Long-Term SurvivorsWhen I hear the term, "long-term survivor", I think of getting old. In reality, in our world, long-term survivor is someone who lives beyond their life expectancy. To me, it...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Lung Cancer Drives My PassionsBefore I got lung cancer, I was passionate about grant writing for K12 education and running my dogs in agility. As a lung cancer patient, I am very passionate about...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Lung Cancer and MovingAs I meet more and more people with lung cancer, I seem to see a trend. Those who have no children in their homes (empty nesters) seem to be downsizing. This...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Clinical Trial Participation Contrasted with Standard of Care TreatmentsBack in 2013, I opted to join a clinical trial. My first-line chemotherapy treatments had worked briefly, but once we stopped the treatments to give my body a rest, the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Managing Long-Term SurvivorshipThe concept of long-term survival was not even a consideration when Gregory Kalemkarian, M.D. started his oncology practice. Dr Kalemkarian spoke to us at a Lung Cancer 101 program earlier...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
It's About Moments and Milestones -- Part IIThis is the continuation of It's About Moments and Milestones, where Jill discusses her personal journey with lung cancer. Read part one here.My journey has been an example of that...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
It's About Moments and MilestonesI attended the International Association of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Toronto at the end of September. It is the world's largest meeting dedicated to...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
That Thing About Blaming SmokersI was fortunate enough in the 1970s to grow up in a smoke-free household. But not all my friends were so lucky, nor were so many people just one generation...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Parent-Child Communication Over TimeWhen I received my diagnosis of Stage IV Lung Cancer, my child was eight years old. My wife, who has professional experience with early childhood development, suggested that we tell...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Tips for the Newly DiagnosedNewly diagnosed patients often feel like they are on a raft in the middle of the ocean without a paddle, surrounded by sharks. There are so many questions when hit...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Attending SU2C with My Lung Cancer Sisters and BrothersI recently made a trip to Santa Monica, California for the live telecast of Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C). Along with my fellow lung cancer sisters and brothers, I was...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
I Admit It. I'm Jealous of Pinktober.Are you ready for it? October is here and you know what that means. Everything will be covered in pink. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), breast cancer...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
The Surreality of Chronic IllnessIf the name had not been co-opted so many years ago by the MTV Networks as they ushered in a new age of dumbed-down reality television, I would propose a...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Don't Eat the Sugar...and Other Cancer MythsOnce you are diagnosed with cancer, you'll start hearing all kinds of things. Many of them are simply not true. Let's take a look at a few of the myths...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Blood Tests and Tumor Markers in NSCLCInformation on the importance of biomarker testing and actionable genetic mutations can be found in this more recent article. When I was diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung, my...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Breathing Easy Is a Special GiftLast night, between bouts of coughing fits, I had a sudden realization about the extraordinary privilege that has graced most of my life. I'm not talking about political or social...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
From Flakey to WheezyAs I neared the end of my last round of the trial drug I have been taking, I posted a snapshot of my face on Facebook with the text, "they...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Am I Lucky?When I was first diagnosed with lung cancer nine years ago, people would always tell me how lucky I was. I was lucky that my cancer was caught early. I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How Do You Go To Treatments?As a moderator of numerous Facebook groups pertaining to lung cancer, I see the same question quite often - "can I drive myself/go by myself to chemotherapy." The short answer...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Green Cleaning to Save Money and Help Weakened Immune SystemsIt was just a couple of months ago that I attended a seminar at our local Cancer Support Communities clubhouse on essential oils. Now, I have heard about essential oils...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments