Coping with Women's Cancers
In Part 1–Chemotherapy, we entered Diane’s story as she was undergoing pre-operative chemo for invasive lobular cancer (ILC) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) of the right breast, a relatively uncommon form of the disease. That post discusses breast cancer statistics, as well as the details of Diane’s chemotherapy protocol and its effects. In Part 2–Diagnosis, we reviewed why Diane… Continue reading Diane’s Story – Breast Cancer: Part 3–Surgery
In Part 1—Chemotherapy, we entered Diane’s story as she was undergoing pre-operative chemotherapy for lobular breast cancer. In this post, we will take a close look at how Diane’s journey began a year ago last month and how she is currently preparing for surgery by getting second opinions while her body recuperates from chemo. This is a cautionary tale… Continue reading Diane’s Story – Breast Cancer: Part 2–Diagnosis
Mammary gland at 40x under lab microscope (Accessed July 2016) © MicroscopeWorld 2015 Beginning with this post, we will be following the progress of my friend Diane, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer and has generously agreed to tell her story. Along the way, we will provide reliable information and resources to help others… Continue reading Diane’s Story – Breast Cancer: Part 1–Chemotherapy
As I prepare to publish a special post in honor of my son’s 31st birthday tomorrow, I pause to remember his father on the first anniversary of his death on July 17, 2014. IN MEMORIAM – HONORING A VIETNAM VET On the eve of my son's 30th birthday last month, his father passed on to the… Continue reading Repost: My Son’s Father’s Story – Lung Cancer
Yesterday I wrote about my one-year “to the day” anniversary of being diagnosed with uterine (endometrial) cancer. Today is my one-year “to the date” marker. And I am lucky. Watching the evening news last night, November 3, I saw three stories about people who have lived lives that were, yes, challenged by cancer, but more importantly were full of… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: P.S. to Yesterday’s Post–Life on the Infinite Walkway
IN MEMORIAM – HONORING A VIETNAM VET On the eve of my son's 30th birthday last month, his father passed on to the next place. Sadly, estrangement had kept us from knowing he was even ill and had been battling lung cancer for two-and-a-half years. I am omitting names in what follows to respect the privacy of my… Continue reading My Son’s Father’s Story – Lung Cancer: The Loss of a Co-Parent
Balanced decisions require weighing all factors. Don't get caught with your scales tipped. The answer is YES if you are getting radiation therapy for uterine (endometrial) cancer, breast cancer, or any other cancer. Once you make the decision to undergo this treatment, don't give up partway through—persevere until you have received the full dose. See the… Continue reading Do you always have to do what the doctor says? Part 1: When the answer is YES
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come “Ghost of the Future! . . . I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company,… Continue reading Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer & Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp: Cancer No More–Lessons from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
The Ghost of Christmas Present Note: This post contains my final diagnosis. See Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer – My Story & More and Radiation Therapy for Uterine Cancer – My Story & More for details of my post-surgery progress and follow-up care. December 19’s post focused a little hard on the “tragedy mask” side of the life coin. The Ghost of… Continue reading Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Cancer No More–Lessons & a Final Diagnosis from the Ghost of Christmas Present
Need a comfy mental place to think about my life as I prepare for the next stages of it. This seems to be a very nice one. You may not see me sitting there, but I am--and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come are right there with me. Yesterday’s post was about the details of… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Cancer No More: Emotional Reflections in Blue Places
The Patient Path 