Coping with Women's Cancers
A beautiful bowl of summer cherries . . . Yesterday, as I was preparing to leave the house to visit my friend Pat R. for lunch, I saw that I had missed a call on my cell phone while I was upstairs getting ready. An assistant from my gynecologic oncologist’s office had called, something that… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: A Surprise Bowl of Summer Cherries
Six months have passed already since my total robotic hysterectomy—and four since my vaginal radiation treatments. Yesterday, I saw my gynecologic oncologist/surgeon, who took a peek and said I'm well healed with no evidence of recurrence. I do have some light vaginal discharge and need to wear a pantyliner all the time, so the… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Six-Month Checkup Yesterday
Glowing, Radiant Health RECAPPING MY STORY TO DATE AS I PREPARE TO START VAGINAL RADIATION THERAPY ONE WEEK FROM TODAY . . . Note: The blue-green highlighted terms in the text contain links to previous posts. Symptoms & Preliminary Diagnosis When I started this blog on November 9, 2013, it was with a warning for all… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Looking Back & Forging Ahead to Radiation
Example of a pelvic field for external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) after hysterectomy for stage I-II endometrial cancer. This treatment uses a low radiation dose and takes place over five to six weeks, five days a week. Surrounding structures, such as the bowel and bladder, also receive some radiation, which can result in gastrointestinal and urinary side… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Orange Pee & Radioactive Tampons
A Clean Slate . . . but with a Few Fingernail Scrapes Down the Chalkboard (Part 1 Here) I know I've indulged in quite a lot of detail. But as someone who appreciates finding information about the problems I face, I'm providing these stories for the benefit of anyone else going through similar situations. … Continue reading My Story – Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp: Baby New Year 2014 Arrives with Baby Shampoo . . . & the Promise of a Fresh Start, Part 2
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
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
Very glad to be home after surgery and recuperating well, with what I hope are only a few more bumps in the road to traverse. Here I offer a few more details about my brief hospital stay and its aftermath for those who are interested. Some of what follows is of minor importance and is… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Cancer No More–The “da Vinci” Code & Diagnosis
A lot of the medical aspects of this blog are about the things that go wrong. But a lot of things also go right. It is amazing what can happen in the span of a single day. I returned home this afternoon, just before the weather got really bad, from St. Barnabas Medical Center in… Continue reading My Story – Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: Cancer No More –What a Difference a Day Makes
Just before midnight on December 12, 2013, I am preparing for my da Vinci robotic radical hysterectomy tomorrow . . . only hours away now after waiting for more than five weeks after getting my diagnosis of uterine (endometrial) cancer (adenocarcinoma). It will be good to be on the other side of this problem. I thought… Continue reading Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer: My Timeline, My Impending Surgery
The Patient Path 