Strange days in Washington, in London, all over the globe. Strangely warm, but there is also a chill over everything. Could this be the prelude to the end of the world? This feels like the first few bars of it. A sixteen year old takes the stage to call out world leaders, who smile and … Continue reading On ne joue pas avec la liberté

I had a rough week. After waking up one too many mornings feeling like the previous night was spent with my lips to the exhaust pipe of an idling truck, and after downing my umpteenth pot of Throat Coat tea, I admitted that I was still feeling lousy and I didn’t know why. I went … Continue reading Beginner’s mind (AIM at Melanoma Patient Symposium @ NYU Cancer Center)

The week was lost to illness, but at least this time it wasn’t mine. Young A came down with a fever last Friday, and it lasted a full week. Young J joined the fun on Wednesday.  The kids were also off school Tuesday for a blizzard that turned into a colossal ice storm — not … Continue reading Lost time is not found again *

I’m celebrating. In a very small way. No, not because I finally took a food photo that gets the colors right and actually makes the food look appetizing. Rather, I am pleased because this is the avocado salad that kicked this whole blog off, just a bit over two years ago. I ate it then … Continue reading A celebration of an ordinary thing

Greetings to those who’ve arrived here from my patient profile on The Answer to Cancer! I’ve been writing this blog with a known audience in mind until now. But once the posts reached a critical mass, I decided I wanted to try to boost this blog’s readership, specifically to include people who, like you or … Continue reading Hello!

I had a joyous “home”-coming at the cancer center this morning. It started with me getting there by subway, under my own power. When I got to the station I realized what a steep grade the stairs are there. Getting to the top felt like rock climbing, in my attenuated, sedentary state. Still. It didn’t … Continue reading Avoiding the hook

Home again. Back in bed again. This time feeling less dreadful and dread-filled. Another wheelchair ride into the cancer center this morning. This time Quentin was there and asked me what was wrong. I didn’t go into clinical details, but then a second later I had to because we again ran into Dr. S, radiation … Continue reading You Can’t Be Any Poorer Than Dead

I’m heading back to the cancer center this morning for more drugs. One in particular, infliximab, which is supposed to arrest the colitis-like symptoms that were brought on by my gangbusters immune response to ipilimumab. They want to get me off the steroids. I want to get me off the steroids. Win-win, let’s hope. While … Continue reading Purgative/Purgatory