Welcome to an ongoing series of blog posts around health and wellness topics. The bulk of the posts before 2020 will be about my experiences in cancer treatments over the years. I’m taking a broader approach to my blogging, writing and speaking now, covering topics relating to wellness and game development.
I routinely encounter folks dealing with serious illness (mostly cancer, in my circumstances) who accept whatever the first doctor they meet tells them, even if what they’re told is that there is no hope. I watched my own mother accept that information from her doctor two years ago. I didn’t
April is head and neck cancer awareness month! Be aware of the causes and symptoms, summarized in the graphic at the bottom. For me, it was a swollen lymph node below my jaw that didn’t resolve after antibiotics. It was negative on a needle biopsy and was finally diagnosed when
Clinical trial math example: Monday + every two months = time to start worrying about my scan the following Monday. Tuesday + pain below my right ribs = worry about that AND the scan the following Monday. Wednesday + pain is now across the front of my chest below my
Last year, I was in the hospital from chemo for my birthday, not knowing the cancer would blossom again months later. This year, I’m walking around San Francisco–short of breath sometimes, but walking–looking forward to an afternoon and evening with friends, a few days at GDC, then the return home
The every-other-week treatment schedule has become habit at this point. In at 7:45 am, IV and blood draw, discussion with the trial nurse, meet with Dr. Ani, get the blood test results, then infusion and home by 1:00 pm. What isn’t habit yet is the unpredictability of immunotherapy. Unlike chemo,
I’m exhausted and stressed and sad and angry. I try to keep my posts here focused and positive, but it’s really hard at this point. I was contacted last week by the Organizing Director of a healthcare advocacy group to see if I would be willing to be called upon