FEMALE PRINT SHOOT FOR CANCER RELATED ORGANIZATION We are casting REAL CANCER PATIENTS – FEMALE ONLY – (must currently be bald from chemotherapy) for a print shoot for print materials for a cancer related organization. You must be in the greater Los Angeles area. Pay: $2,000 DETAILS: CANCER PATIENT – … Read more
There’s a blog I’ve been following intermittently for a while, called Chris Beat Cancer. I don’t know Chris and he doesn’t know me, but from reading his blog I can determine we are kind of “cancer twins.” We were both diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2003 (both at a rather young age). We … Read more
AUGUST 30, 2012 Today Paul and I met with the surgeon I’ve been referred to, Dr. Y—. It went…okay. On the plus side, she was extremely clear in her explanations of things. On the minus side, there was some social awkwardness. I should start (as we did in the appointment) with the scan results from … Read more
Six weeks from the surgery, flown by. In some ways like it never happened (though of course in many ways like it did.) Into my third week (or is it fourth?) back at work. And it’s also the third week of my second course for the semester–a five week intensive on the topic of fairy … Read more
August 27, 2012 Ugh. CT / PET Scan today. The experience of scans themselves were not so bad. I didn’t get any of the rare but dread reactions to the contrast solution (I think these included skin hardening, possibly leading to death. There are pros and cons to actually reading the permissions you are signing.) … Read more
Sunday, August 26, 2012 Tomorrow: The first day of classes at USC, the last date upon which I can get ten dollars off a Victoria’s Secret Bra, and the date of my pre-operative CT-PET scan. It still seems unreal a lot of the time. Many other things on my mind–work was crazed on Friday. We … Read more
August 25, 2012 Things I am already doing to help my case: Meditating again… I once had a practice. I had a tendency to act like I still had a practice, but I didn’t. I do now. Twenty-five to thirty minutes in the morning and the evening, ten or fifteen minutes mid-day at work, and … Read more